If you’re a longtime Bag&Baggage patron, you may have noticed that we’ve given that ampersand in our company name more and more attention throughout the years — our current branding prominently features the “&” logo with very little other text, there’s a huge ampersand projected onto the wall behind our bar, and you can even buy a trendy B&B ampersand tote bag in the lobby while you’re at the show today. In some ways, it’s simply a catchy symbol to co-opt. But just like you’ve come to expect of the shows we produce, even with our logo, there’s more than meets the eye.
That little word “and” is a pretty important one when it comes to theatre-making: for us, that ampersand bears the hallmark of collaboration. In acting school, we are always challenged to say “yes, and…” — not only affirming an idea or a note, but building on it, as we take it and run into new territory. As theatrical designers, we bounce ideas off of each other as we create the world of a production, each brainstorm sparking a new one that begins with an enthusiastic “and”. In our performance spaces, we bring together complete strangers to have a shared experience as audience members, begging your imaginative collaboration with us and with the person down the row from you.
And while it looks pretty cool on a t-shirt, this ampersand is more importantly an invitation to you: to affirm and dive in; to engage and question; to enjoy and walk out of the theater with something new.
Thanks for being here today. We’re excited to collaborate with you!
Cassie Greer, Artistic Director
