SIS Productions, an all-volunteer company created to provide leadership opportunities and decision-making roles for Asian American women, is launching a campaign to Celebrate Women.
SIS hopes to inspire people of all genders, ages and races to re-imagine how women are valued in our culture. Envision what might be possible if women are appreciated for their accomplishments over their looks, size or weight. Where young girls are taught to reach their full-potential. Where women past a certain age are sought after for their wisdom and advice rather than fading into invisibility.
We want to get people talking, thinking and taking action towards enacting this change. As a cornerstone for the campaign, SIS is producing the full West Coast premiere of IMPENETRABLE, a play by Mia McCullough. Inspired by a real-life event, IMPENETRABLE explores society's obsession with beauty in a deeply compelling and funny way.
April 11-May 3, 2014
West of Lenin, 203 N 36th St in Fremont
In 2007, a billboard image of a gorgeous, bikini-clad young woman appears superimposed with arrows pointing to "problem areas" that a local spa can fix. Even an ideal woman, the ad proclaims, can benefit from physical improvement. The community boycotts, but who is the outrage against? The spa owner for tapping into women's fears? Or an entire society that values women for their looks more than their personal achievements? This smart and revealing play delves into the impossible expectations of female beauty, especially the ones women (and men) place on themselves.
Directed by Charles Waxberg, this production features a multi-cultural cast: Erwin Galan, Kathy Hsieh, Sara Javkhlan, Lisa Marie Nakamura, Shane Regan and Ruth Yeo-Peterman, with stage management by Rachel Rene Araucto. Produced by Rachel Rene Araucto, Kathy Hsieh, Lisa Marie Nakamura, Miko Premo, Melissa Slaughter and Roger Tang. Scenic Design by Kim Rosin, Lighting Design by Rob Falk, Sound Design by Randall Brammer, Graphic Design by Steven Ono, dialect coaching by Scott Taylor, and super volunteer support by Lorna Chin and Rick Wong.
Mia McCullough's plays have been produced in Chicago at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Stage Left Theatre, and Chicago Dramatists; and around the country at theatres such as Actors' Express in Atlanta, InterAct in Philadelphia, The Old Globe and Mo'olelo Performing Arts Company in San Diego, the Victory Theatre in Los Angeles, and Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival. Her break-through play Chagrin Falls garnered many awards including the American Theatre Critics Association Osborn Award, first prize in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition, and a Joseph Jefferson Citation for New Work. Since Africa was commissioned by the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and a nominee for a Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Play. Ms. McCullough is currently adjunct faculty at Northwestern University, a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists and a member of the Dramatists Guild.
Risks and challenges
Why do we need your support?
It's simple. Your support is vital in making this production and our campaign happen. Your gift will be used to keep our production as accessible as possible and will help cover promotion and production costs, such as doing outreach and printing postcards and programs, building our set, renting theater space (which costs almost $5,000 alone), paying our playwright and director, and if possible, a tiny stipend for all the other artists involved. The more we raise, the more we're able to support our artists and create greater community access. When you support SIS Productions and our production of IMPENETRABLE, you are helping to bring relevant, engaging theatre to life and joining a community-wide effort to Celebrate Women!
SIS Productions has been producing successful shows since our inception in August 2000. We are a women-led, multicultural company that creates visibility for vibrant new work never before seen in Seattle - world premieres by local writers or Northwest premieres of lauded scripts by award-winning playwrights from around the country. In our 14-year history we have provided 25 mainstage shows, 8 Asian American Playwright Festivals, 3 Revealed theatrical tours, 3 Represent! Multicultural Playwrights Festivals, a Writers Group, an Actors Group, workshops, too many staged readings & free community event presentations to count, plus helping anyone & everyone needing Asian American talent with their casting needs, and created opportunities for over 100 theatre artists including leadership positions for Asian American women. Your partnership is invaluable in making this happen. Join us today!
Thanks!
The SIS Gals & A Guy
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Funding period
- (33 days)