Get Involved

Submissions

Submit Your Story for Wordplay

The fact is we cannot do this show without you, the storyteller! We are always looking for people who want to share a bit about who they are with our community. Stories connect us and remind us that we’re not alone in this mad-mad world. The world needs better stories right now and WordPlay needs you. So, what makes a good WordPlay story, you ask? Below are some general guidelines to follow.

A good WordPlay story should:

• Be honest, true and about you
• Include some conflict or tension
• Include a sense of humility and vulnerability
• Have a beginning, middle, and end
• Be 1,500 to 2,000 words long

A good WordPlay story should NOT:

• Take itself too seriously – you need to be able to laugh at yourself!
• Be the simple recounting of a memory or list of events
• Be a work of fiction or a story about someone else
• Be an essay or an opinion piece
• Be a list of complaints about other people or places

Prompts
Here are a few prompts to inspire your WordPlay story and help jumpstart you into the process of writing. Our prompts for this round of submissions are:

• A big mistake
• A dramatic change in your life
• A moment you felt in danger

To submit your story for consideration email it to submissions@wordplayshow.com. We read all submissions and look forward to reading yours! Performers are paid a $100 stipend for 1 rehearsal and 2 performances in our downtown Pittsburgh theater in the Cultural District. Have fun writing and if you ever have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out!

Volunteer

We love our volunteers and we couldn’t do what we do without them. If you want to get a look at the inside of the office, behind the stage, or just get your hands dirty in exchange for food and abundant affection, below are a few of the ways you can get involved. We ask that our volunteers be punctual, kind, and willing to work. If you think you’ve got what it takes, you can email Michael at michael@bricolagepgh.org to get started, or join our volunteer mailing list to get an email when we could use some extra hands.

At our shows

Every single time we have a performance, we could use volunteers. We like to have four – one at our bar, one at the merch table, one in the theater, and one at the front to help the box office out. We’ll teach you everything you need to know, we’ll be right beside you if you have any questions, and for one hour of work, you get a free show and complimentary drinks that same night. You can come back as many times as you like!

In the office

We do a lot with eight full-timers, but we could do even more with your help! We almost always have organizing to be done, files to get in line, and social media posts to polish. We also have a list of projects we would get to if we only had more time. If you want to get a look, you’re welcome to come hang out with us in the office. We only ask that you keep any insider secrets you learn to yourself and that you forgive Jeffrey when he spontaneously bursts into song at his desk.

Behind the scenes

It takes a lot to mount a show. There’s plenty of building, painting, cleaning, and shopping to go around. If you want to roll up your sleeves and lend a hand to the production team, we’ve got a role for you.

Doing what you do best

If you have a specific skill set – like accounting, WordPress, graphic design, carpentry, or another great specialty – we can probably put it to use. If you don’t see something listed here that you’d like to help us out with, let us know!

Email Michael at michael@bricolagepgh.org to get started, or join our volunteer mailing list to get an email when we could use some extra hands.

Work With Us

Work with Us in Schools!

Bricolage’s Midnight Radio Education Program brings project-based, arts education to schools. Bricolage is looking to grow the pool of teaching artists for our in-school Midnight Radio program. If you would like to know more about the program and how to be a teaching artist, please email us at sam@bricolagepgh.org. Read this article about our Education program from PostIndustrial.

Designer and Crew

Wanna’ work with Bricolage?! From time to time, we look to increase our pool of skilled technicians, theatrical designers, and carpenters. These positions are contracted roles that help make both our rental and in-house shows run smoothly. If you want to get paid to lend a hand and join the Bricolage family, you can make sure we have your resume by submitting to production@bricolagepgh.org.

Join the Board

Bricolage’s board of directors isn’t your average bi-monthly gathering of suits. They don’t just sit around and talk about what to do; they roll up their sleeves with the staff to get it done.

You might see them hauling out equipment after our annual fundraiser or dropping by the Bricolage office with a surprise stack of pizzas. They’re a team of trailblazers: lawyers, finance consultants, marketing moguls, nonprofit leaders, and social justice advocates. They’re not just thinkers, but doers, who are all willing to get their hands dirty, to take risks, and to generously lend their time, support, and leadership to Bricolage’s staff and vision.

The board has three active committees:

• Finance Committee – to help us make sure that nonprofit is a tax status and not a business model
• Inclusion and Accessibility Committee – to help us create a welcoming and inclusive environment, and to ensure that our work is created mindfully and with intention
• Events Committee – to help us make sure all our special events are successful

We ask all board members to come to our shows, to serve on one committee, and to participate in our bi-monthly (that’s every other month) meetings. To view our list of current board members/rock stars, click here.

If you’re a local leader who thinks you can make an impact at Bricolage, email Jeffrey at jeff@bricolagepgh.org, to tell him why you should be part of the best board in the ‘Burgh.