Donate to A Life Sentence 2024 Tour, organized by Jarred Stephen

WHO: After a successful world premiere in Vancouver Fringe 2023, the team behind A Life Sentence formed Why Now Theatre Collective to continue bringing A Life Sentence to more audiences. Based on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, our mission is to create innovative, poignant and critical conversations through theatre. A Life Sentence was originally produced at Studio 58 as a part of Fourplay 2020: New Work By Excited Writers, but was cancelled just before opening due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It subsequently had its world premiere in Vancouver Fringe 2023 with an entire cast and crew of Studio 58 graduates, and is gearing up for 2024 runs at the rEvolver Festival in Vancouver in May, and Edmonton Fringe in August. Logan Fenske, Jarred Stephen Meek & Alina Blackett WHY: From Playwright & Co-Director Jarred Stephen Meek: I believe this project is important, as, speaking for myself, the amount of understanding that I gained for my mother and her experience, and how her childhood shaped the kind of person and mother she is, is insurmountable. There very well could be victims, survivors, and even abusers in the audience. If one person, whether that be a young person, or someone who may have sat with their experiences for decades, feels that this play takes a little weight off their shoulders, makes them feel seen, or ultimately inspires them to relieve themselves of anything they've been holding onto, or begin their own journey of healing, that is the goal. This piece allows insight into the mind of an abuser, citing real life transcripts, while also showing the deep, lifelong effects it has on the victim and their friends and family, plus the struggle to regain their own power. One of the lines in the script that is directly verbatim from the interview in 1989, John says "...the way things are going right now, you know, I mean, I watch Oprah Winfrey, and Donahue, and the news and, uh, read the newspaper and uh, it is certainly the thing to do right now, there's no question about it." There was no question that this story needed to be written and told. Alina Blackett, who plays Gwen, put it best: “This show is quite simply the answer to the question ‘Why make art?’” See Alina, Logan, Jimmy and David (Mikey/Van De Beek, Fringe 2023) discuss the importance of this piece here: THE GOAL: Our fundraising goal is $5,000. This will help cover many expenses for both productions, including and not limited to: Paying our artists, which is our number one priority. Travel expenses for a crew of 10 from Vancouver to Edmonton. Material costs (costumes, props, marketing) Edmonton Fringe application fees ($875) Any size of donation counts and is greatly appreciated! You can also help in other ways by sharing the link to the gofundme, and supporting us on social media at @whynowtheatre and visiting our website! THE TEAM: Vancouver (Edmonton TBC): Jarred Stephen Meek- Playwright, Producer, Co-Director, JOEY/MR. MILLER Jessie Liang- Co-Director Alina Blackett- Producer, GWEN Logan Fenske- JOHN Stephanie Elgersma- BETTY Sabrina Banks- PATRICIA Tristen Bonwick-Foy- MIKEY/ L.L. VAN DE BEEK Jimmy JinPyo Hong- PETER/BENJAMIN Sofie Kane- LISA Emily Case- Stage Manager SYNOPSIS: Grappling with the trauma of childhood abuse and the pressure of a life changing investigation, Gwen risks everything for the possibility of justice. Spanning 3 decades from the 70s through the 90s, and yet resonant in the wake of #MeToo, A Life Sentence is a British Columbian story of real lived experiences and verbatim transcripts. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING: Read a Q&A with playwright Jarred Stephen Meek and Stir Vancouver here! “…a vibrantly navigated story of darkness… an uncomfortable watch, but a necessary one.” -Stir Vancouver “…an incredibly moving experience… It had my blood pumping and my eyes tearing up throughout. The performances coupled with the skillful direction of such a delicate subject matter blew me away.” -Vancouver Fringe Patron, Canadian Fringe Reviews “Deeply moving play, skillfully crafted like an intricate jigsaw…”-Vancouver Fringe Patron, Canadian Fringe Reviews Photos by Patrick Conaty Read more

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Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website?

Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website and How We Support Other GoFundMe Campaigns

At LFEBridge Foundation, we are dedicated to creating a platform where individuals and organizations can maximize their fundraising efforts. As part of our commitment to supporting a wide range of causes, we incorporate articles and URLs from GoFundMe into our website. Here’s why you might see GoFundMe content on our site, how it benefits the fundraising community, and our relationship with GoFundMe:

1. Amplifying Reach for Fundraising Campaigns

• Increased Visibility: By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our platform, we help increase the visibility of various fundraising campaigns. This additional exposure can attract more donors and supporters, helping campaigns achieve their goals more quickly.

• Cross-Promotional Opportunities: Highlighting campaigns from GoFundMe allows us to support a broader spectrum of causes and connect with a wider audience. This cross-promotion benefits both the campaign organizers and potential donors looking for causes to support.

2. Supporting Campaign Growth

• Advertising and Promotion: We understand the importance of visibility in successful fundraising. By showcasing GoFundMe campaigns, we provide an advertising platform that helps these campaigns reach potential donors who might not have discovered them otherwise.

• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with GoFundMe and featuring their campaigns on our site strengthens the fundraising ecosystem, ensuring that worthwhile causes receive the attention and support they deserve.

3. Expanding Donor Networks

• Broader Donor Base: Featuring a variety of campaigns from different platforms helps diversify and expand the donor base. This means more people can learn about and contribute to a variety of causes, ultimately driving higher engagement and donations.

• Enhanced Outreach: By integrating GoFundMe content, we help campaigns tap into new networks and communities, broadening their reach and potential impact.

How We Help Other GoFundMe Campaigns Grow

1. Featured Campaigns Section

• Highlighting Noteworthy Campaigns: We have a dedicated section on our website where we feature noteworthy GoFundMe campaigns. This not only gives these campaigns a spotlight but also encourages visitors to explore and contribute to them.

• Rotating Features: To ensure a diverse range of campaigns get visibility, we regularly rotate the featured campaigns. This continuous update keeps the content fresh and engaging for our audience.

2. Social Media Promotion

• Sharing Across Platforms: We share selected GoFundMe campaigns on our social media channels to reach a broader audience. Our followers, in turn, can share these posts, amplifying the reach even further.

• Engagement Strategies: Utilizing effective engagement strategies, such as storytelling and compelling visuals, we enhance the appeal of these campaigns, driving more traffic and donations.

3. Email Newsletters

• Campaign Highlights: Our email newsletters often include highlights of impactful GoFundMe campaigns. By doing so, we bring these causes directly to the inboxes of our subscribers, encouraging more people to get involved and donate.

• Donor Updates: We keep our donors informed about the progress and success of the campaigns they have supported, fostering a sense of community and continued engagement.

LFEBridge Foundation's Independence

It’s important to clarify that LFEBridge Foundation is an independent entity and is not part of or affiliated with GoFundMe. While we feature and support GoFundMe campaigns on our site, we operate as a separate foundation dedicated to collecting donations for various causes, similar to GoFundMe. Many of these causes are displayed on our website to provide donors with a wide range of options to support.

Conclusion

By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our website, LFEBridge Foundation supports a wide array of fundraising campaigns, helping them gain the visibility and donations they need to succeed. Through our promotional efforts and strategic partnerships, we aim to create a robust and supportive environment for all fundraising initiatives.

For more information on how we support fundraising campaigns or to explore featured campaigns, visit https://LFEBridge.com or contact us at support@lfebridge.com.