THE YALE SUMMER CABARET (YSC) is a grassroots theater located in New Haven, CT that is entirely run by students who attend the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale (formerly known as the Yale School of Drama).

For the first time since its inception in 1970, YSC is led by a collective of Queer BIPOC artists in an innovative co-leadership model. Our mission is to unite artists who will connect and deepen their bond with one another here at DGSD and with the greater New Haven community. Through experimental theatrical productions, community arts events, and new play development labs, YSC uplifts communal visions of love, hope, and peace towards our collective liberation.

By producing these plays, we are supporting some of our most marginalized and underrepresented artists’ livelihoods this summer so they have the space to create urgent theatrical works for our community. Only about 5% of shows produced in the last ten years of YSC have been Queer Stories written by BIPOC writers; the dearth of production opportunities for our community inspired us to create this space – we can only do this with the generous support by artistic patrons.

• MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS OF NEW PLAYS
  FUNDRAISING GOAL: $45,000.
  The average cost to produce one of our mainstage productions is $15,000. Each mainstage production cost includes one writer’s commission, a one month salary for director, stage manager, dramaturg, a team of designers, and company of actors. Each mainstage production will consist of a one month production process, including three weeks of rehearsal following two weekends of ticketed performances (virtual and in-person) open to the public. Below is a cost breakdown:
  -A commission for a writer’s new work $1,666.
  -Salary for a director/actor/stage manager $2,000.
  -Salary for a designer or dramaturg $1,200.
  -Production budget $1,500.

• NEW PLAY LABS FUNDRAISING GOAL: $25,000.
  The cost to produce one of our labs is $10,000. Each lab cost includes one writer’s commission, one director, one stage manager, one dramaturg/designer/choreographer, and a maximum of five actors per lab. Each lab will be one week long with a presentation that is free and open to the public (virtual and in-person) at the conclusion of the lab. Below is a cost breakdown for our labs:
  -A commission for a writer’s new work $1,666.
  -Salary for a director/actor/stage manager $700.
  -Salary for a dramaturg or writing mentor  $700,

Supporters

Season Sponsor
Tarell Alvin McCraney

Lab Sponsors
Patrick Seaver and Sonja Berggren

Playwrights Sponsors
Audrey Conrad
Bill and Sharon Reynolds
Lee Stump and Abigail Roth
The Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund
Margaret A. Judd
Anne S. Erbe
Amy Herzog

Partners of the Collective
Blair Kohan
Carl Holvick
Eric Lin
Ms. Janice Muirhead
Mr. Eduardo A. Groisman
Ms. Wendy Anne Wilding Davies
The Benevity Community Impact Fund
Matthew Specter and Marjan Mashhadi
John Bourdeaux
William J Grambo
John Bourdeaux

Friends of the Collective
Sarah Ruhl
Casey Grambo
Pamela Jordan
Joan Channick and Ruth Schmitt
James Bundy and Anne Tofflemire
James M. Perlotto
M.D. Latiana “LT” Gourzong
Michael O. Rigsby
Matthew Tanico

Patron of the Arts
Brian Herrera
Chantal Rodríguez
Mr. Robert Sandberg
Cynthia Santos-DeCure
Adin Walker
Jane F. Cox
Steven Padla

Artistic Advocates
Katherine and Chava Burgueño
Mary Elizabeth O’Leary
Tamilla C. Woodard
Lynne Porter