Wayside Theatre Set As Finalist for $25K Grant from Pepsi Refresh Project

The Pepsi Refresh Project grants money to organizations with ideas that will help their communities. Wayside Theatre, a non-profit professional theatre company in Middletown VA, has been chosen for the final round of voting. Wayside is seeking a $25,000 grant from Pepsi to support their education program, particularly the development of works written by young playwrights.

To vote for Wayside Theatre, visit http://www.refresheverything.com/waysidetheatre and either (a) vote with a Facebook account or (b) vote with/create a Pepsi account (free of charge). Votes can also be submitted via text message (standard rates apply). Supporters can vote once per day, everyday, until November 30.

Since 2007, staff members have been coaching local teenagers in playwriting, and fully producing teens' work through the Emerging Artists Program. This year, area youth Libby Powell, Kaitlin Duley, Claire Haskins, and Emily Lunde have written Mary Shelley: A Spark of Being, about the teenaged author of Frankenstein. Award-winning playwright and Wayside staff member, Rebecca Cannon Calkin-in conjunction with Wayside's Education Director, Megan McShea--has been guiding these young ladies in researching, writing, and developing their work. This play is directed and fully designed by Wayside Theatre staff and will be performed on November 11 and 12, 2011. Since 2005, Wayside Theatre has also held the Young Playwrights Festival. This is a playwriting contest for local students, with the winner receiving a savings bond, theatre tickets, and a staged-reading/workshop of their play.

If Wayside Theatre is chosen by the Pepsi Refresh Project as a grant winner, these programs can continue to expand and Wayside Theatre can continue to help young authors grow. Recently, Wayside Theatre exceeded a fundraising goal of $90,000 in an Emergency Campaign to keep the theatre open. Though the goal was met, the theatre still has many financial obstacles. So, now more than ever, this grant will ensure that the theatre can continue and expand its community outreach and education programs. Start voting for Wayside Theatre today!

Wayside Theatre is the oldest professional theatre in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and is celebrating its 50th season of presenting high quality, professional entertainment. Single tickets, can be obtained by calling the box office at (540) 869-1776.

Additional information can be obtained on the theatre's website at www.waysidetheatre.org. Wayside Theatre is located in Middletown, Virginia on Route 11, Main Street, just north of the intersection of I-66 and I-81.