Hello, my friends!

My name is Noah Funderburk. I am a junior at Wright State University studying acting, and I am planning on fulfilling a dream of mine by directing one of my favorite musicals this upcoming semester with a cast of extremely talented and thoughtful people.

I wear a lot of hats in this life as an artist and an individual—a poet, a dancer, a son, a brother, a songwriter, an actor, a Christian, a friend, a musician, etc.—but one aspect of my identity I feel an uncertainty when exploring is that of myself as an American. Patriotism takes many forms. The late, great James Baldwin says, “I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” In this era where civil unrest and extremism have taken on new identities and been cultivated by both hate groups and administrations, I firmly believe it is in our best interest to take a step back and ask what conversations we’re having. We are growing numb to gun violence, we are getting distant from our ability to take accountability, and we are straying further from the integral core of the American spirit: our diverse voices and collective interest.

Assassins is a musical about people throughout our history. Real people. Real immigrants, mothers, sons, friends—real Americans who felt righteous in their desperation that their voice has not and never will be heard. Real Americans who felt, for one reason or another, convicted to take the life of a president for the chance to have their words no longer fall on deaf ears. I believe this show acts as a warning, a lesson, an allegory, and ultimately a reminder to hope. And it’s pretty brilliantly written, if I do say so. This show is equal parts hilarious and poignant. It truly is a purely American story, one with American music (folk, marches, etc.) and American stories—and it’s a perfect theatrical experience if you want intensity, lightheartedness, farcical humor, and intelligent, well-crafted thematic conversation.

On top of directing, I am paying for the rights, costuming, tracks/materials, and advertising out of my own pocket. It’s a lot, folks. Especially for a kid trying to fund his education and pay his rent as well. ANY, and I mean ANY, amount you feel you can give will be received with a gracious heart and go directly towards easing the financial stress this dream of mine is going to cause. I really, really love this show. And I am so excited to do this alongside my incredibly passionate cast.

***IF YOU CAN'T DONATE, PLEASE SHARE :)***

Again, any amount helps. $5 can go towards small costume pieces or props that just take away a fraction of stress from the entire thing. I don't expect to meet the entire goal, but I sure am eager to see if we can.

Lastly—thank you, in advance. God bless you. :)

(No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe).