Many of you may not realize that most professional actors and stage managers working in venues of 99 seats or less in Los Angeles are essentially not paid for their hard work, dedication, and passion. For these artists, it is truly a labor of love. Syzygy's belief in the importance of art in our culture has lead to a very strong conviction that these artists should be treated with the same love they give to their craft and compensated as professionals.

Driven by this belief Syzygy has negotiated a special contract with Actors' Equity that pays actors for rehearsal and performance, as well as contributing to their pension funds. This contract was employed since our 2003 production of The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek. While not providing a full living wage, this contract allows actors to dedicate themselves to their performances while breathing a little easier during the time they spend in rehearsal and in performance.

Now, in order to support this goal, Syzygy wants to do something else very unusual: give you the opportunity to adopt an actor.

"How," you may be asking yourself, "does this work?" It is really quite simple. The average salary for rehearsal and the complete run of a production under Syzygy's contract costs approximately $2000. During our 2006-2007 season we will produce two shows, each employing between three and six actors and one stage manager. For a donation of the cost of one performer's salary you can adopt an actor (or stage manager). You can choose a specific actor (after casting) or allow Syzygy to choose which cast member will receive your generosity. In return, you will be credited with making that artist's performances possible. You will also be given the opportunity to attend special rehearsals and receptions with the cast, and you will receive an open invitation to attend any performance with a guest. But most importantly, you receive the satisfaction of knowing you helped a dedicated and passionate artist make his or her impact on our cultural landscape.

If you would like to learn more about this program, please drop us an email at adoption@syzygytheatre.org