To our dear Bard-a-thon readers, volunteers, and sponsors...

A note from the staff and leadership at NC Stage.

I can’t express my appreciation enough to those people who choose to help NC Stage achieve its mission of creating professional theatre and education programming that affects people. At NC Stage we believe, we know, that theatre can be life changing.  Plays show us the unfamiliar and make it relevant, and they show us the familiar and make it new. Theatre can also help us grapple with the big questions—religion, politics, existence.  We do not pretend to offer answers; instead, plays can be a catalyst to discussion and exploration.  And when theatre is used as an educational tool, students are given access to a rich world of imagination, collaboration and creativity that serves them beyond school and helps them synthesize the raw facts and figures taught in core subjects.

Theatre is about telling a story and telling a story is what the world uses to understand the world.  So we’re very thankful to have been a part of the creative landscape in Asheville over the past 10 years.  When you buy a ticket or make a donation -- be it time or money -- to NC Stage, you become a part of this process of growth in our community and create value in the cultural, economic, social and educational life of Asheville and make the world just that much better. 

We thank you for your continued support over the last 10 years and look forward to another 10, 20, 30 years with you!

- Charlie

P.S. - Care to donate? Use this link!

Why I'm excited to see Angels In America again.

Interview with Angie Flynn-McIver about Angels In America, Parts 1 and 2, and the challenges of directing such an epic play and what's it like to direct the same play for a second time.

Bard-a-thon Fundraising Tips

The Bard-a-thon is quickly approaching (THIS WEEKEND!), so as the top individual fundraiser in the 2^nd annual Bard-a-thon (2009), I have some tips for y’all…

• Who to contact: friends and family (near and far), co-workers, teachers, mentors…  really anyone you think might give money, even a couple bucks.  The worst someone can tell you is no.  We do recommend going to individuals rather than businesses.

• Tell them (briefly) what the Bard-a-thon is and WHY YOU’RE PARTICIPATING:  This is key.  This makes it a personal appeal.  Even if it’s simply, “I haven’t read aloud since I was 15 and it seems like a good time,” it gives it a nice touch.  If you want to throw in something about how important theatre/reading/Shakespeare/NC Stage is to you, go for it.  We are kicking off the Bard-a-thon on the eve of National Arts and Humanities Month, after all.

• State your fundraising goal.  If your goal is $200 and you’re sending your email appeal to 20 people, it makes it easy for them to see their place as a piece in the fundraising puzzle.  (Then, when you get a response saying they’ll give, THANK THEM INDIVIDUALLY.  They’ll be more likely to help you out again in the future.)

• Mention which plays and parts you’ll be reading.  Tell them what time the plays you’re in begin (all plays have a designated start time), and that they can watch in person at NC Stage or online - give them the link! - fo FREE.

• If you’re in it for prizes, mention that… but perhaps less bluntly than “I’m in this to win prizes, so give me your money.”  Friends like helping friends win things, ‘cause sometimes they share.  (Or if they don’t share, they feel a need to reciprocate that assistance in some other capacity in the future.)

In my experience, it’s good to email early (now-ish) and then right before the Bard-a-thon kicks off (Friday afternoon), reminding them they can watch AND donate throughout the weekend.  Oh yeah! Tell ‘em viewers can win prizes too!

See you soon!

-Lauren