Hosting FAQs
Ted & Company is excited to partner with you to bring We Own This Now to your community. Read responses to some of our most Frequently Asked Questions below, then get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you!
What are the venue requirements for this show?
The performance space needs to be at least 24’ wide and 18’ deep, with good sightlines.
Note also that Ted&Co needs exclusive access to the space for at least 8 hours prior to the performance for load-in, set-up, and tech.
Lighting: Needs to cover the full area of the performance space so that actors will be fully lit anywhere within it.
Audio: Ted&Co will bring headset mics and a computer to plug into your sound system.
Green Room: Actors need private space close to restrooms and away from the audience to prepare for the show. This room should have at least one mirror, and lamp (non-fluorescent/overhead) lighting available.
Lobby Space: The company will bring educational resources about the Doctrine of Discovery to share with the audience, and Ted&Co merchandise to sell in the lobby. You will need to provide a table or two and the space to set them up near an entrance.
Who is the ideal audience for this play?
This play is intended for "settler" audiences to do the work of looking at history, and reflect on responses they may want to take. It connects the dots from the 1400s up to our current time. Many (most?) Indigenous people do not need to know this history. One Indigenous leader who works in majority White spaces has told us this play covers "Native 101" so they don't have to do that work.
If you already have relationships with Indigenous people, giving them a heads-up about the show is often a considerate action to take.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Please be aware that if you expect any Indigenous people to attend, they may have a variety of experiences in watching, and should be given a clear message that this is written towards a settler audience.
- Some Indigenous attendees have been moved by the performance and thanked us for the work we are doing to bring awareness to this history
- Others have been triggered by some scenes (esp. around boarding schools, etc) and wished they had known ahead of time so they could have chosen not to attend
- ... And a variety of responses in between.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact our office and/or the artists.
This play looks at the history of the Doctrine of Discovery, and some of the ways that doctrine has influenced the way US culture is set up, what “ownership” means, and how we came to be on the land we live/work/exist upon.
The Doctrine is the root of many systems in our culture, including racism.
The show focuses specifically on the impact and implications of the Doctrine on Indigenous people. It does not get into related material around slavery and forced labor history (which would be relevant, but we only have 90 minutes!).
Your community/audience might want to follow up on those questions and conversations, which could be highly impactful.
This play has spoken deeply to people from a wide range of ethnic, spiritual, religious, and secular backgrounds.
Every well-crafted play has characters who have specific backgrounds from specific world-views. For example, The Diary of Anne Frank is about a Jewish family during the Holocaust. That very specificity is what helps audiences from a wide range of backgrounds connect to the story.
The primary characters in this play happen to have Russian Mennonite migrant ancestry and a farming background. There are additional characters who do not have that ancestry or background. First and foremost, our audiences tell us that they relate to the humanity of the characters.
What resources will we need to host this show?
LIghting: We Own This Now has no internal lighting cues, but someone familiar with the lighting needs to be available at load-in.
Audio: We Own This Now does have many internal sound cues. An audio technician/operator needs to be available at load-in and throughout the day of performance to do sound checks, learn the show cues, and rehearse with the actors.
You’ll need to provide a few staff or volunteers, who will:
- Assist with loading in and loading out the set
- Work merchandise and information tables in the lobby
- Coordinate and provide meals and snacks for the actors
- Greet the audience and hand out programs (ushers)
- Introduce the show
The full cost for one performance of “We Own This Now” (in 2023) is $4300 plus travel expenses.
Travel expenses will include:
- If driving: mileage at the current IRS rate of 65.5 cents/mile
- If flying: airfare, plus possible fees for rental car if needed
- Per diems for meals during travel (usually $50 per day, per person)
- Lodging for 2-3 people (homestays are fine if certain conditions are met)
In the event of an organized tour, travel costs can be shared among multiple hosts, reducing the total cost for each host included in the tour!
Show fees go towards:
- Supporting Coalition for Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery (We send 5% of the gross fees from every show to the Coalition)
- Educational resources about the Doctrine of Discovery that we provide at shows
- Royalties to the playwright, Alison Casella Brookins
- The development of the production, including:
- Artist fees for directors, designers, dramaturgs, graphic design of posters and programs, etc.
- Interactions with Indigenous and other experts who informed our production
- Materials for set, costumes, props, and audio equipment
- Social media and website publicity for the shows
- Administrative costs to facilitate the logistics so your audience will have the best experience possible
- Overhead office expenses, as needed for any business (we try to keep this minimal!)
- And last but not least... paying actors (close to!) a living wage
- First, see “I am interested in facilitating a tour!” below for one way you can lower your costs — and connect with others who share your interests.
- Some hosts raise some of the fees via ticket sales. Others find individual, group, or organizational donors and sponsors (which then creates opportunities for audience member donations to support Indigenous and other organizations in their communities).
- Sometimes Ted&Co has access to underwriting from supportive nonprofit organizations such as Center for Art, Humor, and Soul. Please note that underwriting is not always available.
- If you would like to work with your favorite nonprofit organization, please connect us to them!
We are ready to host! Now what?
The further ahead, the better! We recommend at least 6 months ahead of the date you would like to request; 3 months at a minimum.
Ted&Co is often juggling and scheduling multiple shows and other projects, so if you want to be sure to get on our calendar, reach out as soon as you have a timeframe in mind.
Keep in mind that you will need some time to prepare for logistics as well, but if you have a last minute request feel free to reach out and see if we might be able to fit you in.
1. Let us know you’re interested!
- Fill out this form, or email us at office@tedandcompany.com
- We’ll answer your questions and send you a questionnaire to keep communication efficient and clear.
2. Save your seat
- About a week after you send us your completed questionnaire and a $500 down payment to cover initial administrative costs, we will work with you to finalize hosting and venue details, and memorialize them in a rider.
3. Sign on the dotted line
We will send you a contract and rider to review and sign, and ask for 35% of the performance fee to hold your date.
1. Tell the world!
- Once we receive your signed documents and 35% deposit, we’ll send you everything you will need for publicity, including digital files for posters, fliers, photos, show graphics, programs, and social media links.
- We will include important instructions on attribution of the artists, printing instructions, and helpful hints.
2. Ready, set, get ready!
- Line up volunteers, secure lodging, and plan meals for the actors.
- Prepare your introduction and land acknowledgment (using our helpful hints and guidelines).
- Be sure technical personnel and other needs are confirmed.
3. Let’s talk!
2-3 weeks before showtime, we’ll get together on a video call to answer any questions and go over final details so everyone is prepared and showtime is as smooth as possible. Plus, it’s always nice to put faces to the names!
AND THEN…IT’S SHOWTIME!
Point us to your (point) people
For the Overall Tour:
- One point person for the tour keeps communication with Ted&Co clear.
- One audio technician / operator for the whole tour will save a lot of time, energy, and money.
For each Venue
- One primary contact per venue can convey information to their on-site team.
Keep in Touch
Regular updates from your tour point person keep us in the loop, and keep surprises to a minimum.
All Hands on Deck
Plan for at least two meetings with your whole team and the Ted&Co team – one early in the process, and one about 3 weeks before the show.
We sure do! Check out the Booking Timeline for We Own This Now.
Have more questions? Contact us using the form below.
Thanks for reaching out! We’ll be in touch soon.