Hi, seven actors and I make an appeal to you for funds for a novel project, a dramatic performance that will tour schools and colleges in Goa, Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Ernakulam and Delhi to raise awareness and build public opinion against the outrages being committed to the Western Ghats, which as most of you already know, is one of the the major biological reserves of the world. In Goa, where the theatre residency for this project begins on October 9th, we are waging an almost relentless campaign to save the Ghats here from the ravages of mining operations intent on taking away low grade iron ore and sending it to China. Opinion against this has been steadily building up and we need to take this even further. Last year, as you will see from the attached review, an earlier production saw some 22 performances in various venues in Goa, and 10 in Pune and Mumbai. This year we intend targeting schools and colleges much more and extending our reach wider. Funding for this project started in late August and we have already managed some 50,000 rupees and more has been committed. The monies will be received and managed by SPACE, the Society for the promotion of the Arts, Culture and Education, the Panjim based non-profit that generously supported the production last year, with a generous contribution from Carmen Miranda, the senior London-based Goan environmentalist who is one of many in the western region, spearheading the campaign to save the Ghats... Funds received will pay the residency costs at a village boarding school (where actors will also take classes with the children), provide actors a modest honorarium and look after their travel related costs on tour. Incidentally, four of the actors ranging in age from 22 to 35 have left jobs to take up this residency, and given two months of their time to tour with the performance. Monies earned from performances will be shared equally by the actors and associate producer travelling with them. Getting money for theatre is not easy. Ask me, I've been at it since I was 17 and in my first year of college! So I can't tell you how much to give. We accept anything no matter how small. A freelance journalist from New Delhi, kicked by what we were doing, transferred 1,500 rupees to the SPACE bank account (details given below, and signed by Lisa Dias-Noronha, its competent treasurer, also marked in this mail). We accept any amount no matter how small. All transactions may please be notified to Lisa, who will duly keep you posted on our work and performances. We will be ready with our performance (a loose interpretation of Farid ud-din Attar's Conference of the Birds performed in a language of sounds that we will invent in residence) by the 24th to begin touring in Goa. After that we are more than open to performances in other cities. So help needed there too... I am out of all communication from tomorrow, when I head to the hills where the residency starts. Terence Jorge marked in this mail with me, is the associate producer for this production and will answer any further queries. I am attaching a review of the performance last year and a few links that give you the larger picture. Please share this mail with your close friends who love theatre... Cheers, Hartman (Bank details below links) http://openspaceindia.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=373:for-mother-earth&catid=133:articles-a-essays&Itemid=112 http://qtpthescript.blogspot.com/2009/08/was-sitting-in-audience-mouth-agape.html http://kafila.org/2009/11/21/the-curses-of-paikdev-a-lament-for-water-hartman-de-souza/#comments Name of Bank: Bank of Indi Branch: Panaji Branch Account No.: 100720110000234 Name of Beneficiary: SPACE (Society for Promoting the Arts, Culture & Education) IFSC code: BKID0001007 SPACE thanks you for your efforts. For SPACE Lisa Dias-Noronha Treasurer
