Who We Are
Saltworks Theatre Company has been providing school assemblies that educate, challenge and inspire students since 1981. Our shows cover a variety of topics such as bullying, cyber-bullying, internet safety, peer pressure, drug and alcohol abuse, and teen gambling. We have shows tailored to audiences from grades K-12. Each assembly lasts one hour and consists of a play performed by professional actors followed by a Q&A session to talk about the issues raised. We also provide educators with relevant materials to use in the classroom prior to and following the assembly as well as workshops with the actors to reinforce the issues addressed.
Each assembly costs us $1000 to produce, half of which is overhead covered by Saltworks. The other $500 is charged to schools. Many school budgets no longer allow for quality assembly programming, though. Through the generous support of grants and other funding, we are currently able to provide Pittsburgh Public Schools with assemblies free of charge. We'd love to be able to do the same for Pittsburgh Catholic schools, but we need your help!
Last year we ran a successful Indiegogo campaign and were able to raise enough money to offer ten free assemblies at St. Teresa of Avila, St. Benedict the Moor, Holy Family, St. John the Baptist, North American Martyrs, and Brookline Regional. There are a lot more Catholic Schools in Pittsburgh, though, and we'd love to be able to offer at least ten more free assemblies this year, which means we need to raise at least another $5000. We've only got the month of September, so we've got to act fast. We can't do it without you!
Our Impact
While there are many ways to address social issues in schools, theater can be one of the most effective. Our performances provide characters that audiences recognize and identify with. This gets them thinking about the issues in a new light, gives them a reference point for discussion, and leads to great questions and dialogue after the performance.
Here are a few responses to our programming:
- "Wonderful performance! Instant rapport with the students! It felt as if the scriptwriters had been taking notes on our playground. Very accurate portrayal of verbal and emotional bullying."
- "The play allowed us all to get over that initial hurdle and set the stage for open and honest dialogue."
- "We keep having you back because you have a quality product and are great to work with. Today was no exception. The cast kept 800 kids involved and quiet for an hour, no small task."
- "Outstanding performance. The cast was well informed and insightful when answering questions."
What We Need
Each assembly costs $1000 to produce. Saltworks covers the overhead, but that leaves $500 per assembly, which covers:
For each $500 dollars raised, we'll be able to offer one assembly free of charge to a Pittsburgh Catholic School. While our goal is to raise enough money for at least ten assemblies, if we raise more or less we'll adjust the number of assemblies accordingly.
Other Ways You Can Help
While every donation helps, no matter how small, some people just can’t contribute financially. That doesn't mean that they can’t help, though!
- Help us spread the word! Tell your friends, family, coworkers, and strangers on the street that we're raising money and only have the month of September to do it.
- Use the Indiegogo share tools to help us spread the word online and via social media. It'll only take you a couple of seconds and clicks and could really make a difference!
Need More Info?
Check out our website and social media pages for more information about our programming, the history of Saltworks, and to hear what students and administrators have to say about us and check out the gallery for our promotional video. You can send any questions to rsmith@saltworks.org.