Don't @ Me (Please)

The SlamFam presents "Don't @ Me (Please)", an original digital production that combines theatre, poetry, film, animation, and...Zoom therapy sessions?

WHO WE ARE
In 2015, writers of the now-defunct Chicago SlamWorks (CSW) Ensemble wrote and performed in the acclaimed original play "Redlined," a blistering, thoughtful, and poetic take on the current societal issues facing their hometown of Chicago. Five years later, CSW's artistic collective has reunited as The SlamFam Ensemble bringing you "Don't @ Me (Please)," a new digital theatre experience for what your grandma keeps calling "these unprecedented times."

We're still working on the show, and our writer's room includes the following SlamFam Ensemble members: Samantha Dedian, Jyreika Guest, Rashaad Hall, Angela Oliver, Ben Locke,  Bianca Phipps, Joseph Ramski, and Teagan Walsh-Davis.

WHAT, EXACTLY, IS THIS SHOW?
Written, performed, and filmed by The SlamFam Ensemble, "Don't @ Me (Please)" is a hybrid of mediums engaged in investigating the current moment. From systemic inequality and TikTok to technology in the pandemic and politics, the very fabric of America is explored. Is it poetry or theatre? Is it a film or a play? SIKE! It's all of the above, plus ZOOM, because 2020! Premiering March 2021, only in your living room. Come see, and the host will admit you when the meeting starts. Just don't @ us, k?  

WHAT THE FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR?
Quite simply, everything—The SlamFam Ensemble of artists, who are all spread across the country, are mounting the show from the ground-up and 100% by ourselves. We still need money to produce the show, though, and this means your contributions will go directly into...

• Paying production costs (the production company we're hiring to shoot certain segments, equipment, marketing, etc)
• Paying our writers (including the Ensemble members already contributing to the script)
• Paying our performers (again, including our Ensemble members)

We know everyone is stretched thin these days—any little bit you can contribute to this project would be incredibly cherished. We all never thought we'd be able to perform again, and your contribution will help us ensure this show is everything we want it to be--and maybe more.