In response to the devastating tornadoes that recently struck parts of the Midwest, playwright Samantha Oty and publisher Gitelman & Good Publishers have announced an initiative to help keep theatre accessible in communities impacted by the storms.
Schools and community theatres in affected areas will be eligible to receive free licenses of Oty’s play New Year’s Eve at the Stop-n-Go through the end of the year. In addition, Oty has committed to donating all royalties he receives from Stop-n-Go script sales on Amazon to relief efforts supporting impacted communities.
The announcement comes after severe storms tore through Southwest Michigan and surrounding regions, including Union City, Michigan—Oty’s hometown—where the tornado caused multiple fatalities, injuries, and widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.
“Theatre has always been about bringing people together,” said Oty. “When communities experience something like this, the arts can play a small but meaningful role in helping people reconnect, process, and rebuild. We want to ease at least a little of the financial burden these storms have caused so theatre can remain accessible.”
Oty grew up in Union City, where many of the experiences that inspired Stop-n-Go first took shape. “There wouldn’t be a New Year’s Eve at the Stop-n-Go without Union City,” she said. “This is simply a way to give something back.”
Educators, schools, and community theatres located in tornado-impacted areas who are interested in performing Stop-n-Go can contact Gitelman & Good Publishers for more information about eligibility and licensing.
New Year’s Eve at the Stop-n-Go (High School Edition) is available through Gitelman & Good Publishers, and the original script is also available on Amazon.
Media Contact:
Samantha Oty
samiswritingstuff@gmail.com
Publisher Contact:
Gitelman & Good Publishers