Gualtieri & Sisco: Drawing the Circle Wide

We are thrilled to introduce you to Draw the Circle Wide, a video project raising awareness about diversity and inclusion in the theatre.

Until now, western arts have given us a limited notion of the “everyman.” We want to look beyond the "default" everyman - expanding the archetype to include all genders, abilities, races, and identities. Giving voice to more stories means audiences see themselves represented and helps us understand that our thoughts, feelings, and fears are universal. As a songwriting team, we can do our part to make change by writing for those who want to tell their stories.

The series shines a spotlight on a diverse array of performers with each episode dedicated to a single, inspiring artist. We then intercut their interviews with the creation process of a song written just for them - a song putting them at the center of the story. Each artist premieres their song at the end of the episode. Our first “season” will include Tony Award-winner Ali Stroker (Spring Awakening, Oklahoma!), Jonathan Burke (Choir Boy, The Inheritance), Cindy Cheung (Iowa, 13 Reasons Why), and Ryann Redmond (Frozen, Bring it On).

Draw the Circle Wide is a labor of love but it involves costs: studio time, video recording, editing, marketing, social media advertising, and compensation for the artists. The performers so far involved have been generous in lending their talent, but we believe they should be compensated along with our ensemble of musicians, studio technicians, and other artists and craftspeople who are making this happen.

We estimate our budget at about $14,000, including a cushion for unforeseen expenses. This is a lot of money and WE NEED YOUR HELP to get the work done. Every cent of your tax-deductible donation will be directed toward the project. In addition, we plan to release an EP, the proceeds of which will be donated to an organization that supports diversity in the arts. 

We are birthing this passion project at a time when the world is in desperate need of hearing this message. We hope you’ll help. We can’t wait to share this with you.