Built on Stilts is a dynamic dance festival on Martha’s Vineyard, blending professional and amateur performances to create a unique cultural event. Co-founded by Abby Bender in 1997, the festival celebrates community-driven art and emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between live performance and its audiences. 

Bender’s own work, often presented under the moniker Schmantze Theatre, is an unusual hybrid of movement, theater, and comedy. It is site-specific and intimate, even when performed by a large cast. Her productions are inextricably linked with text and song, employing monologue and object play alongside physical scores and dance. Both projects highlight Bender’s commitment to fostering artistic collaboration and accessibility within the island's cultural landscape.



If you prefer to donate by check, please make payable to Circuit Arts, and enter BUILT ON STILTS/SCHMANTZE THEATRE in the memo field. Please include a note with your email address so that we may follow up with a receipt.

Our mailing address is:

Circuit Arts

PO Box 3000, PMB 3175

West Tisbury, MA 02575