NEWSIES Fundraiser Nets Record Amount For Algonquin Arts Theatre

"Broadway Ray" Soehngen helped Algonquin Arts Theatre "Seize the Day" during July's production of "Newsies," leading a matching gift fundraiser that netted $42,000 for the theatre.

The annual Broadway Ray Match raised a record $42,000 in funds to support the theatre's education programs and underwrite the cost of the Algonquin Youth Ensemble.

At intermission, "Broadway Ray" Soehngen, Brick, personally appeared at all nine performances to appeal to the audience to support this matching fund drive.

The audience of more than 4,100 donated $15,500 during the three week run of performances. Broadway Ray matched the audience portion of the gift to add $15,500 to the total. The GE Foundation has pledged to match $11,000 of Broadway Ray's contribution, bringing the total amount raised this year to $42,000.

This year's drive was the sixth matching fund drive supported by Broadway Ray since 2013, with the total contributions totaling more than $197,000.

Soehngen, a long-time resident of Wall who now resides in Brick, runs bus trips to see Broadway shows in New York City. He has a gift for helping organizations raise much needed funds and giving back to his community. These include Brick Children's Community Theater (BCCT), Manasquan High School Drama Club and Algonquin Arts Theatre.

Financial support from individuals, organizations and corporations are critical for both operating and making capital improvements to Algonquin Arts Theatre. For more information on how you can support the theatre, please call the Algonquin Box Office at 732-528-9211 or visit algonquinarts.org.

About Algonquin Arts Theatre
Algonquin Arts Theatre (AAT) is a 501c(3) non-profit center for performing arts, providing cultural enrichment and arts education for residents and visitors of Central New Jersey and the Jersey Shore through high quality performances and programs in theatre, music, dance and film.

Located in Manasquan, N.J., AAT is an integral part of the Shore Region, offering broad access to arts experiences across multiple disciplines. Deeply committed to education, AAT serves students of all ages not only through art and music instruction, but also through the unique communal conversation that exists between audience member and performer. The theatre provides a platform for local and regional performers to showcase their work and offers audiences the opportunity to engage very directly and personally in the arts, fostering grrticipation and providing an engaging means for exploring personal and societal issues through the world of the stage.

Algonquin Arts Theatre's programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts / Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Funding is also provided by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the PNC Foundation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Durso Wealth Management, the OceanFirst Foundation, the Investors Bank Foundation, the Provident Bank Foundation and the generosity of our patrons.

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