“A day of music, conversation, trivia, and prizes for theater lovers of all ages”

We heart our longtime friends at A.R.T. and missed them dearly during the pandemic. It’s great to see them not only getting back into the swing of things on stage, but also readying some serious attractions for their annual fundraiser next week. More from the crew over there …

“American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, under the leadership of Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director Diane Paulus, announced today its #GivingTuesday lineup of free programs and activities. On Tuesday, November 30, A.R.T. supporters and theater-lovers are invited to visit The Lunch Room for a curated conversation and interactive Q&A with surprise special guests plus a chance to win tickets to the Opening Night of WILD: A Musical Becoming; compete for A.R.T-themed prizes in the theater trivia session The Show Must Go Sean; come Behind the Scenes with Sara Porkalob and her collaborators to learn about new musical Dragon Baby’s latest developments; and bid on exciting prizes and experiences in an online auction.”

They continued, “After nine years of #GivingTuesday support totaling more than $500,000, A.R.T. aims to raise $100,000 on Tuesday, November 30 to support its mission to expand the boundaries of theater. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous supporter, all new and increased gifts that are made to the A.R.T. on #GivingTuesday will be matched 2-to-1.

A.R.T.’s #GivingTuesday programming invites audiences to join in a celebration of the theater’s productions and new work development.”

The schedule for the day follows …

AT 12PM ET:

THE LUNCH ROOM, WITH SURPRISE GUESTS TO BE ANNOUNCED (Free with advance registration at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/The-Lunch-Room)

The Lunch Room is A.R.T.’s virtual talk show featuring curated conversations and interactive Q&As with the artists, activists, and civic leaders who are shaping our culture and communities. Tony Award-winning scenic designers, the Queens of SIX, the Tony Award-nominated performers of Jagged Little Pill… you never know who may stop by! Stay tuned for details about a special pair of surprise guests!

All guests who register for The Lunch Room will be entered in a drawing to win two tickets to the sold-out Opening Night performance of WILD: A Musical Becoming on Thursday, December 9. Registrations must be received by 12PM ET on November 30, 2021.

AT 3PM ET:

THE SHOW MUST GO SEAN (Free with advance registration at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/ShowMustGoSean)

Join A.R.T. for The Show Must Go Sean, a special theater and Tonys-themed trivia contest hosted by Broadway aficionado and A.R.T.’s Assistant Director of Membership and Donor Relations Sean Cummings. Bring a team of your favorite theater enthusiasts for an interactive afternoon of merriment, multimedia trivia, and the chance to win A.R.T.-themed prizes. Teams of any size and participants of all ages and knowledge levels are welcome!

AT 7:30PM ET:

BEHIND THE SCENES: DRAGON BABY (Free with advance registration at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/Behind-the-Scenes)

Join “theatremaker to watch” (American Theatre) and Elliot Norton Award-winning storyteller Sara Porkalob (Dragon Lady, Dragon Mama, 1776 upcoming), composer Brian Quijada (Where Did We Sit on the Bus?), and director Andrew Russell (Dragon Lady, Dragon Mama) for a conversation about Dragon Baby, the final chapter in Porkalob’s autobiographical trilogy about three generations of Filipino Americans descended from gangsters and karaoke singers fighting to survive, thrive, and love. Hear new material, and learn about what’s changed and what’s remained over the last year of development since the collaborators’ previous Behind the Scenes conversation in November 2020.

Behind the Scenes is A.R.T.’s multimedia series with the writers, directors, composers, and choreographers who are making new work at A.R.T. Events include the reveals of songs and scenes from developing productions; conversations about process, research, development, and collaboration; and interactive Q&As with the audience.