Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2020 - 26

Baltimore Center Stage's varied approach to programming and outreach during the pandemic includes the Play
at Home initiative, BCS Camp at Home educational outreach, online streaming of Where We Stand (production
photo bottom right), and staff members making masks at their homes. | Photos courtesy of Baltimore Center
Stage.

theatre commissioned multiple playwrights to write 10-minute plays to be
read at home alone or aloud with loved
ones. The intention was to not only give
people at home a way to engage with theatre while they cannot physically see a
show, but also put money in the pockets
of playwrights, many of whom had productions canceled this season due to the
pandemic.
One of the most surprising and brilliant ways Baltimore Center Stage was
able to aid the community was by supporting the nurses and doctors on the
frontlines of fighting the pandemic. After
seeing the shortages of PPE on the news,
Costume Director David Burdick engaged costume shop employees in making face masks for Mercy Medical Center.
Soon after, the production department
began constructing face shields as well.
"We tell stories about peoples' lives and
this is giving us an opportunity to really
sort of help and protect people's lives,"

said Burdick. "It's an important thing
and it feels good to be able to do this and
rally behind the community."

Broadway Green
Alliance
Molly Braverman

During this uncertain time, we are forced
to think about the resilience, community,
and hope needed in the face of a global
challenge. That's why the Broadway
Green Alliance (BGA) is pivoting to uphold its mission and support the community amidst these coexisting crises of
climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past few weeks, the BGA
has shifted focus to the virtual space and
organized two new initiatives to engage
the theatre community in different ways;
the first, a partnership with Javier Munoz
and Open Jar Studios to establish the
Broadway Relief Project, and the second,
a series of weekly #GreenQuarantine

26 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | SPRING 2020

virtual sessions on Zoom.
The Broadway Relief Project was
formed to engage members of the theatre community in sewing PPE for New
York's medical community. "To me, this
is such a beautiful example of what the
theatre community does best," said BGA
Director Molly Braverman. "Within a
week, people from all different facets
of the theatre world came together to
create and launch a fully operational
program." (To join the Broadway Relief
team, visit Open Jar Studio's website to
fill out the form: www.openjarstudios.
com/broadwayrelief.)
The BGA's pivot to free weekly virtual sessions stemmed from the nonprofit's core mission to educate, motivate,
and inspire the entire theatre community and its patrons. The sessions were
thoughtfully crafted to harness creative
ways to remain connected to each other and the earth. "During this incredibly difficult time, the Broadway Green
Alliance remains committed to supporting our community and serving as the
theatre industry's green resource," said
Braverman. "These sessions are a way
for us to come together and adapt our
sustainable tools to this unprecedented
time, as well as build our knowledge
base to galvanize us for the days ahead."
The weekly sessions cover a wide
range of green topics, hosted by members of the theatre and environmental community. Panelists include Beth
Malone (Broadway actor, green captain,
and environmentalist), Mara Davi Gaines
(Broadway actor, green captain alumna,
and experienced zero-waste practitioner), Dr. Andrea Mechanick Braverman
(clinical professor at Thomas Jefferson
University), and Sasha Pensanti (creator of Some Other Me Shoppe). Topics
range from upcycled family-friendly crafting to living without single-use plastics in
the theatre.
All sessions are free and open to the
public. You can learn more and RSVP for
sessions at www.broadwaygreen.com/
greenquarantine. All previous sessions
can be viewed on the Broadway Green
Alliance Facebook page and posted to
its YouTube channel. For up-to-date information on upcoming sessions, follow
BGA on Facebook and Instagram and
sign-up for the BGA mailing list at www.
broadwaygreen.com/become-a-member.

http://www.openjarstudios.com/broadwayrelief http://www.openjarstudios.com/broadwayrelief http://www.broadwaygreen.com/greenquarantine http://www.broadwaygreen.com/greenquarantine http://www.broadwaygreen.com/become-a-member

Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2020

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