A Year's Worth of "Thanks"...

The year is drawing to a close, and as with every other year, it's like "what the f#@k is going on?!" 

But despite the uncertainty and the worry --as with every year --Piehole has countless blessings to be thankful for, and that must be celebrated!

2015 was an incredibly fruitful year for us, from Old Paper Houses at the Irondale, to the sold out run of Hand Foot Fizzle Face at JACK, to the recent explorations of our newest project Ski End (working title). What has meant the most through all our growth and success has been the deepening of bonds with our community of supporters, friends, and family. You stoked our creative fires by sharing valuable feedback, donating essential funds, and showing up again and again to make something special happen. We are so lifted, supported, and inspired by you. Thank you!

But you know what? Let's get a little more specific...

As 2015 winds down, we're endlessly thankful for Jessie Renee Hopkins, Benoit Johnson, Emilie Soffe and Ben Vigus, and the countless hours they spent --as writers, performers and collaborators --throwing themselves wholeheartedly into a creative abyss and wrangling with all the stuff that was there... all while being some of the nicest, funniest people you'll ever get to spend time with. 

We got the chance to perform with so many mega talented actors this year. The time, effort, patience and creativity they offered us didn't just make our shows shine on stage, but created a wonderfully charged rehearsal room, where chances were taken and discoveries made. Thank you to the incomparable Marcia Brannock, Nora Fox, Emily Jon Mitchell, Stacey Karen Robinson, and Joshua David Robinson.

We're thankful for the incredible artists and designers we've worked with this year, each of whom is an alchemist bringing so much of themselves to our work, uncovering secrets and surprises we never would have found ourselves... ahem... Krit Robinson, Lea Bertucci, Rebecca Breheney, Mike Costagliola, Nikki Delhomme, Deepali Gupta, Eileen Meny, Paul Piekarz, Matt Romein, Jason Sigal, Masha Tsimring, Joseph Wolfslau, and Serena Wong.

Thank you to our producers! Maddy Bersin and Katie Naka, you lightened our administrative work-load so we could focus on what was happening on stage. You brought our work to wider audiences. You put out bad fires and started good ones, and you are just awesome to be around. Thank you!

And, of course, none of this would be possible without the tireless, generous work of our stage managers and tech staffers. Mikenzie Ames, Matt Carrington, Kelsey Kennedy, Victoria Rulle and Hannah Spratt, thank you!

And to all the musicians, fortune tellers, DJs and poets who leant their talents to the Old Paper Houses post-show post-utopian hangout zone, thank you for making our dreams come true!

We're thankful for the production assistance and mentorship of New York Theatre Workshop, and our a residency at The Drama League. Both of these establishments created warm and welcoming spaces for us to test out ideas, make mistakes, and score some terrific victories.

Time and again, the New York Theater Workshop offered us mentorship, invaluable critique and that white whale of independent theater: space. Each of the three productions we've worked on this year was heavily supported by this generous establishment. 

Thank you also to the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council! Being part of the Workspace Residency has been a game-changer for us. Every day, we head to our very own studio overlooking what feels like all of New York City, and --in between Mad Men impressions --we count our lucky stars for this opportunity. More on that here.  ​

We're thankful to the lovely, dedicated staff of The Irondale Center who helped us stage our most ambitious production to date (as well as about a million other events). And we're immensely thankful to Alec Duffy at JACK theater for his support and faith, and for lending us a giant tent. 

We are also tremendously thankful to the New Ohio Theater and IRT Theater for giving us the honor of being participants in the 2016-17 New Ohio/IRT Archive Residency. For the next two years, the New Ohio and IRT will provide us with administrative and financial support, workshop space, and a presentation in the 2016 Ice Factory Festival. In the Spring of 2017 the residency will culminate in a four week run as part of the New Ohio Mainstage Season. We are unbelievably grateful for this opportunity, and excited for the relationship we are about to build.

This year we continued our practice of hosting Piehole gyms --theatrical workout sessions where we get to meet new artists, performers get to stretch their muscles without being tied to a production, and as an ensemble we get to work out ideas and generate potential content. We are so thankful to the dedicated, game, and endlessly creative artists who joined us for these gyms in 2015: Patrick Harrison, Djaka Souare, Hye Young Chyun, Rachel Wohlander, Jessica Goldschmidt and Emily Hartford. 

We ventured into a lot of hitherto uncharted water in 2015. In trying to become fluent in everything from legalese to exposure, we benefitted from the advice and support of several Piehole mentors. We are so thankful for the time, wisdom and kindness they've shared with us:  Jonah Bokaer, Siobhan Burke, Linda Chapman, Roger T Danforth, Peter Durwood, Melanie Joseph, Andrew Kircher, Mimi Lien, Robert Lyons, Kristin Marting, Jim Nicola, Gabriel Shanks, Risa Shoup and Ariana Smart Truman.

​And a great big "thanks" to the peers who have come to our work-in-progress showings and offered us their time as well as their thoughtful, invaluable feedback. Thank you Elena Araoz, Jeff Augustine, Max Bean, Lileana Blain-Cruz, Oona Curley, Tanya Desai, Jeff Doyle, Sanaz Ghajarrahimi, Lucy Kaminsky, Mark Lanham, Martyna Majok, Aaron Malkin, Brian Otano, Jonathan Payne, Allen Riley, Miriam Rosalky, Eva von Schweinitz, Amy Shire, Efrem Sidi-Shire, Rachel Silverman, Kathryn Wallem, Will Walsh and Nicole Watson. 

Thank you to Miranda Thomas, Charlie Shackleton, Ann, Gertrude and Glenn Suokko for hosting us in the dreamy foothills of Vermont --and for literally giving us shelter from the storm. The space you gave us in your homes (and in the mill) allowed us to start development on our first **Brand New** show in 2.5 years, and the kindness and artistic dedication you demonstrate has been a source of endless inspiration. More on this incredible experience here. 

And finally, thank you to our families and loved ones. You are the ones who make all this possible. Thank you for everything!