An Evening with Beaver
INTRODUCTION [read at the performances]
In June of [2009], a representative of Planned Parenthood approached the Experimental Artists Theatre, wondering if we would be “interested in doing a short skit/scene or show for the annual Planned Parenthood fund raiser....The president [of Planned Parenthood] wanted this fund raiser to be new and different compared to others in the past.” Having seen scenes that EAT actors had performed at a recent First Friday Art Trail at the Limelight Theatre, this representative believed that our work would make the event more “fun and interesting,” and most of all “bring more students and younger people into contact with Planned Parenthood.”
Margie Pignataro immediately had the idea of writing something fresh. Having thoroughly read through the Planned Parenthood website, Margie decided to adapt nursery rhymes which would illustrate key issues that Planned Parenthood focuses on. She proposed the idea; our Planned Parenthood representative thought it a “cute, original idea” and was given the go ahead.
What you are about to see are the scenes Margie wrote, and which, eventually, Planned Parenthood refused to have performed at their fund raiser.
In June of [2009], a representative of Planned Parenthood approached the Experimental Artists Theatre, wondering if we would be “interested in doing a short skit/scene or show for the annual Planned Parenthood fund raiser....The president [of Planned Parenthood] wanted this fund raiser to be new and different compared to others in the past.” Having seen scenes that EAT actors had performed at a recent First Friday Art Trail at the Limelight Theatre, this representative believed that our work would make the event more “fun and interesting,” and most of all “bring more students and younger people into contact with Planned Parenthood.”
Margie Pignataro immediately had the idea of writing something fresh. Having thoroughly read through the Planned Parenthood website, Margie decided to adapt nursery rhymes which would illustrate key issues that Planned Parenthood focuses on. She proposed the idea; our Planned Parenthood representative thought it a “cute, original idea” and was given the go ahead.
What you are about to see are the scenes Margie wrote, and which, eventually, Planned Parenthood refused to have performed at their fund raiser.
Conclusion
Before rehearsals began for these scenes, Margie emailed the script to the Planned Parenthood representative who, in turn, emailed it to her boss for approval. Having read the script, the representative and her boss wished to see a rehearsal, worried about the content. Four days before the fund raiser, they came to a rehearsal. The next day, Margie received the following email from the representative:
After discussing the production with [my boss] and thinking it over last night, we regretfully came to the conclusion that the risk of receiving negative feedback from our board of directors as well as from our loyal older and professional supporters--which are pretty much all of our actual donors--is too high. We are very sorry to have made this decision so late, but we greatly appreciate all the work each one of you has put into this project, as well as your interest and support for Planned Parenthood. If it were a different setting with a younger crowd it probably would work fine, but unfortunately at this fundraiser we must try to make our donors most comfortable. Perhaps in the future if we do an event solely focused on college students, we could definitely have you perform the play. It is a good script--but one that may not be fully appreciated by most serious professional PP supporters. I admit that I may have caused some confusion when I said that we were going to have plenty of college students this time because it was my job to recruit more to this particular fundraiser, but there probably won't be as many as our donors, and the job of the fundraiser is to raise funds and keep a positive image for Planned Parenthood in our community, or at least with our supporters in order to maintain a good well-being for our organization. Again, [we] thank you for your hard work and dedication, and we apologize. Best of luck on your next production, Phallus Pan.
After discussing the production with [my boss] and thinking it over last night, we regretfully came to the conclusion that the risk of receiving negative feedback from our board of directors as well as from our loyal older and professional supporters--which are pretty much all of our actual donors--is too high. We are very sorry to have made this decision so late, but we greatly appreciate all the work each one of you has put into this project, as well as your interest and support for Planned Parenthood. If it were a different setting with a younger crowd it probably would work fine, but unfortunately at this fundraiser we must try to make our donors most comfortable. Perhaps in the future if we do an event solely focused on college students, we could definitely have you perform the play. It is a good script--but one that may not be fully appreciated by most serious professional PP supporters. I admit that I may have caused some confusion when I said that we were going to have plenty of college students this time because it was my job to recruit more to this particular fundraiser, but there probably won't be as many as our donors, and the job of the fundraiser is to raise funds and keep a positive image for Planned Parenthood in our community, or at least with our supporters in order to maintain a good well-being for our organization. Again, [we] thank you for your hard work and dedication, and we apologize. Best of luck on your next production, Phallus Pan.
