named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Doruntine
Mythical tale inspired by an Albanian legend, exploring forbidden love and a promise that cannot be broken, performed in collaboration with Teatri Oda.
International Exchange with Teatri Oda
Ongoing collaboration since 2005 with Kosovo’s Teatri Oda, including co-creating bilingual plays and touring performances across the Balkans and Western Europe.
Lying
Impressionistic staging of a young woman’s confessions intertwined with her experiences of epilepsy and adolescence, performed in a bilingual format during international exchanges.
The Snow Queen
Adaptation using physical theater to depict the journey of a heroine rescuing her friend, developed through a New Victory LabWorks residency for family audiences.
The Sworn Virgin
Bilingual (English/Albanian) original play based on the Albanian tradition of women taking vows of celibacy to live as men, created in collaboration with Teatri Oda in Prishtina.
Training & Educational Outreach
Program to teach physical theater and ensemble devising methods to university students and organizations nationally and internationally.
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Professional Theatrical Production 1 activity
- Producing and staging original and adapted theatrical worksCreates and presents live theatrical performances, including original devised plays, adaptations of classics, and scripted works, through a rigorous physical theater and ensemble-based devising process. Has staged at least 38 full productions in New York, including 23 world premieres, and performed at venues such as New York Theatre Workshop, Public Theater, and New Ohio Theater, as well as at festivals and international locations in Western Europe and the Balkans.
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Youth Theater Arts Education 1 activity
- Teaching physical theatre and devising methods through workshops and residenciesProvides workshops and residencies in physical theatre and ensemble-based devising methods for university students, theatre festivals, and professional groups nationally and internationally. Activities have included training at Prishtina University, Texas Tech University, Stephens College, the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festivals, NYU College of Global Public Health, and for organizations such as UNICEF and Seoul Institute of the Arts.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$120K
Contributions & grants$111K92%
Program service revenue$8K6%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$118K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$26K
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$57K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$57K
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +21.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jessica Burr | Artistic Director, Board of Directors Member | 35 | $24K |
| Jennifer Allen | Business Manager | 16 | $14K |
board members · 5
- Arthur Strimling — Board President Emeritus
- Dr Charles Gillespie — Board Member
- Laura Wickens — Board President
- Michael Leslie — Board Member
- Tara Powers — Board Member
relationships · 29
Who they work with
- Anton Chekhov Network — Produced a play written by Anton Chekhov
- Baruch Performing Arts Center Partner — Co-produced performances and developed work at the venue.
- Interart Theatre Partner — Resident company for over a decade.
- Keith Hamilton Cobb Partner — Collaborated on the final text of the production "Touch".
- Kennedy Center Partner — Provided educational programming at the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festivals.
- Laura Wickens Partner — Presented a translation and adaptation of "Platonov" by Laura Wickens
- Midnight Oil Collective Partner — Co-organized the Arts Track at the Yale Innovation Summit, which included a panel featuring Blessed Unrest's Artistic Director.
- New Ohio Theater Partner — Venue for the September 2021 production of "Battle of Angels".
- New Ohio Theatre Partner — Co-produced work and held a two-year Archive Residency jointly with IRT.
- New Victory Theater Partner — Developed adaptation of The Snow Queen through a LabWorks residency.
- New York Theatre Workshop Partner — Presented work in their inaugural Next Door Series and performed at the venue.
- New York University Partner — Collaborated with NYU’s College of Global Public Health to deliver a workshop on using theatrical tools for behavioral communications in public health.
- PR-ism Partner — Public relations firm providing publicity services for the production.
- PR-ism Partner — Public relations partner for the production of "This Is Modern Art."
- Planned Parenthood Federation of America Partner — Collaborates with or is affiliated through shared advocacy, as indicated by endorsement from Cecile Richards, former president.
- Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival Partner — Invited to headline the 2021 festival.
- Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival Partner — Presenting partner for the September 2021 production of "Battle of Angels".
- Stephens College Partner — Hosted a two-week immersive physical theatre training led by Blessed Unrest.
- Teatri ODA Partner — Co-presented the play "Refuge" with Blessed Unrest.
- Teatri Oda Partner — Collaborated on co-creating and performing bilingual productions including The Sworn Virgin and Lying, and conducted theatrical exchanges in Prishtina.
- Teatri Oda Partner — Long-term collaboration since 2005 creating bilingual English/Albanian plays and touring in the Balkans and Western Europe.
- Teddy Jefferson Partner — Collaborated on the final text of the production "Touch".
- Texas Tech University Partner — Partnered with Blessed Unrest for theatre workshops and educational programming.
- The Drawing Room NYC Partner — Venue host for theatrical performances
- The Tank Theatre Partner — Hosted the premiere of "Inconceivable" as part of the International Human Rights Arts Festival.
- Theaterlab Partner — Venue and production partner for the staging of "Chasing The Tides, or Exposure" in December 2022.
- UNICEF Partner — Hosted a visiting group from UNICEF for theatre workshops in New York.
- United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Government — Receives recognition or endorsement from UNFPA leadership, indicating alignment with global reproductive health advocacy.
- Yale University Partner — Artistic Director participated in the Arts & Innovation panel at the Yale Innovation Summit.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Ensemble-Based Devising for Social Transformation 33 orgsmethodology: ensemble_devisingBy using a collaborative, ensemble-driven devising process rooted in physical theater and rigorous training, the organization creates innovative performances that challenge cultural norms and model transformative cooperation, because collective creation fosters deeper artistic truth and social resonance.shared approach: Artist-Centered Creation →
- Physical Theater as a Transformative Language 22 orgsmethodology: physical_theater_transformationBy integrating physical theater and non-verbal expression with text, the organization creates performances that transcend traditional narrative forms to evoke visceral, energetic discomfort and imaginative transformation, because movement-based storytelling accesses emotional and psychological layers that words alone cannot reach.shared approach: Embodied Storytelling for Connection →
- Theater as Embodied Interrogation of Social Issues 22 orgsmethodology: theater_as_interrogationBy staging theater that combines physical expression, immersive techniques, and allegorical or autobiographical narratives, the organization fosters emotional engagement and critical reflection on polarizing topics like abortion and gender, because embodied storytelling humanizes complex issues more effectively than discourse alone.shared approach: Embodied Storytelling for Connection →
- Applied Ensemble Methods for Professional and Personal Growthmethodology: applied_theatreBy adapting ensemble-based physical theater techniques for non-artists, the organization builds communication, presence, and collaborative capacity in professionals, because embodied group practices cultivate awareness and trust more effectively than cognitive-only training.
- Collaborative Creation as a Model for Societal Healingmethodology: collaborative_creationBy creating theater through deep ensemble collaboration, the organization models a form of collective listening and cooperation that reflects broader possibilities for societal healing, because the process of co-creation itself demonstrates alternatives to divisive social patterns.