The Story of a (metaphorical) Truck
The Collaborative was founded on principles of sustainable practice, curiosity and community building. We are inspired by the idea of the town common: a place for shared experience & ideas; and by the pageant wagons of history that carried entertainment to the people for ritual celebration. We choose to work in found spaces because it saves resources, illuminates places and reimagines the ordinary. We are committed to making work that sings the unsung and reveals the hidden. TheatreTruck is mother-owned and woman-powered.
WHO WE ARE
Andrew, CollaboratorAndrew Roberts.
Actor. Sword-Fighter. Teacher. Papa. Handy-Man. "Sure, the willing suspension of disbelief is readily embraced within the confines of a traditional theater space," muses Andrew as he helps his two year old refine his rapier technique. "But when audiences are invited and encouraged to inhabit the 'set' of a site-specific performance, they often throw that disbelief right out the window. It's literally wonderful."
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Brianna, CoFounder
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Darcie, CoFounderDarcie Champagne.
Actor. Singer. Dancer. Yogi. Teaching Artist. Mom. “So much of theatre in this country feels like a regurgitation of the same plays in a competitive environment with an elitist attitude,” Darcie exhales as she comes into her full expression of Kapotasana/ King Pigeon Posture. “I want to create theatre that is for everyone and shares stories that are empathetic and empowering, while partnering with local non-profits to help incite some small social change on the community level."
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Elizabeth, CoFounder
Elizabeth Pangburn.
Designer . Educator. TreeHugger. snob. "Mostly, I just hate how much waste is generated by big commercial theater"' Elizabeth shares over a lunch of fresh carrot juice, dirt and raw quinoa. "these huge shows have enormous budgets, but often the story is thin and the set ends up in a dumpster. But, working in the Pioneer Valley has made me think there might be something redemptive in small theater that connects the practitioner directly with the audience. And when Brianna asked me to write a manifesto, I felt something like hope."
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Emma, Collaborator
Emma Ayres.
Writer. Director. Musician. Educator. Dog Mama. “I acknowledge the inherent political nature of the stage and the social power that is gained when you have a platform and an audience,” Emma says in one breath as she tries to prevent her mischievous dog from terrorizing Brianna’s goats under the midday sun, “I want to fuse magical realism with critical content and create socially conscious and environmentally responsible theater that serves as a vehicle for entertainment, education and birthing a new generation of diligent dreamers. That sounds easy, right?”
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TheatreTruck is proud to join theatres and theatre artists around the country in The Ghostlight Project.
We pledge to create a space that is compassionate, intersectional and inclusive.
