Dear Friend of Oobleck,

Imagine, if you will, that you are looking at a computer screen or other internet-enabled device. Why, it’s a message from your friends at Theater Oobleck! Imagine that you are excited. So excited, in fact, that you begin to make a list of all of your hopes and dreams for Theater Oobleck in the coming year.

Did your imaginary list include the March 27th world premiere of a new dystopian science fiction play by Mickle Maher, written entirely in “ornate verse,” derived from a corruption of the work of Walt Whitman? Did it include a new episode of our epic cantastoria cycle Baudelaire In A Box, with music by Bobby Conn and Monica Boubou? Did it include a full-length satirical clown show about a plague-infested cruise ship adrift at sea, performed in both San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Chicago’s Hermosa neighborhood? Did it include plans to bring the 2012 hit There Is A Happiness That Morning Is to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival? Great! Now imagine that this message on your screen outlines precisely such a theatrical season, in tantalizing detail. Visualize how that makes you feel. Pay close attention in particular to any notable sensations in the body—say, a buzzing in the extremities, a quickening pulse, or a trembling lip.

Now please imagine that you are thinking back upon all the moments you shared with Theater Oobleck during the past year. Imagine that you are lovingly lingering on each memory. Imagine that there is no rush. Did your imaginary recollections include two (two!) new episodes of Baudelaire In A Box? Did it include a free outdoor collaboration with El Circo Nacional de Puerto Rico in Humboldt Park? Did it include a four-week residency at The Hideout, showcasing writers, actors, and musicians from throughout Oobleck’s 26-year history? Wonderful. You’re doing great! Now imagine that this on-screen missive reminds you of precisely those warm, expansive, vivifying experiences. As before, visualize how this makes you feel. Feel it in your body. Feel it in your heart. Especially the cockles.

Now imagine that none of this is in your imagination. Imagine that the imaginary message on your screen is in fact an actual on-screen-message, enjoining you to financially support Oobleck’s unique and often foolhardy theatrical endeavors in the coming year. Imagine that you are able and willing to support our mission — presenting new works, without a director, on a pay-what-you can basis — with a tax-deductible donation through paypal or by sending us a check. Most importantly, imagine—really visualize in your mind’s eye — how grateful we are for your ongoing support of our work, and how much we look forward to seeing your face in the audience in 2015.

Yours In Positive Visualization,
Theater Oobleck