by Kirby Lindsay Laney, posted 27 February 2016
For its 13th year, starting on St. Patrick’s Day, Moisture Festival returns to Fremont (and other special locales around Seattle,) to present a singular showcase of creative comedy by truly astonishing varieté performers. In just 13 years, MF has become the longest running annual vaudeville festival and, with over 200 performers from around the world, coming here, it is also the largest in the world – and it all takes place right here, in our own backyard.
Let’s support it!
Moisture Festival funding comes, 62%, from ticket sales. Those already aware of the unbelievably fabulousness that awaits with each performance at Hale’s Palladium should buy tickets today – for you and a friend, or two, that haven’t yet experienced this magical mix of jugglers, acrobats, singers, aerialists, dancers, puppeteers, magicians, contortionists, musicians, and whatever Nanda is.
Those still haven’t had a chance to see Moisture Fest – at a kiddie-friendly matinee, a dazzling evening show or a bawdy late-night romp – have a real treat in store, but only if you purchase tickets soon! Otherwise, this year’s month-long Festival will come, and go, again, and you will once again be the most clueless among us about what human talent can create…
To Leverage Volunteer, In-Kind & Financial Donations
According to Cheryl Angle, new Development Director for the sparsely run Moisture Festival organization, time is right for our community to show its support for this incredible showcase, and introduce the uninitiated to this high-quality comedy/varieté production.
“Our goal is to keep ticket prices low,” Angle explained, but to do so, they need to fill seats and keep drawing in willing performers – most of whom visit Fremont just to perform at Moisture, our reputation as an appreciative and enthusiastic audience having preceded us.
Yet, Moisture Festival is produced by a 501(c)3 organization, making donations a charitable tax deduction, as well as much needed funding (the other 38%) for this showcase. It doesn’t take much. Only 170 people gave these funds last year, to support this huge festival and also allow the producers to pay performers a small share each out of ticket sales.
“We are a very lean run organization,” Angle observed. Moisture Festival’s volunteer producers put together a month-long run of shows – taking place at Hale’s Palladium, the Broadway Performance Hall and, this year, Café Nordo’ Culinarium along with a partnership production at Teatro ZinZanni, along with educational programs – all using only 3 part-time (2.25 full-time equivalent) staff people. In 2015, over 250 volunteers gave the 5,600 hours it took to make Moisture Festival soar!
Donors can be assured that their money is vitally needed, and very carefully spent. “All cash contributions,” Angle explained, “are leveraged by volunteers and in-kind donations.”
As a further supplement, Angle and the Moisture Festival Board have begun to approach charitable Foundations about grant money. They’ve recently been awarded a Norcliffe Foundation grant, which will make Moisture more accessible to a wider audience.
“The Festival does need to expand,” Angle acknowledged, “and connect more with its community.” Among its own, established audience, Angle wants to do more outreach and make supporters aware of opportunities, and need, within the organization. For instance, several original MF founders still serve as Board Members, 13 years later, alongside a few audience members who became donors and/or volunteers, and then stepped up to serve on the Board as well.
For ‘A Rare, Unique Art Form’
As Angle observed, “It’s a rare, unique art form. These performers don’t fit in a lot of venues.” The yodelers, tap dancers, rope artists, martial art dancers, and knife swallowers that audiences volcanically applaud at MF don’t get much work in dramatic theater, or at nightclub concert venues. The enchantment of seeing a bubble-blown into a square won’t be experienced on television, or even through the most carefully constructed YouTube video.
More importantly, these remarkably talented performers, coming together from every corner of the globe, can’t find the collaboration and community in a random spot on a TV show or a featured spot in a mixed-arts festival, like they do at Moisture Festival.
MF has built a charmed place here, for performers and audiences, and it deserves our support. “When I contact people in our community,” Angle observed, “I’m preceded by such well-being and respect.” She’s doing cold calls, and blind outreach, to try to find more support to keep Moisture Festival going, and to make more people aware of this transformative production.
A Million Laughs & Giving Generously
“Arts are profoundly important to our health,” Angle pointed out, “as an antidote to the serious.” The MF leadership has launched The Million Laughs Initiative because, as they wrote, “life has become over-serious and more laughs are needed. Based on soft scientific data, it is calculated that the 13,000 festival goers at each 90-minute event laugh at least once per minute. At that rate, over a million laughs are generated each year,” thanks to Moisture Festival.
Donors that give a few dollars more – over and above ticket purchases – can be assured that they support a thriving arts community committed to spending their donations wisely. Moisture Festival will also host a ‘Donor Grazie’ party, in the Spring, where all those who gave, to support the performers and mission of Moisture, will be invited to an always impressive feast of food and entertainment.
Yet, volunteer sweat equity is also always appreciated. In February, Moisture Festival held its legendary annual Volunteer Orientation, but more bodies are always needed, and welcomed. Tasks vary, and many don’t even involve sweating. Costumed ambassadors can help with the house – taking tickets, showing people to their seats, and resetting the chairs.
Visiting MF performers get fed by volunteers who serve up delicious meals donated by area restaurants and caterers, including Hale’s, Roxy’s Diner, Fremont Fire Pit, Pecado Bueno, and Pel’Meni Dumpling Tzar. The performers often stay in homes of MF supporters who volunteer little more than a spare bedroom and directions to the Palladium.
Let’s Support Moisture Festival
Moisture Festival brings to Fremont – and other venues around Seattle – unique, unequaled entertainment. It’s important that we acknowledge this great gift, and show that we value live theater, and this cure to humor impairment, in our community, and on our stages.
If you can give a few dollars, please donate to the Moisture Festival website, or mail your check to P.O. Box 17484, Seattle, WA 98127. Or, contact Angle at Cheryl@moisturefestival.org
Learn more about Moisture Festival volunteer opportunities, or purchase tickets to the upcoming shows – March 17th to April 13th only! – on the Moisture Festival.org website.
Most importantly, this year, don’t let Moisture pass you by! This year fight the seriousness of your co-workers, neighbors, and family by inviting them to a Festival show. This year, purchase tickets early and be assured of hours of the highest-quality live theater imaginable, in your own backyard!
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©2016 Kirby Laney. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.