SHared Arts Experiences
At Seed, we know that the arts bring people together and can create an environment for a beautiful community and connection between participants on both sides of the curtain. But sometimes making or even seeing productions, can be both difficult and expensive when you have loved ones you must leave to go to the theatre. And often times, even if the overall theme of the show is relevant, the content may not be suitable for all of your family members. This tension can leave some patrons - and many exceptional artists - unable to attend or participate in productions.
Since 2010, Seed has made it our mission to support caregivers and families attending and working in our local theatre community. We try to find as many creative ways to do this as possible. Whether it is feeding your family during long production days, providing show-themed drama programs for kids whose parents are performing or attending local plays, or finding cast and crew roles for even the littlest family members, we are intentional about creating ways for your whole tribe to share theatre experiences together.
Calling all Triangle theatre-makers who identify as parents or elder caregivers, Seed Art Share has been a long-time advocate for reforming traditional theatre schedules and environments to support the many theatre workers who are also caregivers of family members. Whether this means providing onsite or in-home childcare or nursing spaces, or scheduling rehearsals around elder caregiver responsibilities, we believe that they should not disappear from our stages when they become parents or are needed to take care of aging parents!
The challenge with this practice is that it really is an “if you know you know” kind of work. To loosely quote Rachel Spencer Hewitt of the Parent Artist Advocacy League. “It’s not the quantity of the program participants, it’s the depth of the impact.” If we offer childcare for an audition and only one kid shows up it looks like a failed program. But if that kid’s mom books it, and it was the ONLY audition she’s been able to attend since she was pregnant (IYKYK) because we were there - high fives all around.
The mission of Share the Show is to make Triangle theatre accessible to caregivers participating as patrons, performers, and production team members.
We do this in a number of ways.
- Safe and secure onsite or in-home caregiving for 0-11 year-old children through our “Seedlings” production care program. We have sitters on call who are available to help you throughout your next rehearsal or production experience.
- Share the Show childcare matinee programs. We partner with local theatres to present onsite, show-themed, curriculum-based programs.
- Family Inclusion programs. During Seed Art Share shows, we do our best to incorporate your family members’ skill sets and passions onsite so that they are able to participate in whatever way they are able! Kids are supervised by Share the Show team members and all activities are age-appropriate.
We are currently revamping our processes, and pricing, advocating with local theatres, and are seeking additional grant funding to offset these costs. We believe very strongly that we are better artists when we are able to bring our whole selves to our practice. So we want to know what YOU want and need as caregivers to be your most successful theatre workers in our community. Join us on January 31 for community calls to discuss how we can move forward with this work. There are 2 times avaiable 10-11 am and 8-9 pm. You are invited to join one or both affinity spaces to help us brainstorm ways to serve our community!
We would also your thoughts as we head into the event if you are willing to take this short survey. Thanks!
- 10-11 am
- 8-9 pm
Share the Show Programs (Ages 0-11)
Matinee Programs
Family Inclusion Programs
Seedlings Production Care
Since 2010, Seed Art Share has produced on-site, show-themed, “Share the Show” drama workshops for elementary-aged students at Triangle theatres such as The Justice Theatre Project, Bare Theatre, Playmakers Repertory Theatre Company, Burning Coal Theatre, and The National Women’s Theatre Festival. Programs may be customized for 2-3 hour matinees or as “camps” to coincide with adult theatre conferences. They may be funded by patrons as a youth “ticket” or offered as a free program with adult admission at the discretion of the host company. Children may participate in drama activities that reinforce the themes, styles, music, characters, (fictional or historical), and setting of the show. When parents check their children out of the program, they receive information explaining what their children have learned so they are able to discuss their shared art experiences on the ride home.
Seedlings Production Care
Family Inclusion Programs
Seedlings Production Care
As playmakers ourselves, we know that typical production schedules can be prohibitive for parents with young children. Providing onsite care for our families during rehearsal and shows has allowed some of our most exceptionally talented caregivers—specifically women—to participate in theatre projects. Many of our most successful productions, such as The Miracle Worker were directed or had casts led by mother-artists. Our production care program made that possible. Our goal is to make this service so much of a common practice for local theatres that when the children who are currently participating in the programs are adult theatre-makers themselves, “sharing the show” will simply be an expected part of production culture.
Family Inclusion Programs
Family Inclusion Programs
Family Inclusion Programs
We are also passionate about intentionally integrating the families of Seed company members into our own productions based on their interests and age-appropriateness. There is a Share the Show “role” built into our standard production team for someone to engage with our company kids. They may lead warmups for young performers, help preschoolers decorate props, or color pictures about the play’s setting. They may train older kids to work on crews or teach them how to sell concessions or tickets. This allows productions to also become part of our families’ stories.