Human Race Theatre Offers Community Outreach Project

The JPMorgan Chase Foundation is providing funding that will allow The Human Race Theatre Company to carry out an extensive community outreach program in conjunction with the theatre's November presentation of Caroline, Or Change.

Caroline, Or Change is a musical by Tony Kushner (Angels in America) and Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie) about an African-American maid in a Jewish household in Louisiana in 1963, at the time of the JFK assassination and the early days of the civil rights movement. That makes it a particularly apt vehicle for engagement of a more diverse audience, education about the effects on people of the events at that time, and an invitation to minority businesses to become involved with the arts in Dayton.

The Chase grant will cover all production costs for a special November 9 matinee performed for Dayton Public Schools high school students, plus transportation from schools to The Loft Theatre. The grant also provides tickets to local minority organizations and businesses so they may encourage attendance at other performances of Caroline, which runs November 3 - 20.

Organizations participating in the project are the National Conference for Community and Justice of Greater Dayton, the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton, The Boys and Girls Club of Dayton, the Dayton Chapter of The LINKS, Bob Ross Buick-GMC & Mercedes Benz, the Dayton Early College Academy, the NAACP Youth Council, Agape for Youth and select Dayton Public high schools.

In addition to Chase, the sponsors of The Human Race Theatre production of Caroline, Or Change are The Harry A. Toulmin, Jr., and Virginia B. Toulmin Fund of The Dayton Foundation, Muse Machine, Tim and Char Scroggins, The Dayton Power and Light Company Foundation, Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc., Mrs. Wallace E. Johnson, Richard and Marni Flagel, The Roberts Foundation, National Conference for Community and Justice of Greater Dayton, Burhill Leasing, One Lincoln Park and Bob Ross Buick-GMC & Mercedes-Benz.

Caroline, Or Change is part of The Human Race's 25th Anniversary Season. The Loft Season sponsors are: The Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation; The Miriam Rosenthal Trust Fund (official 25th Anniversary Sponsor); Morris Home Furnishings; Premier Health partners - Miami Valley and Good Samaritan Hospitals; Sam Levin Foundation; Jim and Enid Goubeaux; Dayton Grand Hotel; St. Clair lofts; ThinkTV; and the Dayton Daily News.

More information and tickets to Caroline, Or Change are available at www.humanracetheatre.org, by calling (937) 228-3630, or at the Schuster Center Box Office.

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