Without money, how would our Phillies have created such a dynamic pitching rotation? Without money, how is the Philadelphia Orchestra going to be able to recover from being the first major U.S. orchestra to file for bankruptcy? And without money, how will a Philadelphia native and Fishtown resident be able to express her viewpoints on the importance of our world being united?
Hannah Tsapatoris MacLeod, a graduate of the University of the Arts, created Naked Feet Theatrical Productions to illustrate her perspective of the world to her audience through interpretive art.
Naked Feet’s original work, The Orphan Tree is based on the idea that there is a grave imbalance in the male/female relationships in our society.
“I want people to see the importance of a unity,” MacLeod said.
One aspect The Orphan Tree exerts is the use of almost all women throughout the play. Every character except for one, who struggles with his gender identity, is a woman. The writers, Hannah MacLeod, Jackie Ruggerio, Vivian Appler and Makaria Tsapatoris, did this for a reason though.
“Women don’t have a lot of opportunities in theatre. Most parts are written only for men,” MacLeod said. “There is a lot of competition because there is not a lot of only women theatre being done.”
“There is something to be said about women, mythology, our place in the world, and how a great maternal figure is no longer in existence,” MacLeod said.
After more than five years of hard work, Macleod and her four-team members are facing just one last obstacle; how will they be able to receive enough money to fund their production?
“I just wonder if we will get enough and the world will say yes, Hannah, here’s a few dollars to get yourself started,” said MacLeod. “This is the moment of truth.”
Naked Feet is attempting to raise donations of $15,000 on kickstarter.com – a grassroots fundraising website for artistic projects and endeavors – to fund The Orphan Tree and every dollar counts. Contributors can donate online and will receive recognition from the group and a personal gift, and the more you donate, the more sophisticated the gift. If Naked Feet does not achieve their full goal by 8:10AM on October 28, they will not receive a single donation. Currently they have raised about $1,100.
If all goes well, MacLeod would like for the production to take place in October 2012 at a venue such as The Arts Bank or The Painted Bride. She would also like to leave open the idea of performing at Philadelphia’s Live Arts Festival.
Depending on the success of the upstart of The Orphan Tree, Macleod says she never planned for this to be a once and done kind of deal.
“I have at least three other plays in my head, but I can’t go forward until this first one is produced,” said MacLeod.
If worse comes to worse and MacLeod does not receive an ample amount of donations, she will put it off for a few years, but not give up.
“I would be so disappointed,” MacLeod said.
Let’s not make Hannah MacLeod wait…and here’s how you can help. People can donate to Naked Feet Theatrical Productions at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1919429298/the-orphan-tree-by-naked-feet-theatrical-productio or feel free to visit their website at www.nakedfeetproductions.com. Your contributions are greatly appreciated.
