FRIEND RAISING

I am looking forward to our FRIEND RAISING EVENT tonight at The MANDARIN ORIENTAL in Washington D.C. at 6:30pm. This extraordinary party is a “friend raiser” for The Contemporary American Theater Festival. The event is hosted by CATF Board of Trustees: Erich Hosbach, Noah Mehrkam, Dr. Stanley Marinoff, Ann Harkins, and Catherine Irwin.

Our goal is to create awareness and “BUZZ” about the 2009 Repertory in Washington D.C. We have invited the playwright Beau Willimon to join us. He is the author of FARRAGUT NORTH.  Beau has recently been nominated for two OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS: Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play and the John Gassner Award.

I am looking forward to introducing Beau Willimon to our Washington D.C. guests this evening. I will also give an exclusive Preview of our 2009 Festival.

So tonight we are recruiting “evangelists” for CATF. We are recruiting patrons who believe in the CATF mission: “dedicated to producing and developing new American theater.” We want to turn our dedicated patrons into “evangelists” who will spread the word about the CATF experience. I believe that “word of mouth marketing” is the most effective way to build our audience base. We are building a culture and community who have an adventurous appetite for new American plays. We are developing social relationships that value and appreciate new play development. We believe that writing plays matters. We believe that nurturing and producing new work matters. We believe in the power of story. We believe that the four of most powerful words in English are “Tell me a story.” We believe that we are helping to create the future of the American Theater.

Please let me know if you are interested in “friend raising” for CATF. If you appreciate and enjoy our work…tell your friends. Invite your friends to join you in Shepherdstown WV for the 2009 Theater Festival. I am looking forward to seeing you and meeting your friends.

Ed Herendeen