RENEW PRODUCTIONS HARNESSES THE POWERFUL AND MAGICAL ART OF STORYTELLING TO INSPIRE TRANSFORMATION, CULTIVATE ACTION, AND CREATE CONNECTIONS WHILE ALWAYS OPERATING WITH P.R.I.D.E. (PERSPECTIVE. RESPECT. IDENTITY. DIVERSITY. EQUALITY)
WE PROMISE TO REFLECT, RETHINK, AND REFOCUS IN ORDER TO RENEW OURSELVES AND THE ART FORM.
WE PROMISE TO BE BETTER.
WE PROMISE TO ACTIVELY PRACTICE ACCESSIBILITY TO OUR MEANS.
WE PROMISE TO ACTIVELY ADVANCE THE NATIONAL AND GLOBAL DIALOGUE OF CIVIL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE THROUGH ARTS EDUCATION.
WE PROMISE TO FIND AND PRODUCE NEW STORIES AUTHORED BY NEW VOICES.
WE PROMISE TO RENEW CLASSIC STORIES WE PRODUCE BY EXPLORING THEM THROUGH ANOTHER LENS/PERSPECTIVE.
WE PROMISE TO ALWAYS KEEP CURIOSITY, RELEVANCE, AND THE EXTRAORDINARY AT THE HEART OF OUR WORK.
WE PROMISE TO BUILD ARTISTIC AND EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND OUR YOUTH.
ABOUT ReNew Productions?
The origin of the name /2015
In his fifth year of directing students ranging in age from 6-16 with Music Training Center. He had reached a point where he felt he needed to learn more to continue to teach a craft he thought he new so much about. As an educator Chad was feeling like he was not succeeding at his job, he felt the need to learn more in order to train adequately.
When Chad left MTC to pursue a masters, which he did not get into the first time he applied, he decided to create a company and a company name that was true to his personal experience in life, Renew.
From Curator & Artistic Collaborator, Chad Parsons I am an artist who believes we can create a place of willingness and understanding in order to authenticate ourselves and allow the disparities that have been projected upon us, melt away and reveal a prouder and truer self.I believe theatre, the performing arts, the arts in general hold this power of change, and when paired with education is unstoppable.
ReNew seemed to call at me and it actually smacked me in my face a few times telling me to wake up throughout this pandemic and in navigating this moment I feel like "Little Red", excited and scared. This space of living, this in-between, the liminal space, this is where we grow the most.
This is a hard time for everyone, in particular the performing arts. It is also a time where we can grow, because "every problem holds the opportunity for something good, you just have to look for it." - Kolby Yamada. We have an opportunity to find growth and look at how we operate, how we place ourselves in the world, what stories we are telling, and who is telling them. We can not go back, there is no "going back to normal", we do not and will not know how.
CHAD PARSONS (He/Him/They/Them) Curator, Artistic & Educational Collaborator Chad is a theatre artist from Philadelphia, PA where he attended West Chester University and received a BA in Theatre with a concentration in Musical Theatre. After graduation, Chad pursued his career as an actor and has performed at/with Norwegian Cruise Lines, Walnut Street Theatre, Fulton Opera House, Media Theatre and OCTC to name a few. He is also a two time Barrymore Award Nominee for his work in Fiddler and Joseph. Chad has turned to education and directing in the past few years and has directed over 25 productions including the US Premiere of Aunty Ben and the PA Regional Premiere of Polkadots. Chad has recently graduated from the University of North Carolina Greensboro where he received his MFA in Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA). Chad's passion is Theatre for Youth and how the LGBTQ+ community is represented and included in TYA today. www.chadsparsons.com
DEEPMALA TIWARI (She/Her/Hers) Co Curator & Artistic & Educational Collaborator is from New Delhi, India. She graduated in Theatre for Youth at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she received her MFA. Her work allowed the broader community to elevate the conversation, creating a safe and brave space for divergent voices and encouraging collaboration.Working with international artists from various fields (including music, visual art, educators, and theatre artists), Deepmala crafted her own company “The Color Bakery” in India. She has worked in hospitals engaging in clowning with young cancer patients, in the Red-Light district with sex workers and their children, in street theatre performances advocating for the rights of women, on professional stages in India as an actor, in public schools integrating arts into the curriculum, and much more. Deepmala was also selected as one of three Emerging Leaders in the field by TYA/USA in 2019. Her ability to access all aspects of the field in her work is simply astounding. She is a true theatre artist and educator – embracing every aspect of the craft whole-heartedly and excited to be part of the ReNew Team!
GEORGIA EVANS (she/her/hers) Collaborator & Theatre with P.R.I.D.E. Host / Co Curator is a recent high school graduate who is so excited to be part of ReNew Productions! She considers herself a multi-faceted artist with interests in performing, directing, costuming, and playwriting. She will be majoring in Drama at NYU TISCH Playwright's Horizons this fall. Some of her favorite credits include The American Premiere of Aunty Ben (Tracey), 9 to 5 (Violet Newstead), The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Head Costumer), 13 the Musical (Director), and James and the Giant Peach (Assistant Director). She would like to give a huge thanks to Riley and Chad for helping her continue to do the thing she loves during this crazy time!
RILEY BOCCHICCHIO (He/Him) Collaborator, Marketing & Theatre with P.R.I.D.E. Host / Co Curator is a 17 year old aspiring actor, writer, and producer from the Philly Area. He plans on auditioning for college Musical Theatre and Acting programs this coming year. As a performer some of his favorite credits include: Footloose (Ensemble/Band Member), Legally Blonde (Emmett Forrest), and James and the Giant Peach (Earthworm). He is so excited to be a host and co-creator of Theatre with P.R.I.D.E., a featured playwright for Playwright’s Playground, and (most importantly) to be a part of the ReNew Productions Team! He wants to thank Chad and Georgia of wanting to include him on such an amazing and exciting project!
Chad Parsons
Deepmala Tiwari
Georgia Evans
Riley Bocchicchio
RENEW PRODUCTIONS STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH BLACKLIVESMATTER AND WITH THE REVOLUTION TAKING PLACE AROUND THE WORLD. RENEW ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO LEAD WITH P.R.I.D.E. (PERSPECTIVE, RESPECT, IDENTITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY) AS WE NAVIGATE THESE NEXT STEPS IN OUR EVOLVING STRUCTURE.
RENEW STANDS WITH BIPOC COMMUNITIES IN OPPOSITION TO THE SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION THAT HAS BEEN WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETY. WE STAND COMMITTED TO RECOGNIZING AND ERADICATING RACISM, COLONIALISM, AND WHITE SUPREMACY.
AS A VIBRANT INTERSECTIONAL COMMUNITY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO CONFRONT, EXPERIENCE, QUESTION, LEARN, GROW, HEAL, AND RENEWTOGETHER.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE PANDEMICS THAT HAVE DISPROPORTIONALLY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, QUEER PEOPLE, TRANS PEOPLE, AND ARTISTS IN THE PAST 3 YEARS. MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND LIGHT IN A NEW LANDSCAPE OF JOBLESSNESS, PHYSICAL DISTANCING, AND EXTREMELY LIMITED RESOURCES.
WE HOPE YOU AT HOME CONTINUE TO STAY HEALTHY, AND CONTINUE TO HOLD SPACE AND LIGHT FOR ALL AFFECTED AS WE ALL CONTINUE TO RECOVER AS A COMMUNITY AND A PEOPLE.