MAD* Factory Players

About

The MAD* Factory is a non-profit organization in Lorain County, Ohio, that provides young people with education and performance experience in music, arts and drama.
MAD* is committed to:
Building self-esteem and mutual respect
Developing the creative process
Serving under-served populations
Focusing on cultural diversity
Developing excellence in the arts
Collaborating with other community organizations

We envision a future where:
- All people of all ages and abilities will have the opportunity to obtain invaluable skills, giving them the confidence to pursue the passions of their choice, through classes and performance opportunities in Oberlin and surrounding communities;
-We provide a season of performances in our permanent home where individuals come together in community to support and encourage youth throughout their lives; and
-We are an integral contributor to the community through community service and a permanent outreach program.

The MAD* Factory was founded in 1990 with the help of seed money from interested community people who were concerned about the number of children in Oberlin not engaged in meaningful summer activities.

Oberlin has per capita more people below the poverty level than any community in Lorain County. The first summer MAD* offered a theater and related arts curriculum and attracted 90 children, ages 6-18. The students scripted their own show drawing on experiences written in journals they kept throughout the four-week session.

Although conceived as a summer program, enthusiasm for continued programming has led to the creation of classes offered throughout the year. MAD* seeks to use the arts to create a different perspective on learning for students who have had difficulty in traditional classroom settings. Care is taken to provide ethnic and gender role models.

Nearly 75% of the children who attend-classes receive full scholarships; 50% are African American. Now a county-wide organization, MAD* has served more than 2000 children, 76% of them from %u201Cat risk%u201D situations. Our students come from 13 cities in Lorain County as well as from Huron, Medina and Cuyahoga counties.

The MAD* Factory%u2019s focus on cultural diversity ensures young people the opportunity for personal and artistic development while promoting self-esteem and respect for others. The organization%u2019s staff of exceptional artists and teachers offers an array of classes, projects and performances from various cultures.

What people are saying about us...

From Gail Rottari, Educational Services Assistant Director for Horizon Activities Center:
I am writing on behalf of Horizon Activities Centers regarding programming done by The MAD* Factory for its after school programs. The MAD* Factory provided an %u201CIntroduction to Musical Theatre%u201D program at four of the nine Horizon sites over a seven week period. During this time, each class learned at least four chorale numbers, along with simple dance routines. As a culminating activity, The MAD* Factory also organized a student performance for our students and families. I am pleased to say that this program was a huge success! Our children not only learned these routines, but also learned a great deal about themselves and their peers. The children enrolled in the musical theatre program developed a better understanding of the arts, as well as opening up socially in a group setting. We appreciate The MAD* Factory and their wonderful program that they brought to our elementary sites! As an organization, we hope to incorproate The MAD* Factory and their programs in the future!

From Sindy, MAD* Factory patron:
I have attended several of The MAD* Factory%u2019s productions in the last year. The acting and singing are superb. The cast always delivers a great performance. The MAD* Factory provides young people with building self-esteem and developing excellence in the arts. People can go to a show and be entertained for a nominal fee. Whether it is a musical play or a drama, The MAD* Factory is always entertaining. Lorain County cannot afford to lose The MAD* Factory! The MAD* Factory is an excellent theatre troupe.

From Jennifer, the parent of an autistic child:
Thank you all so much for providing Jaden with such a wonderful and rewarding camp experience. He truly enjoyed coming and seeing you guys every day and had so much fun with you and learned so much about theatre and art. Thank you also for your patience and for welcoming him with open arms. Your kindness is greatly appreciated. It makes me smile each time I think of all the joy you%u2019ve brought to Jaden%u2026.

From Anne, who attended our production of %u201CSeussical:%u201D
I came to Opening Night because I am Ella%u2019s Grammie Annie. I came again on Saturday evening because I enjoyed it so much on Friday. I am writing now because you ALL deserve the utmost praise for this most enjoyable, funny, sad, imaginative, convincing and completely professional production. It is one of the most oustanding theatre productions I have ever seen%u2014amateur of professional. No moments that dragged%u2014NONE! No weak characters. No lapses of character from anyone%u2014everyone was ALWAYS completely %u201Cinto it%u201D on stage. Wonderful choreography! Always something going on that was relevant to the plot. Every character acting and reacting very convincingly.Totally enjoyable. What a priviledge for everyone to be a part of this. Bravissimo!! No one should miss this show. In High School and University I was involved with many Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas in the chorus or orchestra. More recently I was Sister Henrietta (Instead of Bishop) and in the chorus of a local production of %u201CAnything Goes%u201D. I also played in the orchestra for %u201CFootloose%u201D and %u201COklahoma%u201D. I am an amateur clarinetist playing in orchestras, bands, dance bands, shows and in LOTS of chamber music groups locally, in Interlochen, MI, and on the beach of Ischia, Italy. I see a lot of amateur musicals and few would get such high praise as I am giving your %u201CSeussical, the Musical.%u201D

From Caty, age 12:
MAD* Factory is awesome. I started taking classes with The MAD* Factory in 2007 and I haven%u2019t missed a session yet. Miss Linda and all of the counselors are awesome. You get to meet a lot of fun people and you learn how to overcome your fears about performing in front of an audience. I love Musical Comedy Improv, but every class I have been in was great. The MAD* Factory is one of the best parts of my week, and I look forward to it. So, give The MAD* Factory a try. You won%u2019t be disappointed.

An event planner can expect our services to be fun, family friendly, relaxing, and easy to deal with! We provide our own equipment, set up and take down, and are adaptable to many different space and time constraints. Our repertoire is varied, and and we can be flexible with your needs.

Every time you choose us to be the entertainment at you event, you are supporting a local non-profit and local arts. We are entertainment you can feel good about!

Personnel

Linda: Executive Director
Amber: Singer/Performer
Nina: Pianist/Performer

Influences

We have a style all our own!

What to Expect

Depending on the type of performance, audience members can expect anything from relaxation to being pulled up on stage. During one of our signature comedy improv performances, the audience is heavily involved as we rely on them for suggestions to start all scenes. A lucky few audience members will be pulled up on stage to be in some games with us, and there's always the chance of us doing a game that everyone can play! If we are providing background music for your event, the audience can expect to hear all types of music including jazz standards, easy listening, soft rock, 80's, country, musicals, and more! A murder mystery will certainly have some clue-decoding, and a children's show will be an overall enjoyable performance.

Stage/Setup Requirements:
electricity

Additional Notes:
We do not require any special services, just an ample number of electrical outlets if we are doing a musical performance (for our amps, keyboard, etc).

Set/Song/Sequence List:
We have many different songs we can perform...here are some of the artists we generally select from:

Eva Cassidy
Norah Jones
The Dixie Chicks
Billy Joel
Sara Bareilles
Frank Sinatra
Aretha Franklin
Garth Brooks
Faith Hill
Lady Antebellum
Classic show tunes
and many more!

Here are some past children's show titles:

Miss Nelson is Missing
The Stinky Chese Man (and other Fair(l)y Stoopid Tales)
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs (and The Frog Prince, cont'd)
The BFG
Sideways Stories from Wayside School
Bunnicula

and our most recent murder mystery...
"Death By Dessert"

Comedy improv games are varied and hilarious!

Available for Your

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