102%
August 13, 2022
(There’s a whole series of updates I posted on the Hamlet Seed&Spark page that I have not included in this blog as they were specific to fundraising updates. However, they still exist in the ether and can be read at the link above.)
Dear Hamlet supporters,
We collectively raised 102% of our fundraising goal - or $11,558.
There's an excel spreadsheet that Costanza and I use everyday. Lines are color-coded and your names are constantly getting moved around, personalized information filled in, incentives noted and sent off. It's totally cheesy, but I've been looking at, and adding, your names everday for a month, and just scrolled through the whole list again picturing each one of you. There is such a geographical spread of support; some of you are my neighbors in Northampton and in NYC, and some are friends and family as far afield as Australia, Montreal, England, and France. Many of you are friends of friends and family members. And thanks to Costanza, we have a surrogate Hamlet family in Italy - a group of people cheering us on whom I have never personally met.
This network transcends borders and physical boundaries, perceived language barriers and the limits put on us by a pandemic, financial struggle and climate change. Is it safe to conclude that art did this?
I find it extremely important, personally, to maintain global relationships. The world has so much to offer. I believe Shakespeare had a curiosity about countries beyond his physical limitations - or at least, he wrote a lot about them. What a rich, timeless, and deeply human body of work that curiosity provided us.
Thank you so much for believing in this project that means so much to me. Thank you for supporting this incredible team - who will be meeting in person for the first time in 9 days and raucously putting this show together in 5. And thank you for collectively relieving me of the financial pressure of producing this piece exactly the way I want to - and allowing me to move into a purely creative headspace.
As I wrap up this fundraising effort and move into production in earnest, the nature of my Seed&Spark updates will change. I will keep you informed of our process and the development of our show over the next two weeks. And please come to Hamlet if you can - August 27 and 28 at 8pm at LA MAMA in NYC. Ticket reservations are here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hamlet-tickets-394011247247.
With all my love I do commend me to you,
Hilary