8 Reasons to Support Matthews Playhouse on Giving Tuesday And Beyond!
Photo @ Tom Henderson Photography
It’s hard to believe, but the holiday season is already here! Scrooge! The Musical is in full rehearsal mode and on track to have a sensational opening on December 8th (get your tickets early). It’s also a time of year to reflect on what we’re thankful for, and celebrate our accomplishments in 2022.
This is the 27th year Matthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts has impacted thousands of lives in the greater Matthews region. Our summer camp programs, classes, and live performances continue to thrive with the support of the community! With Giving Tuesday around the corner (November 29th), we thought this would be a great time to share some of the reasons to support Matthews Playhouse and the programs that we offer.
#1 We Offer Financial Assistance to Expand Access to our School of Theatre Programs
We pride ourselves on never having to turn away a child from camps or classes due to an inability to pay. The Courtney Leigh Ballard Scholarship Fund was established in 2003 to honor the memory of Courtney Ballard, a young woman who had been an active participant and champion for Matthews Playhouse since its inception in 1995. Partial scholarships are granted to those families who demonstrate a strong financial need, and who would otherwise be unable to participate in our classes/camps. To support this scholarship, click here to make a one-time or recurring donation.
#2- We Offer Pay-What-You-Can Performances for Main Stage Productions
The Matthews Playhouse is committed to extend accessibility of the arts to those on a limited budget by offering “Pay-What-You-Can” performances for each mainstage production in our season. The purpose of this is two-fold; to offer members of our community the opportunity to enjoy high-quality live theatrical productions for a fraction of what they would pay in other venues, and to help raise funds for our local non-profit partner for the production. Your donations (usually collected at the door the night of the show) goes to help others in OUR community! Visit www.matthewsplayhouse.com/pwyc to learn more.
#3- We Support Other Local Non-Profit Organizations
Our motto is “We Are Better Together” and we seek to foster that collaborative spirit by engaging with local non-profits and other organizations that enrich and improve the lives of people within our community. These partnerships allow us to build more awareness and support for the organization as well as raise funds and supplies by rallying support and collecting donations from our audience members and School of Theatre families. Here are some of the organizations who have benefited from our partnerships in the past:
Blessed Assurance Adult Day Care
Bright Blessings
COS Kids
Freedom School
Jumping Dreams
Matthews Free Medical Clinic
Matthews Help Center
Matthews Human Services Council
Matthews Women's Club Service League
Matthews Historical Foundation & Heritage Museum
Matthews Public Library
Kiwanis Club Foundation of Matthews
Alexander Youth Network (Charlotte)
#4- Our Roots Are in Theatre Education
Our commitment to arts education and enrichment is reflected in our School of Theatre program offering year-long musical theatre/acting classes and day-camps. Since launching in the 1990s, thousands of children of all ages and backgrounds in the South Charlotte, Mecklenburg, and Union County region have benefited from these classes, camps, and performance opportunities. Our commitment to arts education and enrichment is reflected in our School of Theatre program offering year-long musical theatre/acting classes and day-camps. These programs provide participants of all ages with fun and inspiring opportunities in the performing arts. Each spring, the School of Theatre puts on a series of productions that are cast exclusively with students from our year-long classes, with performances showcasing the training received throughout the year. Visit matthewsplayhouse.com/classes2223 to learn more about our School of Theatre Programs.