Help Keep the Magic of Child’s Play Alive - 50 Years of Inspiring Young Imaginations!

For nearly 50 years, Child’s Play Touring Theatre has brought children’s imaginations to life. Now, as its co-founder battles a devastating illness and the organization faces an uncertain future, we need your help to keep that magic alive.

Imagine being a child and seeing a story you wrote or a poem you created come to life on stage, performed by professional actors in front of a cheering audience.

For generations of children, that dream has become a reality thanks to Child’s Play Touring Theatre.

Child’s Play has celebrated the creativity of young people by transforming their original stories and poems into professional productions of theatre, music, and dance. Traveling to 45 states and performing in schools, theatres, parks, and community centers, the company has brought thousands of original works to the stage, touching the lives of more than one million children.

Behind this extraordinary mission is co-founder June Podagrosi, who has dedicated much of her life to nurturing young imaginations and helping children discover the power of their own voices.

Today, June is battling Huntington’s disease, a devastating, progressive neurological condition, and needs the same compassion, generosity, and support she has spent a lifetime giving to others.

At the same time, Child’s Play is facing one of the most difficult financial challenges in its history. Interrupted touring schedules, cancelled grants, and the circumstances surrounding June’s illness have placed tremendous strain on the organization, threatening its ability to continue the work that has inspired generations.

As Child’s Play approaches its historic 50th anniversary, we are fighting not only to preserve an extraordinary legacy, but to ensure that its story does not end here.

In a world increasingly dominated by screens and technology, opportunities for children to explore their imaginations, express themselves, and think creatively are more important than ever.

Child’s Play does more than entertain. Through live performances and interactive workshops, the company encourages children to write, imagine, collaborate, and develop the confidence to share their ideas with the world.

Every performance reinforces a simple but powerful message:

Your words matter. Your ideas matter. Your creativity matters.

When a child sees their own story performed on stage, they experience something truly transformative: the realization that their imagination has value and their voice deserves to be heard.

That is the magic June helped create, and it is the mission we are determined to preserve.

To overcome this immediate financial crisis, sustain operations, and move forward with upcoming productions, including New Voices and The Christmas That Almost Wasn't, Child’s Play urgently needs to raise $50,000 within the next 30 days.

It is an ambitious goal, but consider what nearly five decades of dedication have accomplished:

49 years of inspiring young writers and artists.

45 states reached through performances and educational programs.

Thousands of original works brought from the page to the stage.

More than one million children inspired by the power of their own creativity.

These are more than milestones. They represent generations of children whose confidence, imagination, and love of storytelling have been nurtured through the tireless dedication of June and the Child’s Play family.

Now, at a time when June needs our support and the future of the organization she helped build hangs in the balance, we are asking our community to come together.

If you have ever experienced a Child’s Play performance, watched a child's face light up as their words came to life, known June personally, or simply believe in the transformative power of the arts, we hope you will consider supporting this campaign.

Every donation, no matter the size, will help Child’s Play continue its mission, bring upcoming productions to the stage, and give future generations the opportunity to discover the extraordinary power of their own imaginations.

If you are unable to contribute financially, sharing this campaign with friends, family, educators, theatre lovers, and supporters of the arts can make an enormous difference.

For nearly 50 years, June and Child’s Play have helped children tell their stories. Now, we are asking you to help us continue ours.

Please donate, share our story, and help us reach our $50,000 goal.

Together, we can stand beside June, preserve the legacy she helped build, and ensure that the curtain continues to rise for generations to come.

Thank you for believing in the power of a child’s imagination and in the people who have dedicated their lives to bringing it to life.