Bay Area Theatre Friends!
A dear member of our community needs our help. As many of you know, our beloved Annie Stuart has been the single income supporting her household for the past 6 years, ever since our equally beloved June Palladino fell sick with a debilitating auto-immune disease; despite exhaustive (and exhausting) attempts by a bevy of doctors and medical practitioners, no cure has been found yet. In addition to taking beautiful care of her wife, Annie has taken on additional duties in her job, worked outside side-hustles and become certified as a public notary, all to make ends meet. But uncovered medical bills, an unexpected and unavoidable black mold remediation, mortgage payments and life in general have placed the couple in a financial hole no amount of additional job hours can lift them out of. And this season, Annie has also lovingly opened her home to her mother Cece, adding to the warmth, but also the financial responsibility of carrying the household.
Not knowing how else to make it through the next round of treatment options for June short of losing their house, Annie and June are reaching out to their community for help. They need to raise $65,000 to clear the debt they were forced to place on high interest credit cards to cover June’s medical bills and continue paying for current treatments.
Annie and June have been invaluable members of the Bay Area arts communities, and have touched all of our lives in immeasurable ways. Through her work with PlayGround, Annie fostered so many relationships, showcasing actors, directors and writers, both fledgling and seasoned, connecting us with each other and casting us in unexpected ways that pushed our boundaries and opened new doors for us. I think it would be fair to say that I can track the majority of the work I’ve done in the Bay Area back to relationships that were forged under Annie’s loving gaze. I’m sure I’m not the only one who can say that. And anyone who has worked under the firm but fair hand of June’s stage management knows what a treasure she is.
Our friends have kept their heads up while facing ridiculously frustrating circumstances for the last six years, and are now reaching out to us for help. If the village can each give a little, we can lift them out of this hole and set them on their feet again. The goal is $65,000, and we’ll kick it off with a matching grant for the first $1,000 raised. Annie, June and Cece thank you for considering, and love and thank you all to the moon and back.