HELLO!

We are a collective of ecologically and socially motivated artists in Oakland California.working together to raise money and create a show about the catastrophic challenges our natural world now faces and what we can do about them. Together we will explore our relationship to the natural world, endeavoring to inspire and reignite an emotional connection with our living home and each other. 

We'd greatly appreciate your support in funding our project. Please scroll down to read more about our piece and to see the great prizes we are offering!

Performance Goal--Opening night: March 6, 2020

The Secrets of the Trees is a circus, dance, and theater collaboration between members and teachers from Athletic Playground in Emeryville, CA. They originally came together in the early Spring of 2018 to write and choreograph a new show inspired by the book The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. Over the course of several meetings this work blossomed (so to speak) into an affirmation of our interdependence and indictment of capitalist greed.

Choreographer: Caitlyn Kilgore

OUR MOTIVATION:

In the depths of the Anthropocene*, our world is edging closer to a threshold from which there may be no returning. It is no longer possible to deny humanity's massive impact on our living world. It is also no longer possible to deny our dependence on the many natural systems humanity affects. As artists we feel we cannot ignore the plight of our planet and her life-giving systems anymore. This production is our catharsis and our cry. It is our hope and our sweat and tears. It is our rage and our rebellion, our refusal to sit quietly and live by the status quo. It is all we can do to survive the emotional and psychic pain we feel in this age. We find motivation and perseverance in the belief that through the poignancy of live theater, we can educate and inspire toward needed change. 

*The current geologic age during which human activities are the dominant influence affecting key processes on Earth

WHERE THE MONEY GOES:

The funds we are raising through this campaign will go to cover production expenses, which include:

• Renting a venue
• Lighting and Sound equipment and personnel 
• Set building and props
• A new set of aerial fabric and rigging
• Costumes
• Insurance
• Marketing: web ads, postcards and posters (printed on 100% recycled material of course)

A portion of ticket sales will be donated to ecological nonprofits. Such as Sogorea Te Land Trust and Sierra Club.

PRIZES:

The artists, dancers, poets, acrobats, and actors whose work will be made possible by this campaign are so grateful for your support! And we are ready to give back to you to show our gratitude. Donate certain amounts and receive a great prize! Check out our list of prizes below .

• $10… name in program, signed flyer (25 offered)
• $25… name in program, one regularly scheduled group class at Athletic Playground with Caitlyn or Walker (25 offered)*
• $40… name in program, invitation to cast party (25 offered)*
• $60 ... name in the program, two tickets with reserved seating (25 pair)*
• $120 ...2020 Season tickets to Ubuntu Theater Project (4 offered)*
• $150... name in program, Private Aerial lesson with Caitlyn (5 offered)*
• $200... name in program, Dominick will bartender for your private party/event. Price of alcohol not included (4 offered)*
• $250... name in program, private group acrobatic lesson with Walker (1 offered)*
• $600... name in program, Performance by Caitlyn for a private party/event (2 offered)*
• $800.... Name in program, One week stay in a cottage in Tuscany Italy in September or October (2019 or 2020) (2 offered)
• $1000... name in program, One week stay in a cottage in Tuscany Italy May-August 2020 (2 offered)

*prizes valid only in the San Francisco Bay Area

Show to be produced March 2020. PLEASE re-post and share this with your friends!

We invite you on a journey of transformation and reconnection to the Earth

through theater, circus arts, and dance.