Help Us Fund The Kingdom of Dreams, A Tale of Oz!
Donation protected
from Kenny Chumbley, playwright/producer
“to please a child”
- L. Frank Baum
Hi Everyone,
In a dedication to his sister, L. Frank Baum, the author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," wrote, “to please a child is a sweet and lovely thing that warms one’s heart and brings its own reward.”
As long as I can remember, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" has been my favorite story. Now, I have written my own story of Oz, a two-act play based on an obscure reference in the Oz books that I call "The Kingdom of Dreams, A Tale of Oz."
Auditions have been held, a cast selected, and rehearsals have begun. We are scheduled for four performances at the Harold and Jean Miner Theatre at Parkland College, Champaign, Illinois, on August 6th, 7th, and 8th, 2021.
You can stay updated with us on our website: Kingdom of Dreams, A Tale of Oz
To stage this show, I’m seeking the help of family and friends, lovers of Oz, and those who see value in family entertainment that pleases everyone who has the heart of a child.
This is a tough time to put on a show, but we think it’s the right time to stage some live theatre.
Here are some of the challenges we’re facing:
• The economic strain of COVID has taken a financial toll on traditional sources of funding for community theatre. We’re hoping individuals will step into this breach and see this show through to the final curtain.
• "The Kingdom of Dreams, A Tale of Oz" is designed to be an extravaganza like the original 1903 Broadway play, "The Wizard of Oz." Extravaganza was a technical term for a play that wasn’t vaudeville, burlesque, a musical, etc. but had original music, choreography, special effects, and lavish sets and costumes built around a fairy tale. These elements are in my play. Staging an extravaganza, however, is like supersizing your drink at the drive-through—it costs a bit more.
• At present, I’m only allowed to sell tickets for 60 percent of the theatre’s seats (180), but the theatre rental has not been proportionately lowered. Not being able to sell 40 percent of available seating is a heavy hit on needed revenue.
• We are entering an inflationary cycle; the cost of all materials (especially, lumber) is rising weekly.
• This play is family entertainment based on the Oz books of L. Frank Baum. After a year of COVID, people seem for some live entertainment. By staging our play we’re striking a blow for a return to normalcy.
Fund-raising goal: $20,000
Funds will be applied to:
• Rehearsal space rental
• Theatre rental
• Insurance
• Marketing/advertising
• Sound system
• Set material
• Special effects (e.g., fog machines, gobo lighting, etc.)
• Costumes
• Stipends
Any amount you can contribute will help speed this show on its way to the final curtain. We hope to reach our fundraising goal by August 1st, 2021.
We have three levels for donations:
Level 1: $10 to $100: one ticket for every $10 donated, plus 10 percent off the play’s video.
Level 2: $101 TO $499: ten free tickets, plus a cast-signed Kingdom of Dreams poster, plus 50 percent off the play’s video.
Level 3: $500 and up: twenty free tickets, a cast-signed Kingdom of Dreams poster, plus a free play video.
*PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL TICKETS FOR WHICH A DONER QUALIFIES CAN BE USED BY THE DONER, GIVEN TO OTHERS IN THE CHAMPAIGN-URBANA AREA, OR BE DONATED IN THE DONER’S NAME TO A LOCAL LOW-INCOME FAMILY WITH CHILDREN.
A QUALITY VIDEO OF THE PLAY WILL BE FILMED.
Please check our website every week; we will be uploading updates on the show’s progress, have pictures of and interviews with the cast, feature different songs from the show, tell you about the lyricists and composers who wrote the melodies, and maybe even post some video clips from rehearsals.
And please accept my sincerest thanks for any help you might be able to offer on this silly whimsy of mine.
Warmly,
Kenny
Kenneth L Chumbley
“to please a child”
- L. Frank Baum
Hi Everyone,
In a dedication to his sister, L. Frank Baum, the author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," wrote, “to please a child is a sweet and lovely thing that warms one’s heart and brings its own reward.”
As long as I can remember, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" has been my favorite story. Now, I have written my own story of Oz, a two-act play based on an obscure reference in the Oz books that I call "The Kingdom of Dreams, A Tale of Oz."
Auditions have been held, a cast selected, and rehearsals have begun. We are scheduled for four performances at the Harold and Jean Miner Theatre at Parkland College, Champaign, Illinois, on August 6th, 7th, and 8th, 2021.
You can stay updated with us on our website: Kingdom of Dreams, A Tale of Oz
To stage this show, I’m seeking the help of family and friends, lovers of Oz, and those who see value in family entertainment that pleases everyone who has the heart of a child.
This is a tough time to put on a show, but we think it’s the right time to stage some live theatre.
Here are some of the challenges we’re facing:
• The economic strain of COVID has taken a financial toll on traditional sources of funding for community theatre. We’re hoping individuals will step into this breach and see this show through to the final curtain.
• "The Kingdom of Dreams, A Tale of Oz" is designed to be an extravaganza like the original 1903 Broadway play, "The Wizard of Oz." Extravaganza was a technical term for a play that wasn’t vaudeville, burlesque, a musical, etc. but had original music, choreography, special effects, and lavish sets and costumes built around a fairy tale. These elements are in my play. Staging an extravaganza, however, is like supersizing your drink at the drive-through—it costs a bit more.
• At present, I’m only allowed to sell tickets for 60 percent of the theatre’s seats (180), but the theatre rental has not been proportionately lowered. Not being able to sell 40 percent of available seating is a heavy hit on needed revenue.
• We are entering an inflationary cycle; the cost of all materials (especially, lumber) is rising weekly.
• This play is family entertainment based on the Oz books of L. Frank Baum. After a year of COVID, people seem for some live entertainment. By staging our play we’re striking a blow for a return to normalcy.
Fund-raising goal: $20,000
Funds will be applied to:
• Rehearsal space rental
• Theatre rental
• Insurance
• Marketing/advertising
• Sound system
• Set material
• Special effects (e.g., fog machines, gobo lighting, etc.)
• Costumes
• Stipends
Any amount you can contribute will help speed this show on its way to the final curtain. We hope to reach our fundraising goal by August 1st, 2021.
We have three levels for donations:
Level 1: $10 to $100: one ticket for every $10 donated, plus 10 percent off the play’s video.
Level 2: $101 TO $499: ten free tickets, plus a cast-signed Kingdom of Dreams poster, plus 50 percent off the play’s video.
Level 3: $500 and up: twenty free tickets, a cast-signed Kingdom of Dreams poster, plus a free play video.
*PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL TICKETS FOR WHICH A DONER QUALIFIES CAN BE USED BY THE DONER, GIVEN TO OTHERS IN THE CHAMPAIGN-URBANA AREA, OR BE DONATED IN THE DONER’S NAME TO A LOCAL LOW-INCOME FAMILY WITH CHILDREN.
A QUALITY VIDEO OF THE PLAY WILL BE FILMED.
Please check our website every week; we will be uploading updates on the show’s progress, have pictures of and interviews with the cast, feature different songs from the show, tell you about the lyricists and composers who wrote the melodies, and maybe even post some video clips from rehearsals.
And please accept my sincerest thanks for any help you might be able to offer on this silly whimsy of mine.
Warmly,
Kenny
Kenneth L Chumbley
Fundraising team (2)
Kenny Chumbley
Organizer
Champaign, IL
Brianna Malotke
Team member
