While many theatrical organizations give lip service to the land on which they tread the boards and those who planted the trees that bore them, the conscious company at WAM Theatre in Lenox actually find their own roots in that same soil.
Where Arts and Activism Meet
Taking their very name from the place “Where Arts and Activism Meet,” WAM not only pays tribute to the indigenous peoples of the region but especially to the women who sustained them and who continue to sustain our community today.
“WAM Theatre was founded on the idea that women can be a driving force of change in our communities,” Communications and Engagement Manager Victoria Bokaer maintains. “We support women and girls through storytelling, activism, and philanthropy.”
In addition to highlighting women writers and dramaturgs, WAM also donates proceeds from their performances to other organizations that support women.
“Since our founding in 2010,” Bokaer explains, “we have donated more than $105,000 to 26 local and glopbal organizations taking action for gender equity in areas such as girls education, reproductive justice, sexual trafficking awareness, midwife training, and more!”
In addition to focusing on women, WAM also does all it can to support its surrounding community.
Rooted in the Berkshires
“We hire local artists on our productions,” Bokaer says proudly, “local leaders for our panels, and work to build a community of people who are invested in the Berkshires and in telling the stories of women and girls.”
To start the latest season, WAM is not only fertilizing the roots of locally-sourced creativity, they are also giving tribute to the real root system of the region.
“Our spring production, ROOTED, brings together a multitude of Berkshire-grown artists and tells a story that will ring true to so many people here,” Bokaer observes. “The idea of community, of connection, is central to both the show and to WAM.”
Deborah Zoe Laufer’s ROOTED (which runs through May 16) tells the story of a treehouse dweller whose arboreally-interested vlog posts lead them to be seen as an Internet messiah. As followers gather at the base of their home tree, the ersatz cult leader must decide where their own roots really live.
Nature, Community, and Connection
In an effort to help patrons engage even more fully with the story (and the region), WAM is hosting a pre-performance nature walk on Saturday, May 9 at 4 p.m. at popular Stockbridge vista, Olivia’s Overlook, led by Jenny Hansell, executive director of the Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC), which owns and manages the 734-acre Yokun Ridge South reserve.
”This year’s programming focuses on the search for connection,” Bokaer suggests, citing such other offerings as a.k. payne’s astrally-inclined Amani (June 14), Keiko Green’s canine caper Gorgeous (August 16), and Bess Wohl’s politically-percolating Camp Siegfried (October 16-November 1), “both the ways that lift…us up and help…us grow.”
Speaking of growing, Bokaer sees ROOTED as “the perfect play for spring” in that it “brings all of these blooming and growing things into our lives.”
Of their other mainstage offering, Bokaer describes Siegfried as, “a chilling exploration of the seductive power of fascism, the fragility of morality, and the frightening ways ideology can twist even the most ordinary moments.”
Sadly, both are appropriate in the current climate.
As ROOTED is part of a trilogy that Laufer wrote about small-town New England, Bokaer is keen to note how accurately it captures “all the love and hardships present in this region,” and how so many people are “trying to hold onto a sense of community.”
Lest people think it is all about loss and challenge, Bokaer also poses ROOTED as, “a really fresh and fun play” and one that “holds so many of the things that are central to WAM’s mission of uplifting women’s stories.”
While ROOTED was presented in a reading two years ago (the popularity of which inspired the full staging), Bokaer also notes that the production involves a new achievement for the company.
“This is also our most ambitious design for a show to date,” Bokaer observes, noting set designer Nora Marlow Smith created an entire treehouse for the set, sound designer Jane Shaw recorded a local choir for the soundtrack, and costumer Stella Schwartz interviewed local gardeners to make sure the wardrobe was as authentic as possible. The show even has puppets and touches of psychedelic lighting – truly something for everyone!
“Everyone working on this show put so much of themselves into it,” Bokaer raves, “and we are so excited to share it with folks!”
For those who want to get more involved in the community after the play ends, WAM is hosting a Ballot Ballad program at the Lenox Library to encourage more civic engagement among community members.
“The Ballot Ballad program is an idea our Artistic Director, Genee Coreno, really spearheaded,” Bokaer explains. “Civic engagement is so vital and having a real grasp of what leads to a world where more people are able to stand up for themselves and demand change and improvement. WAM wants to use the arts as a tool for democratic learning and creative expression among students.”
Building the Next Generation of Artists and Activists
In addition to partnering with BNRC and the Library, WAM is also working with Mass College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) and Berkshire Community College (BCC) to encourage conversations among newer regional residents and those who have come before them.
“We believe in a better future,” Bokaer asserts, “and that starts now with the next generation of artists, leaders, activists, and creators. Our partnerships with MCLA and BCC are really focused on creating meaningful connections for this generation of young women with those who have already fought to become leaders in their field.”
At a recent event that partnered WAM with MCLA’s fine arts department, a cohort of students shared ideas and hopes for the future.
“What we are most excited by is creating these opportunities for mentorship,” Bokaer says, noting that Coreno will be directing at BCC this fall. “We are so looking forward to…facilitating this environment where young women can grow and come into their own artistic expression and become leaders in their own right.“
