Our Story

Maya Macdonald (Playwright): 

The dedication to LEAVE THE BALCONY OPEN reads:

 i thought this play was for the dead

it turns out, it is for the living

This is quite literally where I began when I wrote this play. I had lost a great deal of people who were close to me, both emotionally, and in proximity. What became of this is a story of seven characters caught mid-sentence, caught between something that couldn't have possibly happened, and a need to express to someone that, yes, that thing actually did happen. I feel it speaks for this generation in a way stories to young people have not. It comes from the closest place I could find. Skin close. Ripped from the seams, even. It is my closeness to it that gave me the drive to keep pushing to tell the story. I wrote it to save my skin. I wrote it to keep living. I wrote it in case I had to leave it behind.

Jessica Bauman (Director): 

When I met Maya four years ago, I was blown away by the power of her writing. It was like nothing I had ever read before. She finds poetry in the most unexpected corners of contemporary speech; she is telling a story that is smart, theatrical, humane – an extraordinary vision of young people wrestling with the most profound questions of what it means to live. I have been lucky enough to collaborate with Maya as her director throughout the development of LEAVE THE BALCONY OPEN. I am thrilled to now count myself as her producer as well. We have gathered an amazing team of actors, designers and other artists to make our vision for BALCONY a reality.

The Impact

At every reading and workshop presentation, people have come up to us to share their stories: deaths of friends, suicide attempts, loved ones lost way too young. This stuff is hard to talk about, and even harder to talk about in a way that lets you laugh, mourn and really remember. Everyone who has shared their stories remind us how important it is to make this play happen. So many people are hungry to see their experience honored on stage. We feel lucky to be able to tell a story we know can speak to them and for them.    

What We Need & What You Get

New Feet Productions, the company Jessica founded three years ago to tell big, theatrical stories, is producing BALCONY at 3LD Art and Technology Center in February. And LEAVE THE BALCONY OPEN is big in all the best ways. It creates a whole world for the audience to dive into with its own dialect, culture and mythology. Our vision is expansive; our means are not. We have raised more than half of the money we need, but we can only get all the way there with your help.

There are brilliant actors, designers and dedicated staff to pay; there is an epic set to build; there is space to rent at 3LD; there are costumes to create – oh, are there costumes! There's the beached whale, the high school student trying to “do college right,” the girl who doesn’t talk and might be the campus Shaman, the boy about to graduate on the 8 year plan who can never quite empty his pockets. And they all are going to be beautiful.

We are offering some fun perks to get you in the BALCONY spirit while you provide us with vital support. If you prefer to get a tax deduction for your contribution, we can easily arrange that outside of the Indiegogo campaign. Email Jessica – jbauman@pipeline.com - and we will make it happen.

Other Ways You Can Help

Let your friends know! You know the deal: tell the world you support us by posting on Facebook, tweeting, telling the person sitting next to you on the subway. We want to get the word out about the project and the fundraising campaign.

Come see it! We will be running at 3LD from Feb 5-26. All the cool kids will be there. Promise.