For 36 years, Nebraska Shakespeare has been able to do our work because of the financial generosity of our family and friends. Because of that sustaining generosity, we have been able to offer world-class professional theater for FREE to more than 800,000 patrons and bring professional Shakespeare to schools and communities throughout Nebraska and Western Iowa. None of our achievements would ever have happened without YOU!
Today, we need you even more than before! The financial challenges of the past couple of years have been existential. Add that to the fact that we managed to get our 2021 Fall Educational Tour up and out to the State of Nebraska (COVID precautions added more than $80,000 of costs to the budget!) and we relaunched Shakespeare On The Green after more than 2 years of absence (a $430,000 expenditure). We knew this year was going to be a significant heavy-lift, both due to limitations of staffing, volunteers, and financial resources, but we also knew that if we decided NOT to relaunch these programs our only other option would be to go out of business. (You can be in business if you're not doing anything.)
For the very first time in our 36-year history, we have payables on our financial reports. While our cash flow is anything BUT cash "flow", we also know there is a light at the end of the tunnel; YOU! We know we can get through these exceptionally challenging times because of our friends and family! We need YOU...today!
We are asking you to host a FRIENDS OF SHAKESPEARE GATHERING, between October 3-8, 2022. (As a Gathering Host, we hope you will join us on Sunday, October 9 for a celebration party!). These FRIENDS OF SHAKESPEARE events used to be hugely popular, often raising tens of thousands of dollars. Like many things, over time, this event was set aside. In light of the fact that so many of our friends and family told us they wanted this event to return, we have brought this back when we need your help the most...today!!
All you need to do is create an event, invited friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, etc. and either create a "ticket fee" or ask for donation! Your event, held where ever you want to hold it, at whatever time you want to hold it...this is FRIENDS OF SHAKESPEARE gathering is entirely and wholly up to you! 3 friends? 10 friends? 100 friends? Raised $50? $100? $10,000? What matters is that you hold a gathering and, when your funds are combined with others gatherings, this becomes a significant fundraiser for Nebraska Shakespeare...and we could use the help...today!
for more information please visit our website. https://www.nebraskashakespeare.com/specialevents