Help Us Keep Musical Theatre Accessible in Berlin!

At Encore! Musicals Berlin e.V., we’re passionate about creating high-quality, live musical theatre that brings people together and showcases the incredible talent of Berlin’s international community. We are a registered non-profit group founded on the belief that live music is an important part of the theatre experience, and we are committed to keeping our performances true to that vision. We want everyone to experience the magic of live theatre, and strive to keep our ticket prices affordable so that our shows remain accessible to all, especially in a year in which Berlin's arts and culture budget is set to be significantly reduced.

However, performing this way comes at a cost. The expenses involved in paying musicians, securing performance spaces, paying licensing fees, and maintaining the high production values which make our shows stand out quickly add up. In a city where the arts are increasingly undervalued, it’s becoming harder and harder to cover these costs without compromising the integrity of our work. Encore would love to offer community tickets to make our productions accessible to even more people. Our goal is to connect with youth groups, international arts foundations and supporters of the less advantaged community as well as offering a broader spectrum of affordable ticket prices, but we cannot do so without you!

Why We Need Your Support

We’re reaching out to our friends, families, and loyal supporters to help us raise the funds we need to cover the production expenses for our upcoming show; Little Shop of Horrors! Your donation will help us continue to create high-quality musical theatre that delights, challenges, and inspires — and ensures we can keep paying our talented musicians who bring our performances to life.

Whether you’re a musical theatre fan, a local Berlin supporter, or someone who loves the idea of keeping the arts alive, any contribution will help us continue our work of keeping the joy of Musical Theatre “centre-stage” in Berlin.

A Breakdown of Our Main Costs

Producing high-quality Musical Theatre isn’t cheap — here’s a look at the budget for Little Shop of Horrors:

Musicians' Fees: €9,000

We believe in paying our musicians fairly for their time and talent. Musicians are at the heart of every performance, bringing the energy and emotion that tracks just can’t capture. Little Shop will feature our biggest band yet, with Keys, Drums, Guitar, Bass, Clarinet, Trumpets, Flutes, and 4 different types of saxophone!

Rehearsal Space: €1,450 and Performance Space: €10,500

Renting a rehearsal space for our cast and musicians, as well as a performance venue for the week of the show, is one of our biggest expenses. In Berlin, rehearsal space is at capacity and performance spaces which accommodate the band and our large cast are very limited. Now more than ever, available and appropriate space comes at a premium. We will be performing Little Shop of Horrors at the incredible Theater im Delphi - any donation from you, big or small, will help to cover the costs of renting this historic space for the duration of our show run.

Rights and Licensing Fees: €2,500

Licensing ensures we can legally perform and share beloved pieces of theatre with our audiences, but securing the rights to perform well-known musicals comes at a significant cost. For Little Shop of Horrors, we paid €1,052 for the rental of materials and will pay 15% of all ticket sales to the license holder.

Production Costs (Set, Costumes, Props, etc.): €3,000

From building sets to creating costumes, every show requires investment in design and materials. We strive to create a high-quality visual experience for our audience, and that requires attention to detail. Little Shop of Horrors requires period costuming and an intricate set (which we will build from scratch as the theatre has no wings!) - not to mention 4 different plant models, all of which we will build ourselves. On top of the materials needed to create these sets and props, we need space in which to work and store everything as we go!

Marketing & PR: €750

Getting the word out and filling the seats takes time and resources. We need to run ads, create flyers, and reach out to our community to make sure everyone knows about our performances.

Tech Rental: €2,300

A high quality show needs high quality sound and visuals. It’s essential that everyone in the cast is clearly heard, but with live musicians on stage, each performer needs a headset microphone. Additionally, our professional lighting designer needs extra equipment to create the most visually striking effects and atmosphere for the performance.

Total Needed: €29,500

By contributing, you’re directly supporting these key areas and ensuring we can continue to produce shows that inspire, entertain, and bring our community together.

What Your Support Means to Us

Your donation doesn’t just cover the cost of a ticket — it’s an investment in the future of musical theatre in Berlin. It means we can keep our production standards high, offer fair pay to our musicians, and create performances that our audiences will remember. We’re so proud of the work we do and we want to keep doing it — but we can’t do it without your help. Even the smallest contribution makes a difference!

Other Ways to Help:

If you’re unable to contribute financially, there are still plenty of ways to support Encore! You can help by sharing this campaign with your friends and family, attending one of our performances, or simply spreading the word about our group and the importance of live, original language musical theatre in Berlin.

No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to our GoFundMe.

We’re so grateful for your support, and can’t wait to see you at the show!

With gratitude,

Encore! Musicals Berlin e.V.

https://www.encoremusicalsberlin.com/