Flinch/Punch
A community resource for Visceral Responses to F*cked-Up Times
Do you need space to respond to the unrelenting news in these f*cked-up times? On Inauguration Day 2025, in an onslaught of threatening political and ecological developments, looking into an uncertain future, are you actually buzzing with creative action? Do you need a place to express your anger, your grief, or to celebrate the joy and power of your community? Annex Theatre is accepting urgent proposals on a rolling basis to provide space for those flinching at current events and for those ready to punch back All proposals are welcome. Priority will be given to voices and bodies of vulnerable people and those targeted by the current political climate.
ANNEX CAN PROVIDE:
- Our space! For free (read the fine print)! An 86-seat fringe theatre in the heart of Seattle’s Capitol Hill
- Tech: sound-board, stage lights, projector, music stands, acting blocks, folding chairs
- The option to live-stream your event
- On-site staff member
- Pay-what-you-can box office
- Lobby and concessions: snacks and non-alcoholic beverages
WE NEED TO KNOW:
- Who are you? What is your relationship with Annex (if any)?
Are you a performer, counselor, activist, comedian, etc? Have you worked with us before? - What are you responding to, and what is your response? How will you use the space?
“I will host an open somatics workshop” or “An All BIPOC Comedy Showcase” for example - What is your desired outcome? Who are your intended audience/participants?
e.g. safe space for SA survivors, performance for everyone, discussion for trans people - Logistical needs: Tech, requested days/times, special needs
We can fulfill most light/sound/video needs and provide a concessions person. Annex Theatre is able to livestream events.
QUESTIONS? FEEDBACK?
THE FINE PRINT:
SPACE AVAILABILITY
Our space is densely programmed, but we will work with proposals to try to find a time that works. Availability largely depends on whether we are currently producing a show.
Daytime events, and Sunday-Wednesday evening events may be possible while we are producing a show, but all events will depend on the availability of staff volunteers.
The periods of time between our 2025 season productions, and most likely to potentially accommodate an evening event are:
February 10 – March 7
April 13 – May 2
June 15 – July 3
August 31 – Sept 19
You can view our production calendar here.
If we accept your proposal, we will propose upcoming available dates.
HOW THE BOX OFFICE WILL WORK
Annex Theatre will provide a volunteer to run the box office to track pay-what-you-can admissions and donations at the door. Instead of charging a rental fee, Annex will keep the first $400 of the event’s box office. Anything in excess of that can be donated to another non-profit of your choice or to Annex to support other bold new work.
ROLLING DEADLINES
You will hear back within 3 days whenever possible. Annex is an all-volunteer run organization, but we will do our best to respond quickly. We may ask to meet you in person! If so, we will invite you to come to one of our staff meetings, which are Monday evenings at 7 pm on Annex Theatre’s discord server.
WHAT KIND OF SUBMISSIONS WILL YOU PICK?
We are most interested in allowing artists a platform to perform in response to current events, in providing space for community-building and caretaking, and in creating safe space to process through visceral expression.
We hope to help people deal with the here-and-now, and to meet others who want to talk and possibly collaborate. If you feel our space would be a good place for people to gather, to perform, and to respond with others, we want to provide that space. Ultimately, we want to use Annex to do what it does best: to foster relevant art when the artists are at their most vulnerable, when they most need encouragement and freedom to imagine what might be, and how it might come to pass.
Flinch/Punch artwork and theme by @toadytown
