Centerstage Participates in #GivingTuesday December 1-20

Centerstage Theatre is expanding its #GivingTuesday campaign until December 20 to raise $10,000 to keep operations going through tough COVID-19 restrictions. #GivingTuesday is a day that encourages people to do good in their community.

"The effects of the of the COVID-19 pandemic have been devastating to our actors, students, technicians, designers, directors, choreographers, stage managers and staff who rely on us," said Angela Bayler, Centerstage's managing director. "We had to cancel the rest of our 2019/20 season in March and scale back our operations to retain only essential functions and staff. This means our revenue streams went dry with no ticket sales. Because of the devastating financial impact, it is more important than ever that we all come together to raise $10,000 to keep our theatre going during this crisis."

According to Bayler, the professional theatre company opened on October 30 with a virtual performance of Theatre Magic (And Other Things We Need). And now with the rapid increase of COVID-19 cases in South King County, Centerstage has changed their mind about the upcoming season.

"There is just no way to keep our actors and production team completely safe without isolating everyone entirely during rehearsals." Bayler explained. "With all of this in mind and for the protection of our artists, we made the really tough decision to cancel A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol just one week before opening. We will be replacing the show with a virtual performance of Christmas Cabaret. We are accomplishing this by following strict safety protocols, filming performers individually with minimal personnel in the room and editing the performances together."

Baylor added that Centerstage "still plans to complete this season, just not on the original timeline." "We are in the process of figuring out the specifics and look forward to the day that it is safe for our community to enjoy live shows again," Bayler added.

Here's how you can make a difference for Centerstage Theatre during the #GivingTuesday fundraising campaign:

GIVE: A donation of any amount makes a difference. Visit www.centerstagetheatre.com/support-us/ to give your support.

BUY: Tickets for the season or individual show tickets at www.centerstagetheatre.com.

SPONSOR: Sponsorship is a great way to promote your business/brand and support the arts in our community at the same time. Visit www.centerstagetheatre.com/sponsorship/ for more information.

MATCHING FUNDS: Does your employer match donations? If so, you can double your impact for Centerstage by submitting a charitable matching gift form to your employer.

IRA OR STOCKS: Consider gifts from your IRA or a donation of appreciated stocks to maximize your impact for our award-winning theatre company - and get great tax savings in the process. Call Centerstage Theatre at 253-661-1444 for more information.

BE A MATCHING DONOR: Centerstage is looking for a matching donor for #GivingTuesday. This is a great way to double our impact. Contact julie@centerstagetheatre.com for more information.

VOLUNTEER: No matter what your schedule and availability, there are ways to join us and make an impact. Visit www.centerstagetheatre.com/volunteer/ on volunteer opportunities.

SHARE: Comment, like and share our posts on Instagram (www.instagram.com/centerstage_theatre/) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/Centerstagefw) on your social media sites to help spread awareness of our efforts.