We're the Shrill Collective. For those who don't know us, we're a women-led independent theater company dedicated to incubating new works, challenging the cis-male-dominated canon, and using theater to benefit community organizations. 

In lieu of Zoom readings and virtual events, we've spent the last 10 months quietly commissioning and developing an original thriller fiction podcast, The Rat King, by Brooklyn playwright LR Wild. The drama will be released as a seven-episode limited podcast. We believe in creating quality content for our listeners and paying all of our collaborators fairly, and we need your help. 

We need to raise $5,000 to cover The Rat King's production costs. That includes paying the cast and creative team and securing any space, equipment, or software our actors may need for recording. The Shrill Collective keeps zero profit. We are in this solely as a conduit for this story and these artists to be heard. 

It's true, there are tons of podcasts you could listen to without paying a cent. Heck, you could even listen to this one for free after we've released it. But by contributing to this campaign, you are directly supporting independent writers, directors, actors, and recording professionals in your community, and helping to bring fresh, unique storytelling into existence. Oh, and there are perks– check them out!

Those who know us may have noticed that we've been quiet for a while. That's because we've spent the past year relearning and reevaluating our role in the artistic community. And we feel that our most important job is to facilitate the creation of works that employ and pay artists for their craft. During the pandemic, countless people turned to the arts for distraction, healing, and connection– but artists themselves struggled with an abrupt and seemingly endless loss of work and income. So, while we don't know what the future holds, we've decided to pour all of our resources into creating work that maximizes opportunities for artists and that can be enjoyed by the largest possible audience, regardless of pandemic status. 

If you can't give for whatever reason, we still value your support. Here are some other ways you can support us: