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Don't have your tickets for the Gala yet?
Early Bird pricing ends TODAY so don't wait! Early Bird tickets are $40, and go up to $45 tomorrow so make sure you don't miss the fun! https://www.ticketstage.com/T/EMACT Don't miss EMACT's Annual DASH Gala on Saturday, August 24 at 6pm at Cary Hall in Lexington MA!
Tickets are now available through TicketStage here: https://www.ticketstage.com/T/EMACT Click on "Select Performance" to start the process. DON'T FORGET - Since we are utilizing TicketStage this year, individuals and groups can choose their own seating! This means groups wishing to sit together should anticipate coordinating among their attendees, or purchasing blocks of tickets. The DASH nominees for the 18-19 Season have been announced and we are busily adding them to the website! In the meantime, you can view the online presentation on our YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrdWgrRjN3M Subscribe while you're there to keep up with all things EMACT! Join us on our new YouTube channel for the annual DASH Nominations webcast! Nominees for the 18-19 Season will be announced in advance of the annual DASH Gala on August 24.
If you can't make the webcast, no worries! You can watch the full presentation any time after it streams live, and a list of nominees will be posted on EMACT's website within a few days after the webcast. You can access the webcast here! www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrdWgrRjN3M&feature=youtu.be As always, EMACT would like to pay tribute to the members of our Theatre Community that have passed away during the season. Please send information for anyone from your group that should be included in this tribute to vicepresident@emact.org. Please include a photo, the Company name, and the date they passed away. Thank you in advance for your help.
We're headed into the end of our 2018-19 Season, so save these important dates now!
June 22: EMACT Annual Meeting at Quannapowitt Players
July 11: DASH Nominations Webcast August 24: Annual DASH Gala at Cary Hall in Lexington EMACT is committed to providing an excellent experience for its members. In just the past few years we have provided DASH consultations and feedback on hundreds of shows, coordinated the annual DASH Gala, provided multiple free workshops and learning opportunities for our member groups, provided Member Assistance Grants to companies, and implemented a new online DASH application process, which will roll out with the 19-20 Season.
In order to keep up with inflation and increasing costs, it is necessary to increase our fee structure for both membership and the DASH program. Our last fee increase was more than eight years ago, and we anticipate this small increase will help EMACT to continue providing a great investment for our members. We hope that by providing this information ahead of the season, companies will be able to adjust accordingly. Fees will change as follows:
Please be aware that EMACT will also be moving to an entirely online membership registration process for the 19-20 season, eliminating all paper forms. This will help us track payments, membership levels, and DASH requests far more efficiently. The registration form for the 19-20 season will go live on EMACT’s website after our annual meeting on June 22, and we will send a reminder to all current members at that time as well. If you have any questions, please contact Membership Director Jenny Fielding at membership@emact.org. Sen. Ed Kennedy of Lowell, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development, has filed amendments to the Senate Ways and Means budget for the coming fiscal year that would support Massachusetts Cultural Council – Amendments #686 and #832. Specifics on the amendments can be found here: https://massculturalcouncil.org/blog/advocate-in-the-state-senate/
Several EMACT member groups have asked for language to help advocate for these amendments, which is timely as the MA legislature will be taking these up this week. If you choose to contact your legislators, support language can be found at the link above, and EMACT President Celia Couture has also drafted the following response that member groups may use or amend as they see fit: Dear (INSERT LEGISLATOR), I am writing to you as the (INSERT ROLE) for (INSERT COMPANY). Please do what you can to help fund the Mass Cultural Council and Amendments #686 and #832. MCC is a vital part of the MA arts ecosystem and while funding has been strong, it could be better. As funding for the arts is stifled at the national level, we cannot afford to limit or decrease funding to our 501(c)3 non-profit arts organizations. Community theatre funding and programming for non-professional artists is essential to help a community thrive. Please do what you can to rally your fellow legislators to support this funding. Community Theatre fills a need for so many communities who simply can’t afford the high price of tickets in our professional houses. Your support will go a long way to making the arts in our communities a reality. Respectfully, (INSERT NAME) THEATRE GROUP Dear Member Groups,
EMACT has long been an advocate for equality in the Arts. We fully support the right for actors and designers to work in an environment free from any type of harassment or intimidation. If incidents of harassment are brought to our attention, we conduct an investigation to ensure that complaints are valid and corroborated. This action ensures due process. While most of our member groups are volunteer organizations, the law is quite clear about harassment in any environment, professional or volunteer. EMACT has recently been involved in a sexual harassment complaint. After thorough investigation and corroboration, we found the allegations to be true. As a result, EMACT has decided to sanction the individual involved by eliminating him from any DASH consideration now and in the future and by prohibiting membership now and in the future. We believe that by taking this action, we establish a solid commitment that we will not tolerate an artistic environment where volunteer artists or designers are intimidated or uncomfortable by overt or subtle sexual inferences. Further, we recommend that Board of Directors or Production teams engage in immediate actions to investigate any and all allegations and bring any such complaints to a satisfactory conclusion. As an organization of community theatres, we cannot turn a blind eye to these allegations. Our actors and designers have a right to perform and work in an environment free from harassment and intimidation. There is no acceptable place in our community theatres for people to feel uncomfortable or intimidated by unwanted sexual inferences or unwanted advances. EMACT has further agreed to make the following statement as an organization and recommends that our member groups adopt the same or similar statement and that all volunteers and members agree to behave according to these standards. EMACT is committed to an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits unlawful discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, EMACT expects that all relationships among persons in the theatre are professional and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment. Thank you for your immediate action. Sincerely, Celia A. Couture President, EMACT |
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