This month, The American Place Theatre (APT), the company I have been working with for the past three years, is undertaking a huge restructuring. My grant-writing position is being eliminated, along with half of the Theatre's staff positions. I'll still be working for APT in a small capacity as a Teaching Artist and doing some work at home, but I am very saddened by these changes. APT's Literature to Life program reaches about 30,000 students and teachers a year, presenting live theatrical performances of American literature and offering drama workshops in English and Social Studies classes. We work very hard to help students get excited about reading and learning through theatre, and in the past three years I have been overwhelmingly inspired by the kind of changes we have helped bring to the largely low-income urban schools we work in. For a lot of kids we reach, Literature to Life is the first time they have ever seen a play or read a book "for fun".

It's sad for me to get laid off from a job that I loved so much, but the real tragedy is that the program itself has been compromised and there is a chance that, without help, APT won't be able to continue reaching these kids. The recent economic crisis has hit us hard between school budget cuts, stock market problems, and a shrinking donor base - we have to find a way to overcome these huge obstacles.

APT is now launching Project 451, inspired by our newest adaptation, Fahrenheit 451, which envisions a world where no one reads. The goal of Project 451 is to encourage individuals who value theatre, education, and literature to help support Literature to Life and allow us to offer our performances and workshops FOR FREE to schools who cannot afford us. As little as $18 can cover the costs of bringing a student to see a performance of Fahrenheit 451 or The Kite Runner or Black Boy, and as little as $61 covers the cost of a 6-week in-school workshop series for one student.

I've been fundraising for APT for a year and a half and I'm asking for your support now, even as I'm getting laid off, because NOW is the time when it will be determined if Literature to Life can continue. There are a couple really simple things you can do:

1. visit JoinProject451.org to donate and learn more about our campaign.
2. tell people you know about us - pass on the Project 451 website to other teachers, librarians, parents, and actors you know who will understand how important our work is.
3. Go to www.GoodSearch.com set up your computer to use GoodSearch as your default search engine (instead of Google) and choose "American Place Theatre" as your selected charity - every time you search the internet GoodSearch will donate a penny to the Theatre. You can also learn about GoodShop, which donates a portion of your online shopping at major sites like Amazon and Ebay and The Gap to APT (great during holiday shopping time!)
4. visit www.americanplacetheatre.org to learn about Literature to Life - even though we are based in NYC, we tour our performances to libraries, colleges, public schools, and performing arts centers around the country. Its essential that we keep touring during this down-sizing period, so if you know any schools or colleges that might be interested in booking a performance, call the theatre or pass on the word!

PLEASE consider donating, even a very small amount, to Project 451 this holiday season. Big things can happen when a lot of people give just a little - it can change everything. In order for Project 451 to succeed, we can't rely on big donors, we have to rely on ordinary people who are willing, in these really hard times, to stand up for the importance of books and theatre and education and give a few dollars to help this incredibly important and effective program continue.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support. It sucks being laid off, and I'm so grateful to have friends and family like you right now. I hope that you consider supporting Literature to Life this month - even if its just by spreading the word. I wouldn't ask if I didn't believe that it was absolutely critical.