Our Mission
ReVamp wants to create a world where all people can come together and appreciate their individuality, rather than be diminished by it. Through devised interactive productions, by fostering local artists, re-imagining established pieces, as well as workshops and collaborations in our community, we are opening up a conversation to push the boundaries of how we view each other and theatre. Intersectional feminism drives ReVamp's belief on what equality should be, and inspires both the work they produce and the artists they hire.
Resetting the feminist default means to reclaim the fight for equality. Intersectional feminism is not about one struggle over another or raising one group over another, it's about the varying levels of privilege and how that affects the struggle. Shifts and change won't happen overnight or even over a year, but with persistence, awareness & creative spirit, minds can be open.
Resetting the feminist default means to reclaim the fight for equality. Intersectional feminism is not about one struggle over another or raising one group over another, it's about the varying levels of privilege and how that affects the struggle. Shifts and change won't happen overnight or even over a year, but with persistence, awareness & creative spirit, minds can be open.
Our History
ReVamp Collective was developed out of the need to have women driving more of the conversation. Not only do we see a lack of women represented on the stage but also behind the scenes, and we wanted to change this statistic.
Historically women have been kept on the sides - marginalized and hidden, or put out for display. On stage women tend to be there to give assistance to the plot rather than taking action to be their own driving force. And in society women tend to be put into categories that others can relate to: wives, mothers, daughters. But women are more than the roles they play in relation to others. We want to give the steering wheel back to the women both theatrically and culturally.
Founded in 2014 by Carly Bodnar, a 2007 Temple University alum, and Erin Carr, a 2009 graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, the Philadelphia-based company works toward gender equality in theatre. From debunking stereotypical female characters to providing opportunities to write plays, the company cultivates opportunities for women in all realms of theatre. Though creating a space for women to create is an integral part of ReVamp, ultimately, the company’s mission is fueled by community inclusiveness.
Most of our projects are influenced by our goal to take theatre out of the traditional playing space in order to expand our reach and make theatre more accessible. In 2015 we established a relationship with the local business Philadelphia Style Guide to provide costumed actors during fundraising events. That same year we produced our first one woman show, In the Terminus, which was performed in a residential home as a production in the Philadelphia SoLow Fest. In 2017 we debuted our ten-minute play festival, Brief Encounters, where we invite local playwrights to write pieces surrounding a under-discussed theme selected by our community and patrons. All of these projects have provided us with the opportunity to include the community in our desired conversations.
One goal of ‘resetting the feminist default’ is to remind ourselves and society that we are stronger working together as a community. We have been working to bring the stories of gender equality, and the conversation of how to achieve this, into the community throughout our first couple years since inception. Our mission throughout a season is to represent all stories on our stage, because all experiences matter. Social issues, economic statuses, privilege and the lack thereof, to name a few. Intersectional feminism is our focus with working to acknowledge the inequalities, understand the playing field and then discover how to create an equal one with all factors being taken into consideration. But change happens through a community, and we are invested in our community being seen and heard. We believe art is created to give a voice to those without a platform. And until diversity is mainstream, including gender, race, sexuality, then there is still art to create and stories to express.
If you have a story you want to be told, reach out to us. Because you matter.
Historically women have been kept on the sides - marginalized and hidden, or put out for display. On stage women tend to be there to give assistance to the plot rather than taking action to be their own driving force. And in society women tend to be put into categories that others can relate to: wives, mothers, daughters. But women are more than the roles they play in relation to others. We want to give the steering wheel back to the women both theatrically and culturally.
Founded in 2014 by Carly Bodnar, a 2007 Temple University alum, and Erin Carr, a 2009 graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, the Philadelphia-based company works toward gender equality in theatre. From debunking stereotypical female characters to providing opportunities to write plays, the company cultivates opportunities for women in all realms of theatre. Though creating a space for women to create is an integral part of ReVamp, ultimately, the company’s mission is fueled by community inclusiveness.
Most of our projects are influenced by our goal to take theatre out of the traditional playing space in order to expand our reach and make theatre more accessible. In 2015 we established a relationship with the local business Philadelphia Style Guide to provide costumed actors during fundraising events. That same year we produced our first one woman show, In the Terminus, which was performed in a residential home as a production in the Philadelphia SoLow Fest. In 2017 we debuted our ten-minute play festival, Brief Encounters, where we invite local playwrights to write pieces surrounding a under-discussed theme selected by our community and patrons. All of these projects have provided us with the opportunity to include the community in our desired conversations.
One goal of ‘resetting the feminist default’ is to remind ourselves and society that we are stronger working together as a community. We have been working to bring the stories of gender equality, and the conversation of how to achieve this, into the community throughout our first couple years since inception. Our mission throughout a season is to represent all stories on our stage, because all experiences matter. Social issues, economic statuses, privilege and the lack thereof, to name a few. Intersectional feminism is our focus with working to acknowledge the inequalities, understand the playing field and then discover how to create an equal one with all factors being taken into consideration. But change happens through a community, and we are invested in our community being seen and heard. We believe art is created to give a voice to those without a platform. And until diversity is mainstream, including gender, race, sexuality, then there is still art to create and stories to express.
If you have a story you want to be told, reach out to us. Because you matter.
