The Humanist Project is raising money to produce the newly devised comedy, MAD MAD MAD, this summer in New York City. We’re raising money to fund our production, which includes everything from securing a performance space, building a set, buying our costumes, and compensating our artists. MAD MAD MAD is devised by The Humanist Project’s Artistic Director, Michael Toomey, and a nine person ensemble from around the globe that met in New York City while training at the world renowned American Academy of Dramatic Arts. 

The show is set in the world of New Coke, Cyndi Lauper, Reagan & Gorbachev, and bright blue eyeshadow. In other words, the 80s. Central to our show is the true story of Stanislav Petrov, who saved the world from nuclear annihilation in 1983, an act of heroism that went largely undisclosed to both the Russian and global public (seriously- look it up!). Through music, movement, and clown, we fuse this story and other historical “close calls” and ask the question “Why is Mutually Assured Destruction still the nuclear policy of the world?” 

Devising a play can mean many things depending on who you ask. For the ensemble of MAD MAD MAD, it began with an image of Stanislav Petrov sitting at his desk in Soviet Russia, very bored and trying to pass the time. Suddenly, the early warning alarm blares to life. The United States has launched a nuclear missile. 

With this image in mind, we played games. That’s right lots and lots of games. We built the characters that would inhabit this world through improv games and exploration of images .

We used flashcards to write down “provocations” (suggestions, ideas or offers from the ensemble). These provocations ranged from relevant historical facts, references to 80’s pop culture, images, comedic moments, character relationships, dramatic moments, and even dream sequences. And we played. Some cards made it into the final piece, many did not.

We researched fervently (and constantly). We wrote scenes, watched 80’s commercials and story boarded the plot until we had a working script.  We edited and made  many tough choices and painful edits to help strengthen the script.

Then we had two weeks to stage the entire show while continuing to edit and create (remember- we wrote, rehearsed, and performed this piece in a mere six weeks!) The ideas did not stop flowing until hours before curtain on opening night, and even now there is work to be done!

Last fall, we created the workshop version of MAD MAD MAD in 6 weeks and performed the show for audiences at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. People loved the show and folks kept asking ”What are you gonna do now? You’ve got this great piece, will folks ever get to see it again?”

The answer is YES!

Our Production Team has been meeting weekly since shortly after the first performance of MAD MAD MAD to bounce ideas around, to spread the word, to launch our fundraiser, and to come up with a game plan for the rest of our company.

This May, our ensemble of 9 actors, our stage management team and our director will come together once again to remount the show. The plan is to edit the piece to a tight 90 minutes.

During the summer, our designers will build the sets, create the costumes and get everything together that the show needs.

At the end of August into September we will bring our work to fruition with at least 6 performances here in New York.

After that? Who knows?! Is there talk of playing in other spaces around the city? International festivals, anyone? The possibilities may just be endless, but for the moment, we are focused on our intended production here in New York.

At a time when the world is all but at peace, and the threat of Mutually Assured Destruction becomes more of a plausible reality every day, MAD MAD MAD exposes and examines the ongoing nuclear crisis, but also makes audiences laugh... and we all think the world could use a little more laughter.

The Humanist Project is a Brooklyn-based theater company with a mission to bring the full human experience to both artistic training and performance. Folks at The Humanist Project strive to provide exceptional actor training while emphasizing the importance of centering play at the heart of the work. Michael Toomey, The Humanist Project's Artistic Director and a respected Clown and Clown instructor himself, is directing MAD MAD MAD and was the catalyst for the show's creation.

Our team needs to raise $12,000 to make this show happen. The largest portion of these funds will go to securing a performance space as well as rehearsal studios, which both come with hefty fees in New York City. Beyond that, we'll use what we raise to build our set, to costume our actors, to create a soundscape for our world, and to light our stage. Plus, we need to compensate the fellow artists that will help us accomplish all of this! 

We are asking all that are willing and able to help us make this show happen by donating anything you can. Any donation is tax deductible, and donations $10 and over come with a slew of rewards. Let's put it this way- if 500 of you donated about what you would pay for a salad and an oat milk latte in New York City, which is (let's face it), approximately $25, we would reach our goal. We should all meal plan a little more anyway, so why don't you skip the salad and coffee one day this week and help us help more people see this show? You won't regret it (we hope.)