Friends of the Feast:

WATERSTONE BANK’S MILITARY VALOR PROGRAM (MVP)

Exclusively for Active Duty Service Members, Military Veterans and Reserve and National Guard Service Members who have or open a new WaterStone Bank Checking account. MVP offers many great benefits and saving features to recognize and thank you for your service to our country – because you deserve it.

Get all the details here:

https://www.wsbonline.com/mvp/

Feast of Crispian, Inc!

FIRST "JUMP START" PROGRAM PARTICIPANT ACHIEVES INDEPENDENT 501(c)(3) STATUS

THE BATTERY FACTORY (TBF) is proud to announce that the Feast Of Crispian (FOC) has been granted 501(c)(3) status by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Recognition by the IRS is an important legal definition, granting Federal Not­for­profit status to this Wisconsin corporation, exempting donor gifts from Federal taxes.

FOC is the first participant in TBF's Jump Start program, which seeks to get new arts organizations up and running quickly, providing them a nurturing environment within which to explore, test and prove their operations, while enjoying a wide range of support tools. TBF provides mentoring, accounting, business planning, connections, guidance and other forms of help, all while serving as a Fiscal Sponsor – accepting tax­free gifts on the participant's behalf.

"The idea for FOC grew from the ashes of a 2012 effort by The Battery Factory to put a `Shakespeare in the Courts' program in place for Milwaukee's at­risk youth." said Rebecca Holderness, TBF President and Artistic Director. "The creative leaders of FOC were able to take some of those techniques and adapt them to serve the veteran population with great success. It has been so gratifying for us to serve and support this great idea. FOC has brought a program of great service and heart to the Milwaukee community”

“The Bader Philanthropies have been a supportive partner since 2014, and we'd like to thank them for believing in this project with us. We've also had the support of dozens of private donors, giving as little as a dollar or as much as a thousand." added Nic Bernstein, TBF Treasurer, soon to serve on the Board of Directors of FOC. "We have all had the goal of seeing this successful program spun off on its own.". 

SongwritingWith:Soldiers works with Feast of Crispian

The cast of FoC's first full production of Julius Caesar were inspired to work with well known singer/songwriter, Darden Smith, of Songwriting With Soldiers. For those of you who got a chance to see the production, you heard the rousing original marching cadence and the haunting song, Why Go To War in the First Place. These were written with our veteran cast members guided by the enormously talented and generous Mr. Smith. Check out this phenomenal organization @ http://www.songwritingwithsoldiers.org/  

To hear the audio of WHY GO TO WAR... go to VETS VOICES

WHY GO TO WAR IN THE FIRST PLACE

Darden Smith / Feast Of Crispian

Chorus

Why go to war in the first place

Why take the children we raised

And send them off to war in the first place

Could there be a better way

Maybe it's a loaded question

But what makes you think you're right?

And why does everybody have to be like us?

Is it arrogance, is it pride?

What did I do to deserve this?

After all that I've done?

Why do you not welcome me?

Now that I've come home

How big was your anger?

How big was your rage?

Did you get what you needed?

Do you feel good today?

Coming from where we come from

Did we have a choice?

Why don't you see me?

Can you hear my voice?

If I was homeless, brother

Help me understand

Is it just because I'm a soldier

That you shake my hand?

Is it because I'm a woman

That you see me second best

You don't know what I've been through

Still you give me no respect

What about the ones not with us

What about the ones long gone

What about the ones that gave their lives

Who'll be singing their song

© 2015 Darden Smith Music