How do I get involved?

As of 3/17/2020 until further notice, meetings  will be primarily via Zoom. Members, please see the listerv/googlegroup for details. If you want to join WOW during this time send us a message to wowcafetheater at gmail dot com for info.

Any woman and/or transgender person is invited to come to our weekly meetings on Tuesdays at the space, 59-61 East 4th Street, 4th floor, New York City, NY, USA.  If you have never been to a meeting before please email WOW several days prior for some background information.

On arrival at the Tuesday meeting at 6:30pm, you are immediately a member of the collective!

The best way to get involved is to volunteer to help; don’t be afraid! Get to know WOW members; go out for coffee or a drink after a meeting! The best way to learn is to do—if you are interested in learning a new skill, volunteer to do it.

Who can be a member?

Our collective welcomes women and/or transgender people, encompassing any trans-identifying person, including any non-binary, transfeminine, transmasculine, and gender non-conforming people.

What are the benefits of being a collective member?

• Community, friendships
• Learning, gaining theater skills (lights, sound, acting, leadership, directing, working with others, handstands, arts administration, etc.)
• Space to present your show or art (in exchange for your labor, called sweat equity)
• See free theater (when you work shows)
• Making connections (theater networking)

How do we make decisions here? Who’s in charge at WOW?

We are a collective, so we make decisions by consensus. We make proposals and decide on issues at the Tuesday meetings. You are, we are; everyone is in charge. New members are welcome to participate in decision-making.

Who should I ask if I have questions?

Each meeting has a designated hostess, host and/or host/ess. Talk with this cordial and informative person! Also, you can talk with any collective member. See the listserv section, as well.

How do I stay in the loop? How do I get on the listserv/email group?

Inquire about how to be included on the listserv/email group once you’ve come to a meeting or three. Much of our business and news is exchanged there.

How do I get a show at WOW?

WOW works on a sweat equity system – that means that you work on other peoples’ shows, and/or for the space as a whole, and you earn the right to produce your work here and to be supported by other members. We have moved to a quarterly proposal schedule, but experienced producers can also propose between the formal proposal deadlines.

New WOW producers generally work with a mentor producer who provides information and support. On rare occasions, an existing WOW member, who already has sweat equity, will agree to take on a new person’s project as their own production. However most of our works are self produced.

Money matters

There is no membership fee. We run almost entirely on box office proceeds.

* Members Jen Abrams, Maria Bauman, Sir Real, Jessica Cermak, Jz Sinanovic and Velvet Toi compiled this information. (updated December 23, 2021)