Theater in Asylum 2021 Year in Review

12/27/2021

We made it! As 2021 comes to a close, we want to reiterate our gratitude to the community who made this year possible. For the past few weeks we've been looking back at all we achieved this year. If you missed it, here are a few links:

And below, find a review of all Theater in Asylum produced and accomplished this year. And if you're in a position to do so, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our dreams for 2022. Once again, thank you.

2021 Major Events & Project

The Debates 2021

This project was an installment in our Debates series (Past iterations: 2016, 2020). Over the course of about six months, Theater in Asylum hosted voter education and engagement events, created a detailed voter guide, and produced an original online adaptation of the 2021 NYC Democratic Mayoral Primary debates. This project's goal was to provoke political understanding, confidence, and engagement in NYC's 2021 elections.
2021 Voter Guide
The Debates 2021 annotated script
Press releases: 3/18/21 , 3/29/21, 5/13/21
2 live, online performances May 27 & 28, 2021, 150 viewers
15 paid collaborators
3 Voter Education "Civics Happy Hours". The first focused on the power distinctions between NYC's mayor and City Council. The second focused on power distinctions between NYC's Comptroller, Public Advocate, and Borough Presidents. The third focused on the mayoral candidates running.
4 Debates Watch Parties and Political Analysis Meetings to promote voter engagement
1 Text Banking Party to get out the vote
3 candidates met by team members!

Paul with Art Chang

Malcolm with Maya Wiley

Emily met Kathryn Garcia but unfortunately we didn't get a photo.

Occupy Prescott

This project was a fully-produced play by Andy Boyd. Set in Prescott, Arizona circa 2011, Occupy Prescott followed five Occupy-Wall-Street-style demonstrators as they draft their protest demands and, in doing so, create community.
Performed outside at The Jalopy Tavern in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Press Release: 9/28/21
Press Features: Joey Sims review, Go See a Show interview, Adam Szymkowicz interview, Fordham Observer review
6 live, in-person performances October 16-31, 2021, all sold-out, 200 attendees.
19 paid collaborators

Cold Readings

This project is an ongoing play-reading group. Each week we gather to read and discuss a play without rehearsal. Facilitators introduce each reading and guide discussions. This project's goal is to encourage theater literacy as well as confidence in speaking about plays.
Each week we highlight an organization doing good work that we encourage attendees to donate to. We summarized this year's organizations in our Giving Tuesday post.
35 readings in 2021, mostly on Wednesdays. 3 readings were held in person, the rest were on Zoom.
Approximately 15 people at each, 530 people total.
9 people guest facilitated a total of 14 readings. The rest were facilitated by Theater in Asylum leadership.
63% of plays were by women, 52% were by people of color.
The oldest play we read was written in 1500. The newest play we read was written this year, in 2021.
We continued reading and discussing The Golden Collection. We will finish reading the Collection in January 2022.
We read and –still cold and unrehearsed– sang through one musical.

Our in-person reading at Prospect Park in July 2021

Non-production Highlights

Theater in Asylum won three grants this year: one from the Brooklyn Arts Council and two from the City Artist Corps.
Theater in Asylum released Transparency Commitments and a 2021 Financial Transparency Report
Theater in Asylum released Community Agreements and resources
Theater in Asylum revised its mission statement

2021 Timeline

January 6 - Cold Reading
January 13 - Cold Reading
January 20 - Cold Reading
January 26 - First dramaturgy meeting for The Debates 2021
January 27 - Cold Reading
January 31 - Theater in Asylum's 2021 Fundraising campaign ends
February 3 - Cold Reading
February 10 - Cold Reading
February 17 - Cold Reading
February 17 - Theater in Asylum wins a Brooklyn Arts Fund grant
February 24 - Cold Reading
March 3 - Cold Reading
March 10 - Cold Reading
March 17 - Cold Reading
March 18 - Civics Happy Hour: Mayor vs. City Council
March 23 - Watch Party: Meet the Candidates Forum
March 24 - Cold Reading
March 25 - Political Analysis Meeting: Unpacking the Meet the Candidates Forum
March 31 - Cold Reading
April 7 - Cold Reading
April 8 - Civics Happy Hour: Comptroller, Public Advocate, and Borough President
April 14 - Cold Reading
April 18 - Theater in Asylum releases Transparency Commitments
April 21 - Cold Reading
April 22 - Civics Happy Hour: The Mayoral Candidates
April 28 - Cold Reading
May 4 - First rehearsal for The Debates 2021
May 5 - Cold Reading
May 12 - Cold Reading
May 13 - Debate Watch Party with Political Analysis Meeting immediately after
May 19 - Cold Reading
May 26 - Cold Reading
May 27 - The Debates 2021 live, online performance
May 28 - The Debates 2021 live, online performance, script published online
Throughout June - The Debates 2021 streaming on demand
June 2 - Debate Watch Party with Political Analysis Meeting immediately after
June 6 - Cold Reading
June 10 - Text banking party to get out the vote
June 16 - Debate Watch Party with Political Analysis Meeting immediately after
June 22 - Primary Election Day, Theater in Asylum participates in Get Out the Vote efforts
June 23 - Cold Reading
June 30 - Cold Reading
July 11 - Cold Reading (in-person!)
July 14 - Cold Reading
July 15 - First dramaturgy meeting for Occupy Prescott
July 28 - Cold Reading
August 2 - Theater in Asylum win a City Artist Corp grant
August 11 - Cold Reading
August 15 - Cold Reading (in-person!)
August 25 - Theater in Asylum wins a second City Artist Corp grant
September 9 - Cold Reading
September 17 - First rehearsal for Occupy Prescott
September 29 - Cold Reading
October 16 - Occupy Prescott performance, in-person
October 17 - Occupy Prescott performance, in-person
October 23 - Occupy Prescott performance, in-person
October 24 - Occupy Prescott performance, in-person
October 27 - Cold Reading
October 31 - Occupy Prescott performances (two!), in-person
November 2 - General Election Day, Theater in Asylum participates in Get Out the Vote efforts
November 10 - Cold Reading
November 30 - Cold Reading
December 1 - Cold Reading
December 2 - Theater in Asylum 2021 Financial Transparency Report published
December 5 - Holiday party 2021's TIA collaborators
December 15 - Cold Reading
December 18 - Theater in Asylum's 2022 Fundraising campaign begins
December 28 - Theater in Asylum year-in-review published

2021 by the Numbers

Event attendees: approximately 950
2021 Season Donors: 115
Admin meetings: 69
Cold Readings: 35 (32 online, 3 in-person)
Rehearsals: 32 (15 for The Debates 2021, 18 for Occupy Prescott)
Live performances: 8 (2 online, 6 in-person)
Filming days: 5
Watch Parties: 4
Political Analysis Meetings: 4
Civics Happy Hours: 3
Published scripts: 1
Published voter guides: 1

Thank you!

We are so grateful to the artists, audience, volunteers, donors, friends, and family who made Theater in Asylum's 2021 season possible. We are so lucky to have such a vibrant and supportive community.

As we turn the page on 2021, we look with hope to 2022. If you are in a position to do so, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our 2022 season.

Happy New Year!

Peace, power, and love to you,
Paul, Katie, Kathryn
Theater in Asylum

0 Comments