Renaissance Theatre Company Year-End Fundraiser

Long (like "Lord of the Rings" long) Explanation About Why You Should Support Renaissance Theatre Company:

 

Here's the quick stuff: Renaissance Theatre Company officially became a thing in February of 2021. Our first show was Oscar Wilde and Jesus Christ Walk Into a Gay Bar (funny, right?) where we sold a lot of tickets and won some awards. Then, in a crazy turn of events, one of our founders and Board Member Chris Kampmeier purchased a building at 415 E Princeton St in Orlando and opened the space for the Ren to use at no cost (cool guy). Nosferatu was the first show we did in the new place, and it was, well...awesome. That was followed shortly by The Office Holiday Party Musical Extravaganza Show (we like long titles) which was, well, also awesome. I could bore you with reviews etc. but if you've read this far you probably already know a lot of this stuff.

 

Here are some really cool numbers: In just 4 months in the new place, the Ren has produced 2 world-premiere productions. We've employed 80 people. That's $159,606 paid to deserving artists/technicians/etc. We've raised $56,452 from 241 Donors. We've sold 2,333 tickets for $120,631 in revenue from ticket sales, bar, merchandise, etc. We spent an additional $51,000 on production and a whole lot more on Capital Expenses (expenses that are meant to last for a long time, like sound/lighting equipment, improvements to the space, renovations, etc.). $25 is the typical ticket price at the Ren, not much higher like most Theatre companies and the drinks are cheap. That's because we want normal people to see our shows, not just rich people (though rich people are also welcome-we don't discriminate). We have received $0 from the government because it takes about 3 years for a nonprofit to become eligible for most grants (government or private). We pay every artist on time, and we pay at least $15/hour. For some reason, that's nearly a revolutionary act when it comes to nonprofits. If you did the math, you'll notice that we spent more than we made, and let's be honest, that's all thanks to 1 generous donor who got us started (thanks bro). Also, we did all of this during a Pandemic, and we were the first Theatre company in Orlando to require vaccines for our patrons *and* employees, and we remain the only company who continues to do so (shame shame shame). 

One quick tax thing: thanks to the CARES Act, anyone can write off up to $300 on your taxes ($600 for folks filing jointly) for a charitable donation AND if you're an itemizer you can deduct 100% of your cash charitable contributions (so if you have a lot to give, now's the time rich friends). NOTE: if you are looking for that deduction, give in one of the other ways we listed below, not through GoFundMe, see rentheatre.com/giveusmoney.  See IRS website for proof: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/expanded-tax-benefits-help-individuals-and-businesses-give-to-charity-during-2021-deductions-up-to-600-available-for-cash-donations-by-non-itemizers 

 

We have some solid plans in the next year to make our business model more sustainable, including more tickets sold, more rentals in our space, decreased spending, and of course, expanded fundraising and seeking more corporate sponsors. Our first goal is simple, Raise $100,000 from 500 Individual Donors by September, 2022. We are well on our way ($56,452 from 241 Donors already).

 

We have some very organized and well-planned donor levels you can check out. They're witty and funny but you should know we mean business. Those can be seen at rentheatre.com/giveusmoney for your convenience.

 

You can donate in a number of ways:

That's the gist of why we think Renaissance Theatre Company is *the* Theatre Company to support in Orlando. Not only do we do cool new works, but we try our best to treat people well.

 

There's one more question you may have: Why do Theatre companies ask people like me for money? Here's why.

 

Some people may not know this, but most Theatre companies are Non-Profit organizations, which means they exist (in one way or another) for the public good. Because every good Theatre company contributes to the cultural landscape of a community, they are often therefore considered Non-Profit organizations. You may have also heard them called 501c3 organizations by the IRS. If you don't understand why Theatre companies are thought to contribute to the public good, then you should probably go somewhere else.

 

Here's the thing: Theatre is expensive. Especially professional Theatre. Payroll (pay for artists, technicians, administrators, etc.) is by far the biggest cost, followed of course by production costs and venue costs, in addition to marketing dollars, administrative fees, insurance, and all the many other costs. This is why the ticket price for most live theatrical productions is so high (often $60, $80, and over $100 per ticket). Even with prices that high, ticket sales alone rarely come close to covering the cost to run a Theatre. Much of a Theatre's expenses are actually covered by gifts from individual donors (philanthropy), sponsorships from businesses, grants from government and private institutions, and of course, the bar (that's why drinks at major theatre companies often cost an arm and a leg).

 

Final Question, Are donations tax-deductible? Probably. And if you're asking yourself this question, you should donate in one of those other ways we listed above, not through the GoFundMe. Renaissance Theatre Company, Inc. is a new Florida non-profit structured to serve as a 501(c)(3). It normally takes 1–3 years for new non-profits to receive a letter from the IRS recognizing their status as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. This is a normal step for all new non-profits.

 

We believe our 501(c)(3) exemption application will be accepted, in which case exempt status will be recognized back to the date the organization was created. We think it's reasonable to assume your donation will be tax-deductible.

 

Please consult with your own tax advisor, and also note the following information from the IRS:

 

Contributors to the organization do not have advance assurance of deductibility because the organization’s exemption is pending. If the organization ultimately qualifies for exemption for the period in which the contribution is made, the contribution will be tax-deductible by the donor. Alternatively, if the organization ultimately does not qualify for exemption, then the contribution will not be tax deductible.

 

Other handy information:

 

Our federal tax ID (EIN) is 86-2197367.

You can look up our Florida filings using document number N21000001860.

Our Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Registration Number is CH66046.

 

As the old saying goes,

 

Renaissance Theatre Company, Inc. is a Florida not-for-profit corporation regulated by the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services pursuant to the Florida Solicitation of Contributions Act. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435- 7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

 

Go to rentheatre.com/giveusmoney for more info.