A woman films another woman holding a clapperboard next to a car on a residential street lined with trees and houses.

Help Us Make the NWaC Documentary For almost 20 years, NWaC has been making theatre in Chicago. For the past 11 years, we've been making short films, too. We've worked in apartments, parks, bars, borrowed spaces, reclaimed spaces, and wherever else we could pull something together. We've made work with artists we love, told stories we wanted to see, taken risks, broken a few rules, and figured shit out along the way. Now we're turning the camera around on ourselves. We're making a feature-length documentary about NWaC, the people who've shaped it, and the world that's shaped us. From Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI+) and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) storytelling to pop culture, anarchy, activism, social change, and the cultural landscape of Chicago, this film looks at almost two decades of making art outside the box. It's about how the stories we tell reflect the world around us, challenge the status quo, and become part of the culture that shapes what comes next. We're bringing together new interviews and archival footage from NWaC's history to bring this film to life. Here's the deal: the full documentary budget is $50,000. We're kicking off with a $10,000 fundraising goal, which represents 20% of the total. The rest will come from grants, sponsorships, additional fundraising, in-kind support, and other project resources. No mystery money, no smoke and mirrors. We want to be upfront about what it takes to make this thing. The budget covers research and producing, production crew and equipment, post-production, insurance, administration, accessibility, publicity, festivals, and distribution. That means paying the people doing the work, getting the film across the finish line, and making sure it actually gets seen. Why now? Because we're here, and we're queer, so get used to it! We have nearly 20 years of immersive theatre, short films, big swings, unexpected turns, and stories worth revisiting. NWaC has grown and changed alongside the artists, communities, and cultures around us. We've made space for AANHPI+ and queer voices, taken creative risks, and kept finding new ways to make work happen. There's a lot of history here, and we're ready to put it on film. If you've seen a show, worked on a production, bought a ticket, donated, volunteered, shared a post, lent us a space, or been a part of the chaos, you're a part of this story. We're raising $10,000 to get this film started. Give $25, $50, $100, $250, or whatever works for you. Every contribution helps move the project forward. 20 years in, we're still making shit happen. This time, we're documenting it.Help us make the damn thing!

NWaC: The Documentary

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