We started late due to so many snafus…but our foster youth are counting on you to H E L P! 🙂
We gather toys during the holiday season but we give the kids your toys when they get pulled out of their homes and in to the foster system. It gives them some smiles during a scary time.
Won’t you give as much as you can by sending toys (unwrapped) to:
FOSTER YOUR DREAM 36 West 44th Street Suite 1412 New York NY 10036
It’s kind of fun to shop online and just send it to us!
MANY THANKS to all who have done this for years. And WELCOME to new generous souls.
YOU SOUND LIKE A GIRL started by our dear friend from the Signature Theatre Days, Colleen Hughes, brought her amazing show to the ACS Theatre! There was a cast of 5 amazing she/her/hers identifying actors who shared very personal stories for an hour at the Children’s Center.
Thanks to all the amazing performers.
YOU SOUND LIKE A GIRL CAST!
You Sound Like a Girl Created and directed by: Colleen E. Hughes Written and performed by: Sara Jane Munford, Alessandra Ruiz, Alexandria Smalls, and Rev. Yolanda Produced by: Emily Rose Prats Dramaturgy by: Rachel Levens
Colleen E. Hughes(she/her/hers) is a Brooklyn based director and arts administrator, and creator of You Sound Like a Girl. Her select directing credits include, What Screams I Hear are Mine by Annalise Cain (reading, The Tribe Theatre Company), The Shapes We Make With Our Bodies by Meg Whiteford (The Hive), Jelly Bean Junkyard by Sean Pollock (Under St. Marks), Chatroom by Enda Walsh (The Hive), Let Them Eat Cake by Ted Malawer (TinyRhino), and Disco Pigs by Enda Walsh (A.R.T.’s Oberon). Her assisting credits include 12th Night by William Shakespeare, directed by Shira Millikowsky (A.R.T. Institute) and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, directed by Phil Soltanoff (Skidmore College). Colleen studied directing at the National Theatre Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and theater at Skidmore College. www.colleenehughes.com
Sara Jane Munford(she/her/hers) is a multimedia performance artist, designer and puppeteer based in Brooklyn, New York. She is the resident set designer and puppet captain of Little Did Productions. Currently, Sara Jane is working on birth/control/project, a community based art making process and art installation intended to create a space to empower female identifying participants in the pursuit of autonomy over their bodies. For more information please email sarajane.munford@gmail.com.
Alessandra Ruiz(she/her/hers) is a NY Latina actress who moved from Los Angeles this January. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a B.A. in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Devised/Physical Theatre. She begun her NYC debuts working with projects performed at the Gene Frankel Theatre and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. She wants to use theatre to open up minds and hearts for a better understanding society. Alessandra believes theatre is a powerful art form that can truly help make a change. Alessandra is very excited to be creating with the “”You Sound Like a Girl”” cast and crew and hopes to empower women everywhere. www.alessandraruiz.com
Alexandria Joesica Smalls(she/her/hers) is an actor, writer and director who hails from Brooklyn, NY. She has an AS in theater from BMCC and a BA in Drama and Africana Studies with a focus on Prison Studies. She is an activist with a passion for social justice issues and uses her creative work to explore difficult conversations on topics such as race, economic inequality, and education.
Rev. Yolanda(she/her/hers) is a singer/songwriter/trans-femme genderqueer performance artist and interfaith minister, originally from Muscle Shoals Alabama- The Hit Recording Capital Of The World. Rev. Yolanda and husband Rev. Glen Ganaway are the founders of the monthly “spiritual happening” Church With A 2 Drink Minimum. Rev. Yolanda’s ministry and body of musical work has been captured on film by Avaiya Media with the movie “”Rev. Yolanda’s Old Time Gospel Hour”” (available on Amazon), and has been honored with induction into the The GLBT Hall Of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame, and two MAC Awards. (MAC-Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs). Rev. Yolanda is currently working on a full length, autobiographical musical theater piece entitled “The Church Of The Alien Love Child Presents: The Passion of Rev. Yolanda.”
