Dramatists Guild to Present Free Healthcare Webinars For Theatre Writers

The Dramatists Guild of America, in partnership with the Entertainment Community Fund, has announced two free webinars exploring health insurance options for theatre writers. The seminars are open to playwrights across the country and will be held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, October 25 and Wednesday, November 15, 2023.

Both events are made possible through a grant from Venturous Theater Fund.

These events will enable writers to make informed choices to protect their health, whether they are planning to apply for Medicare or looking to consider a variety of insurance plans. These sessions are an excellent opportunity for unbiased, comprehensive information from an experienced health insurance navigator who is accustomed to working with members of the theatre community, including freelancers and writers. The seminars will be led by Renata Marinaro, the National Director of Health Services for the Fund.

“Theatre writers are one of the very few positions within the working entertainment industry without a formal union or access to healthcare,” said Jordan Stovall, DG Director of Outreach and Institutional Partnerships. “The Dramatists Guild is incredibly grateful to our friends at the Entertainment Community Fund and Venturous Theater Fund for offering this invaluable information, as well as their long-term support, to the playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists who need it most.”

The full schedule of programming is as follows:

Every Theatre Writer Insured: Welcome to Medicare!

Wednesday, October 25

3pm-4:30pm EST

Join the Dramatists Guild and the Entertainment Community Fund for an informational session about the Medicare enrollment process. This free event, led by the Fund's National Director of Health Services, Renata Marinaro, is for anyone who will soon be getting Medicare or is already enrolled in Medicare and wants to learn more about how it works. This session will also include changes to Medicare for 2024 and a Q&A at the end.

Register for the free Zoom webinar on Medicare.

 
Please note that this is a national webinar designed to give you an excellent grounding in Medicare; for questions regarding your specific situation, please consult with a health benefits specialist.

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Every Theatre Writer Insured: Welcome to Open Enrollment!

Wednesday, November 15
3pm-4:30pm EST
 

Join the Dramatists Guild and the Entertainment Community Fund for a free webinar to help you understand your options when considering your next health insurance plan.

Led by Renata Marinaro, this session will give theatre writers clear, step-by-step guidance on what all your insurance options are and how to get the most affordable coverage. You'll learn about Affordable Care Act plans, Medicaid, the Essential Plan, and COBRA. Find out how to estimate variable/sporadic income, discover if you're eligible for free insurance or expanded subsidies to reduce your premiums, and more.

Register for the free Zoom webinar on open enrollment.

The information shared at this event will be relevant to all theatre writers, including freelancers and those who are self-employed.

These seminars will be held via Zoom. Visit www.dramatistsguild.com to learn more.

Renata Marinaro, LMSW, is National Director of Health Services for the Fund. She counsels professionals and small businesses in the entertainment industry nationwide on healthcare coverage options. In March 2017, she helped launch the Samuel J Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts, in partnership with Mt. Sinai Doctors. Renata is a certified health insurance navigator and a licensed insurance broker; her goal is to create educated and active healthcare consumers. Renata is also a licensed social worker. Prior to joining the Fund, she worked in oncology and substance abuse treatment at health care facilities in the New York metro area.

As the professional trade association for playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists, the Dramatists Guild of America works to protect and advance the rights of all theatre writers across the country. With over 10,000 members around the world, the Guild is guided by a governing council of writers who each give their time, interest, and support to advance the rights of dramatists everywhere, including the right for dramatists to own and control their own copyrighted work. The Guild's advocacy, programs, events, publications, and other services provide dramatists with the resources, the community, and the support they require to protect their property, their livelihoods, and their unique voices in the American theatre.

The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, is a national human services organization that addresses the unique needs of people who work in performing arts and entertainment with services focused on health and wellness, career and life, and housing. Since 1882, the Fund has sought to ensure stability, encourage resiliency and be a safety net for those who shape our country's cultural vibrancy. Learn more at entertainmentcommunity.org.

Venturous Theater Fund (VTF) supports ambitious new work for the stage and the writers who create it. VTF makes grants to fund the production of plays that are “venturous”—ambitious in scale, epic in scope, challenging in form, controversial in subject matter, experimental in concept, and/or unabashed in their theatricality. VTF also funds artist-driven initiatives that embrace agency for playwrights at all stages of their careers and that champion creative growth and financial security for dramatists. These include playwright fellowships, opportunities for collaboration across national boundaries, the Legacy Playwrights Initiative for elder writers, and healthcare/health insurance resources. More info at VenturousTheaterFund.org.

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