Hello friends,
Thank you for visiting our "Portal" Fundraiser page!
We are seeking $10K in funds to support the creation of a new work of immersive performance, set within the world of "Portal", while also giving us funds to build a bridge to the next phase of life for this important work of immersive theater.
The new work is entitled the "Luminaries Ball", which is made to be a prequel experience to "Portal". The show introduces audiences to the magical and ecstatic world of "Portal" while also bringing participants into a live action game which resembles the events of the world unfolding around us. The culmination of the experience is a massive dance party, with delicious food and drink, and lots of fun for all. This show is set to premiere in Valle Crucis on June 8th of this year (2023). Most of the perks created for this campaign include tickets to the "Luminaries Ball" performance (so we hope to see you there!).
The purpose or aim of "Portal" is to remind everyone that there is magic in the world and that not all is what it seems, that great mysteries lurk just beneath the surface of things. It invites us into a safe space where we can drop our masks and be seen. It shows us that there is great power in coming together and embracing community. And, it reminds us that the power within us is far greater than the collapsing and corrupt power structures around us. It's an artistic expression built for these times of dramatic change, where people are invited to embrace the mysteries of life and to remember the commonalities we all share rather than focus on our truly minor differences. Lastly, it's a fun cultural and artistic experience which - when properly resourced - can be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure for those who take the leap.
We premiered "Portal" last fall in Boone, NC, to great acclaim. Audiences loved it, and the press in the area were also quite fascinated by the work. Our goal now is to bring "Portal" to a larger population center such as Nashville, TN. This fundraising campaign will also help us build a more robust and media rich website while also enabling us to do much needed market research in Nashville and, potentially some other cities such as Louisville, KY, Atlanta, GA and Charlotte, NC.
(Portal footage from the Boone production, fall 2022)
The "Luminaries Ball" is a show that we can more easily/cheaply produce in a place like Nashville, helping us attract attention and build an audience for "Portal", which is more complex and requires significantly more resources for its production. The idea is that once people experience the "Luminaries Ball", they will be excited and ready to plunge into the full "Portal" experience.
My big vision is to create multiple "Portal" experiences to happen worldwide and running concurrently. I see this unfolding over the next 5-7 years. For this to happen, we need one iteration of "Portal" running successfully in one prominent city. I feel that Nashville is a strong front-runner for this initial production, which would enable us to show other producers and municipalities around the world that our experience, and its important message, would fit in their city as well.
This campaign will help us bridge to this next level, where "Portal", preceded by the "Luminaries Ball", can fulfill its great promise of fun, adventure, creativity, community and transformation.
Questions about this project? Check out the FAQs
We hope you will help us in this next phase of this important project!
Stephen Shelley + Team