Emily Rose Prats(she/her/hers) came to NY more than a decade ago to get her BFA in Drama from NYU/Tisch. Since then, she’s produced an EP, performed Shakespeare, voiced commercials, taught music to children, and now works in marketing for startups. She believes in theatre as a teaching tool and hopes You Sound Like a Girl can empower women and girls to stop internalizing misogyny and make themselves heard. Follow her adventures on insta @the_gremily and/or offer to publish her children’s book.Rachel Levens(she/her/hers) is a Brooklyn based new play director, dramaturg, and applied theater artist. Rachel’s directing has been seen at La MaMa, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, United Solo, The Tank, Dixon Place, Hudson Guild, and The International Human Rights Festival at The Wild Project. Her dramaturgy work has ranged from production dramaturgy, new play development, literature performance, and dance dramaturgy. She is the resident dramaturg for The Holding Project, a dance company based in Portland, Oregon. Rachel holds a BFA in Theater with an emphasis in Original Works from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA.
COLLEEN HUGHES PREPARES CAST TO PERFORM AT THE CHILDREN’S CENTER FOR ACS
Toy Drive for Foster Kids Spearheaded by Theatre Group
Foster Your Dream teams up with Signature Theatre in New York City for a Holiday Toy Drive that will continue to give all year long! For several years, foster children, foster families, and group homes have been invited to see live shows in this exciting theatre complex near Times Square. With the holidays approaching, the staff decided to do a Toy Drive for their favorite patrons … Dream Kids from Foster Your Dream!/
What’s unique about this Holiday Toy Drive is that it will last beyond the holidays. Donated toys will be brought from the Theatre to the Children’s Center in New York City. The Center is where children who are removed from their homes … often in the middle of the night … must go if there are no foster families available to take them in. Often these children are in crisis, even traumatized. The toys collected will be available for the child when he or she arrives at the center. FYD founder Sue Wolf says “We hope that choosing a toy and taking it to their foster home will provide a joyful distraction and some warm comfort to the children we are so passionate about serving!”
Ms. Wolf continues, “Foster Your Dream aims to provide extras such as prom dresses, theatre trips, tuition for dance class and karate lessons, to name a few. There are over half a million children in foster care, and we’d love to make a dream come true for each of them. With the help of such generous partners as Signature Theatre, we are one step closer to making that a reality.”
If you would like to donate, please bring a new, unwrapped toy to The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 W 42nd Street during the designated donation hours from now until December 18!
DONATION HOURS BEFORE EVERY SHOW!
DONATION REQUIREMENTS
Signature is accepting new, unwrapped, any ages toys. Signature will not accept clothing or donations that are used, perishable, or dangerous.
“The Greatest Show On Earth” one awesome little 5 year old guy kept reading to anyone who would listen!  Wherever he saw that sentence, he pointed it out and read it aloud.  With joyous excitement, Foster Your Dream was invited to a VIP box at Staples Center to see the Ringling Brothers Circus.  We were able to take 2 grateful families to enjoy the most generous gift from the law firm Bingham McCutchen.
To be wowed by the glorious spectacle of the Circus and to be treated to a VIP experience with hot dogs, fried chicken, veggies, sugary treats, popcorn and royal service, was a Godsend and a very special bonding session for 2 families.
We have proof of the happiness had by all! Â Enjoy our snapshots.
11-12-13 was the luckiest day for 95 Foster Your Dream Kids who got to sit in the orchestra and enjoy the Broadway Musical ANNIE!
Darrell Williams, Sue Wolf, Annie poster, Deidra Sutton
Until we can get the approval from some of the children and their families, we’re posting a few photos of Sue Wolf, the Founder, Darrell Williams and Deidra Sutton from the Administration for Children’s Services’ Office of Community Partnerships, Valerie Worthy from Inwood House and Robert Dragotta and Melanie Roy Friedman who volunteered their time and services for Foster Your Dream’s Theatre Project.
