Katherine Red is fundraising
Keep the Spotlight Shining on Centre Stage
On March 16th Centre Stage held its last rehearsal and shut down all operations in response to the COVID pandemic. While trying to remain optimistic that we would be able to again produce quality family friendly musical theater, we've had to move our show dates a few times, and hope that by February we'll be able to once again "put on a show"! However, we must survive to get to that point, and we are turning to our alumni, friends, family, and community that we have taught and entertained for the past 36 years, for help. #CentreStageTheater#SaveTheatreinKingwood#CentreStageGoFundMe#WeLoveTheater#TheLightsMustShine
Why Go Fund Me?
We are a not-for-profit, who at best brings in enough money from one production to cover the expenses of the next production as well as our rehearsal space, storage units for costumes and sets, various software and licenses to maintain communication, ticket sales, and modest salaries for our directors. Usually our Spring show covers our summer expenses while giving us enough to begin producing our Fall Show. Unfortunately, we had to postpone our Spring show Matilda the Musical, and it will be February before we can produce it. It has been a year since our last show. The budget for Matilda is $70,000. While tuition covers office, software, rehearsal space rental, and some salary, we are understandably down in registration while waiting for students and their families to be comfortable returning and more things begin to open. We have also instituted a high level of cleaning and safety standards within our classes to protect our students and directors. We did receive a forgivable PPP loan for a modest amount which helped us through the summer. We have had a couple of generous donors, but this is not enough to keep us going and have seed money for our next production. While we had opened up ticket sales prior to having to stop rehearsals, we will not receive money from the ticket vendor until after the show goes up, for which we are happy to have made that arrangement to protect these funds for our audience that we've not yet earned.
Who We Are:
Centre Stage Theatrical School and Theatre Company has been producing quality Family friendly theater in the Greater Lake Houston Area since 1984 Located in Kingwood, Texas, in 1984 Mike and Sheryl Rowland gave this dynamic trio, Barry Dean, Karen Romano and Lois Yvonne, the opportunity to offer spectacular “Broadway Quality” musical productions to the Lake Houston Area. Individually, each was a show biz professional. Together, they became an unstoppable theatrical force. The school, which teaches theater principals through preparing for a full-scale Broadway style production, has taught thousands of children since its beginning. Many of whom have gone on to careers in theater, film, music, dance as well as medicine, clergy, teachers, business professionals and respected leaders of communities. The most important lesson though is self-discipline and self-confidence. For many in the community, this was their child's first live theater experience, producing many of the Disney Shows as well as favorites like Godspell, Oklahoma, Hello Dolly, Annie, Elf the Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and hopefully soon to introduce to the area, Matilda the Musical with adult Houston actors joining our mega talented students.
What is Happening with Barry & Carrie?
For those who know our organization, Executive Director, Barry Dean, and Lois Yvonne’s daughter, Musical Director Carrie Warren are the heart and talent of Centre Stage. Centre Stage is their passion and their life’s work. Like many artists, Carrie has continued to try to maintain her teaching schedule of voice and flute students, but most families are simply not yet comfortable with face to face or Zoom lessons. It is an extremely tough time financially for Barry and Carrie. Like so many in the performing arts, they are no exception and are anxious to get back to putting on a show!
Why Can’t We Offer Shows with Limited Seating?
We’ve taken the steps as allowed by local government and CDC guidance to open our classes and begin teaching and training the newcomers and current cast of Matilda. To open a show before we can safely do so, and audiences are comfortable gathering again would be economically devastating to the organization. The show would cost far more to produce than we would be able to cover with less than 75% capacity. Out of necessity, we also will likely change or eliminate some of the front of house activities which include concessions, wine, merchandise, candy grams, flowers, and our beautiful show baskets to allow for more distancing. Front of house activities provide a good portion of revenue in addition to the ticket sales.
https://app.photobucket.com/u/Centrestage1984/a/4ca9ea5d-8c0d-4496-992b-1c1887d6e393
Password: Centrestage1
Why Go Fund Me?
We are a not-for-profit, who at best brings in enough money from one production to cover the expenses of the next production as well as our rehearsal space, storage units for costumes and sets, various software and licenses to maintain communication, ticket sales, and modest salaries for our directors. Usually our Spring show covers our summer expenses while giving us enough to begin producing our Fall Show. Unfortunately, we had to postpone our Spring show Matilda the Musical, and it will be February before we can produce it. It has been a year since our last show. The budget for Matilda is $70,000. While tuition covers office, software, rehearsal space rental, and some salary, we are understandably down in registration while waiting for students and their families to be comfortable returning and more things begin to open. We have also instituted a high level of cleaning and safety standards within our classes to protect our students and directors. We did receive a forgivable PPP loan for a modest amount which helped us through the summer. We have had a couple of generous donors, but this is not enough to keep us going and have seed money for our next production. While we had opened up ticket sales prior to having to stop rehearsals, we will not receive money from the ticket vendor until after the show goes up, for which we are happy to have made that arrangement to protect these funds for our audience that we've not yet earned.
Who We Are:
Centre Stage Theatrical School and Theatre Company has been producing quality Family friendly theater in the Greater Lake Houston Area since 1984 Located in Kingwood, Texas, in 1984 Mike and Sheryl Rowland gave this dynamic trio, Barry Dean, Karen Romano and Lois Yvonne, the opportunity to offer spectacular “Broadway Quality” musical productions to the Lake Houston Area. Individually, each was a show biz professional. Together, they became an unstoppable theatrical force. The school, which teaches theater principals through preparing for a full-scale Broadway style production, has taught thousands of children since its beginning. Many of whom have gone on to careers in theater, film, music, dance as well as medicine, clergy, teachers, business professionals and respected leaders of communities. The most important lesson though is self-discipline and self-confidence. For many in the community, this was their child's first live theater experience, producing many of the Disney Shows as well as favorites like Godspell, Oklahoma, Hello Dolly, Annie, Elf the Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and hopefully soon to introduce to the area, Matilda the Musical with adult Houston actors joining our mega talented students.
What is Happening with Barry & Carrie?
For those who know our organization, Executive Director, Barry Dean, and Lois Yvonne’s daughter, Musical Director Carrie Warren are the heart and talent of Centre Stage. Centre Stage is their passion and their life’s work. Like many artists, Carrie has continued to try to maintain her teaching schedule of voice and flute students, but most families are simply not yet comfortable with face to face or Zoom lessons. It is an extremely tough time financially for Barry and Carrie. Like so many in the performing arts, they are no exception and are anxious to get back to putting on a show!
Why Can’t We Offer Shows with Limited Seating?
We’ve taken the steps as allowed by local government and CDC guidance to open our classes and begin teaching and training the newcomers and current cast of Matilda. To open a show before we can safely do so, and audiences are comfortable gathering again would be economically devastating to the organization. The show would cost far more to produce than we would be able to cover with less than 75% capacity. Out of necessity, we also will likely change or eliminate some of the front of house activities which include concessions, wine, merchandise, candy grams, flowers, and our beautiful show baskets to allow for more distancing. Front of house activities provide a good portion of revenue in addition to the ticket sales.
https://app.photobucket.com/u/Centrestage1984/a/4ca9ea5d-8c0d-4496-992b-1c1887d6e393
Password: Centrestage1
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