Annual Fundraiser October 28th, 2023:
New Beginnings’ annual fundraisers are designed to educate and entertain our community around critical social issues and our key programs. For the 2023 year, our focus is on Veterans. We are proud to announce that on October 28th, 2023, we will host an evening at the The New Vic featuring the docu-play entitled, War Words written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and directed by Jenny Sullivan.
Starring: Chris Butler, Bernard White… Stay tuned for ongoing cast announcements
About ‘War Words’
War Words is a Pulitzer Prize nominated docu-play in the words of the men and women who served in the U.S. Military during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Based on the playwright’s interviews with veterans of the 20-year Long War and their families, War Words is composed of heroic and heartbreaking stories of the veterans, families, and allies of people who served: those who came home, and those who were left behind.
War Words was developed by NewYork Rep,
Gayle Waxenburg, Founding Executive Director
&
with the support of The Atlantic Council
Steven Grundman, Executive Producer
Michelle Kholos Brooks (Writer)
Michelle Kholos Brooks is an award-winning playwright with productions staged internationally. Awards and distinctions include the Susan Glaspell Award for H*TLER’S TASTERS and the Riva Shiner Comedy Award for KALAMAZOO, co-written with Kelly Younger.
Jenny Sullivan (Director)
Jenny Sullivan is an award-winning theatre and film director, actor, writer and producer. Favorite directing gigs at: The Wallis Annenberg Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, Royal Manitoba Theatre, The Acorn Off-Broadway, Long Wharf, Williamstown, Laguna Playhouse, The Lobero, Center Rep, Rubicon and Ensemble Theatre of SB.
2023 Sponsorship Opportunities
You are invited to support our Veterans and their families in Santa Barbara County by sponsoring New Beginnings annual benefit event.
Admiral (Title) Sponsor – $20,000
- 8 seats to the 2023 benefit event and dinner/reception
- Photo with Special Guest
- Recognition and logo or name printed in promotional materials, on agency website, and social media channels; featured in a dedicated article in our newsletter; acknowledgment at the Benefit Performance
- 4 seats to each 2024 educational luncheon
Liberty Sponsor – $10,000
- 6 seats to the 2023 benefit event and dinner/reception
- Photo with Special Guest
- Recognition and logo or name printed in promotional
materials, on agency website, and social media
channels, and in an article in our newsletter;
acknowledgment at the Benefit Performance - 2 seats to each 2024 educational luncheon
Brigade Sponsor – $5,000
- 4 seats to the 2023 benefit event and dinner/reception
- Recognition and logo or name printed in promotional
materials, on agency website, and social media
channels, and in an article in our newsletter;
acknowledgment at the Benefit Performance - 2 seats to each 2024 educational luncheon
Eagle Sponsor – $2,500
- 2 seats to the 2023 benefit event and dinner/reception
- Recognition and logo or name printed in promotional
materials, on agency website, and social media
channels, and in an article in our newsletter;
acknowledgment at the Benefit Performance - 1 seat to each 2024 educational luncheon
First Light Sponsor – $1,000
- 2 seats to the 2023 benefit event and dinner/reception
- Recognition and logo or name printed in promotional
materials, on agency website, and social media
channels
2023 Annual Veterans Fundraiser Sponsors
Eagle Sponsor:
- Cottage Health
- Charles C. Read and Eileen White Read
- Linda Stafford Burrows
- Amy & Glenn Bacheller
First Light Sponsor:
-
Anne Towbes
-
Bonnie J. Jensen
It’s a fun-raiser.
It’s a friend-raiser.
And it’s our annual fundraiser!
Michelle Kholos Brooks
Michelle Kholos Brooks is an award-winning playwright with productions staged internationally. Awards and distinctions include the Susan Glaspell Award for H*TLER’S TASTERS and the Riva Shiner Comedy Award for KALAMAZOO, co-written with Kelly Younger. ROOM 1214 was a finalist for The Ashland New Plays Festival. HOSTAGE was a finalist for the Woodward/Newman Drama Award, The Fratti-Newman Political Play Contest, and a Showcase finalist for the National New Play Network. CHAIR received second place in the Firehouse Theatre Festival of New American Plays.
Plays have been produced and/or developed at the Skylight Theatre (World Premier, HOSTAGE) Centenary Stage (World Premiere, H*TLER’S TASTERS), Pacific Resident Theatre, Bloomington Playwright’s Project (World Premiere, KALAMAZOO), The Colony Theatre (World Premiere, FAMILY PLANNING) Florida Repertory Theatre, Boston Court Theatre, The Road Theatre Company, Wordsmyth Theatre, The Barrow Group, Bay Street Theatre, Venue 9 Theatre, Wings Theatre, Laurel Grove Theatre Company, Drama West, Vox Humana Theatre Ensemble, iTheatre Collaborative, New Light Theatre Project, 59E59th St. Theatre, Olive Theatre, Greenside (Edinburgh), Arena Stage (Veteran’s Day 2020, an adaptation of WAR WORDS), New York Rep, Syracuse Stage, City Theatre Miami, InterAct, Syracuse Stage, Stage West, and the Actor’s Gang,
Publications include Dramatists Play Service, Theatrical Rights Worldwide, Room literary magazine, and The Daily Beast.
Brooks earned a B.A. from Emerson College and an M.F.A. in Fiction from Otis College of Art and Design. She is the Playwright-in-Residence at New York Rep, a member of The Dramatists Guild of America, The Playwright’s Center, and Pacific Resident Theatre. In addition, she is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. www.MichelleKholosBrooks.com
Jenny Sullivan
Jenny Sullivan is an award-winning theatre and film director, actor, writer and producer. Favorite directing gigs at: The Wallis Annenberg Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, Royal Manitoba Theatre, The Acorn Off-Broadway, Long Wharf, Williamstown, Laguna Playhouse, The Lobero, Center Rep, Rubicon and Ensemble Theatre of SB.
Jenny is most proud of the premiere of her play J for J starring opposite Jeff Kober and the late great John Ritter. Jenny’s recent work includes directing the world premiere of Tom Dugan’s Jackie Unveiled (with Saffron Burrows) at the Wallis Annenberg in Beverly Hills, The Rubicon premiere of Jane Anderson’s The Baby Dance: Mixed and the Legend of Georgia McBride for Ensemble Theatre Company of SB. Previously, she directed the four-month Off-Broadway run of Tom Dugan’s Wiesenthal.
She has had a long connection with Santa Barbara having lived here for 30 years. This includes directing numerous productions for Ensemble Theatre Company, The Lobero Theatre, and Access Theatre. Jenny was a founding member of Santa Barbara’s “The Mime Caravan,” which produced theatre and also created the annual Summer Solstice Celebration in the mid-70s. Film credits: Access All Areas and The Next Best Thing (in which she had the good fortune to direct her father Barry).