Thanks to Sarahbeth Grossman and Sally Horchow who actually fell in love with the idea of taking our kids to see ANNIE and made it happen like no one else could.
There will be more stories forthcoming.
Robert Dragotta makes friends with everyone!
Happy Theatre Goers!
Many of the children were shy and didn’t want to be photographed. Â Inwood house came. Â St. Dominic’s house came.
Valerie Worthy from Inwood House.
Melanie Roy Friedman volunteers with Foster Your Dream’s Theatre Project
One Dream Kid gets to meet the Star!
Beautiful Lucia, who’s caregiver agreed to let us show her, got a chance to meet THE Annie after the show. Â More photos to follow when permissions have been granted. Â Thank you thank you thank you to all those who made this happen.
Holland Taylor dazzles our Dream Kids in the first, ever, Foster Your Dream event! Was it Ann Richards, the Governor of Texas that Ms. Taylor portrays … or was it Holland herself who took a one-on-one interest in the kids who stayed afterwards to meet her in person on the Sunday Matinee of “ANN” at the Vivian Beaumont theatre in New York city? It was almost hard to tell because near the end of the play, Holland (as Ann) says the line: “One of the things I miss the most about not being Governor, is meeting with the school children.” It was uncanny to see life imitating art as our afternoon unfolded! After a sizzling tour-de-force performance, Ms. Holland, who was only scheduled to sweep in, say ‘hello’ and sweep out, stayed a very long time and took special interest in our kids. She put her arm around one enthralled girl and had several (not just one) heartfelt discussions with this particular Dream Kid! The play, which Ms. Taylor wrote, has the effect of inspiring the audience. But when the brilliant actress, who spends two hours by herself on stage, noticed a spark had been ignited in several of our kids’ eyes, she happily dug in and made them feel as if they were the most important people in the world. She patiently allowed us to take photo after photo with her. She invited us up on the Broadway Stage. She made a memory for us which we will never forget. Benjamin Endsley Klein, the director of this magnificent theatre piece, gave a mini master-class to another very special teen who came on her own, with no caregiver, because she has an interest in pursuing acting. Several of the ACS coordinators and an intern were able to listen in as he told her tips on how to audition as well as regaling us all with an account of the journey “ANN” took to make it to Broadway. Mr. Klein was supposed to go to a rehearsal, but when he heard Foster Your Dream was coming to see the play, he re-scheduled in order to be available to us. Producer Sarahbeth Grossman helped facilitate all of this because she has the heart of an angel and understands that one kid inspired in theatre is worth hours of effort. She coordinated the many people involved in the production end and allowed us the ability to have a private talk-back. She made us all feel special and we thank her. Â Executive Producer Kevin Bailey started the whole ball rolling many months ago. Â Without him, we would have not been given such a special entree. Â He went to bat for us with the heart of a lion. Deidra Sutton, Darrell Williams from ACS (Administration of Children’s Services) and Emanuel, their intern, put hours of effort and love into getting two agencies involved in our first outing. Very special thanks go out to them for the magic and positivity they showed during the entire event. We hosted Inwood House and Saint Dominic’s House and we send out special thanks to Mses. Worthy, Giordana, Feliciano and Goris for making sure the girls and several young fathers were able to come see the show. Even though a group didn’t make it to the theatre due to the E train and F train difficulties, the afternoon was a great success and there were a lot of smiles, which you will see in the photos below! Ms. Taylor may not realize it, but her willingness to share her time and to be with us was a priceless gift. To make us feel special and worthy was something that will continue to bloom for generations. As Ann Richards was an inspiration to Holland Taylor, Ms. Taylor is an inspiration to us. Ann would be smiling. We certainly are! Thank you. PLEASE GIVE IF YOU CAN BY CLICKING ON THIS!
 ~Sue Wolf & everyone at Foster Your Dream.
Welcome!
Holland Taylor finds a new friend.
Holland Taylor takes 2 Dream Kids under her wing!
Benjamin Endsley Klein gives a mini-master class on directing!
On the Stage at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre in Lincoln Center with the Director of “ANN”
