Donate to the Cherry Orchard

Camille Schenkkan (Managing Director, Circle X Theatre) playwright, Octavio Solis (Se Llama Christina, Theatre @ Boston Court and Lydia, Mark Taper Forum) and I  are raising money to adapt Chekhov’s classic play, The Cherry Orchard, to reflect my and Camille’s rural hometown of Etna, CA. Beginning with interviews of the town’s 700 inhabitants, Octavio, Camille and I will delve into the complex forces that threaten Etna’s survival. In the summer of 2016, professional actors from around California will rehearse and perform the play at a farmhouse in Etna and then tour the production down to Circle X Theatre in Los Angeles.  Our goal is to make a play that is unique to Siskiyou County and then spread the story to people who live in California’s cities. We hope this will generate a deeper curiosity and understanding about rural life throughout the state.

But we need $10,000 to finish our research, write the play and do workshops in our community! Click here to donate and see the great gifts you will receive from Siskiyou County artists. 

In order to adapt the play, we've started interviewing people from around my hometown and asking them about their dreams and fears for their community.   (From left to right, top to bottom: Mike and Lynne Bryan--5th generation farmers, Rosario Aragon--tree grower at Cal Forest Nurseries, Melinda Whipple-Smith Plank--artist and rancher, Prairie Spaulding--cosmetologist,  Hayley Hayden Moyles (and daughter)--Kate's classmate and a school administrator, Larry Kelly--Lawyer, Mary Carpelan--Shasta Indian Artist, Melanie Fowle--former teacher and head of the National Cattlewoman's Association, Marilyn Seward--Mayor of Etna, Ric Costales--Natural Resource Policy Specialist, J.J Lewis-Nichols--Artistic Director of Siskiyou Performing Arts Center,  Keith Whipple--Rancher)  

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