I just needed to say thank you.
No one will ever tell you building a Constructivists show is easy. We have big dreams, choose difficult scripts, and have very little money to make those two things work. But show after show, passionate artists are drawn to this company and this work solely because the dark funny mission begs us to take tough scripts from amazing playwrights and move Milwaukee theatre fans to tears, laughs, fear, and all kinds of cathartic emotions, and make sure they leave more fulfilled than they came. Passionate artists want to do that for Milwaukee.
And boy were you moved.
Though it's taken a minute to step back and see all the results, I can now officially tell you:
THE TOTALITARIANS is the most attended Constructivists show in our history.
You came. You told your friends to come, but then their friends told their friends, who told friends and friends and friends.
And I sincerely thank you. It's been a struggle getting through the past two (almost three!) years, but this show reaffirmed what I've suspected from the very beginning. When I started this small theatre company (business) 5 (!) years ago, it was because I not only wanted to make dark art like this all the time (BECAUSE IT'S AWESOME), but I knew there are other people out there who would love it and crave it too. And others still who never knew that theatre could be "like this." (That's an actual quote.) With more and more people coming to see us it would appear that, well, you all DO have a soft spot for the dark art.
If you see TOTALITARIANS team members out there in Milwaukee, please keep telling them what a great job they did. Matthew Scales, Ekene Ikegwuani, Maggie Marks, Haley Ebinal, Sarah Harris, Les Zarzecki, Laura Sturm, Rebekah Farr, Maya Danks, Derly Vela, Matthew Huebsch, Wyatt Meyer, Isabelle Flores, Jamey Feshold, Clayton Mortl, and Mia Palmer worked their collective asses off to create a show of humor, style, AND substance. They built a success story with creativity, passion, and kindness, and they deserve to be reminded again and again of the great art they made. They are all great Artists.
Photo by Wyatt Meyer
We'll keep working to bring you deep dark shit as long as you keep coming back to see us. And even though the midterms are over, the fight for funding for the arts isn't. We're going to keep fighting for public funding for this public good, but we can't do it without you. We are just one very small business. It's going to take a long time and a lot of voices to move Wisconsin out from 49th place in state funding for the Arts. Please talk to your Representatives. And think about where they stand the next time you go to the ballot box.
More state funding could make more Constructivists shows possible. Three! Three deep dark shows a year! Four! It's possible. It's possible to pay our artists a living wage. It's possible to create more work for more artists. We'll get there with your help.
Please be well out there. And don't ever be too shy to reach out. I'm here to listen.
See you soon.
jaimelyn
