Dear Supporters of JAG,
I’m excited to introduce myself officially. I have worked alongside Jarvis at JAG Productions since the fall of 2019 and started a full-time position in January 2020 as the Company Manager. I moved to the Upper Valley in the summer of 2019 to be closer to our extended families. When I read about JAG Productions in the Valley News – the moving boxes weren't even unpacked yet – I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of this organization.
Just like many cultural workers working in the non-profit sector, my duties were much more than this job title would reveal. I worked behind the scenes as company and event manager, operational support, juggling admin duties, and anything else to support the organization. Last year I also won several grants like the Shuttered Venue Grant from the SBA ($50,000), NEFA NEAR ($15,000), and the Jane’s Trust Foundation grant for our new Musical Lab ($100,000), to name a few.
I’m incredibly proud that I can do my part to build a company that has such a deep dedication to transformative storytelling. Maya Angelou “learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” When I saw the audience leave the theater after the play Esai’s Table, it was clear to me that JAG Productions isn’t only dedicated to the craft of storytelling but also knows how to stage it effectively.
Can you believe that JAG Productions has produced all this magic with only 2 permanent staff members? However, the community supporting JAG has also been integral to our success. There is something special and caring about New England folks that is hard to find somewhere else. Believe me; I lived in a few places. As I am stepping into a new role as JAG’s new Development Director, I’d feel honored to learn more about you, JAG’s supporters.
Over the next couple of weeks, I will be writing to ask you a few questions that will help me understand this community and your motivations to support JAG Productions better. There are so many exciting new updates and developments at JAG, including JAGfest 6.0, our annual new play festival, coming up this May.
We are looking forward to sharing more with you soon.
Until then, be well and stay beautiful,
Tamara Waraschinski