Who We Are
Conception
In 2010, an adventurous band of merry thespians, social entrepreneurs, fiscally prudent sorts and other adventurers, set out to create a new theater that would eventually become Serendipity Playhouse. This brainchild was born to change the World! (Or at least a 10 square mile segment of it in SW Washington.) Serendipity Players is committed to opening ourselves, our stage, our technical shop, and our classrooms to all people who want to participate, and who bring diverse backgrounds to enrich the process. In doing so, we have created a playhouse which illuminates all members in our community. We foster great plays, community interaction, and good fun while encouraging individuals with different agendas to tell their stories in new and healing ways.
~ Serendipity Playhouse ~
Where Great Theater Includes Everybody!
Serendipity Players started this journey by producing “Sylvia” by A. R. Gurney in the Minnehaha Grange, during the hottest week of August in 2011. Encouraged by the success of our unknown theater company’s first work, we set out to find a home with air conditioning! We finally found Serendipity Playhouse in January of this year.
Birth – 2 Years
Since opening the Playhouse, we’ve produced two local playwrights and two internationally acclaimed playwrights to great reviews. We have learned a lot about the “behind the scenes” work that goes into producing great theater. Our audiences are growing, and we are bringing new people to the wonder of theater.
Now, at the dawn of our second year, we have learned our efforts to configure our barrier-free stage, facilities, and seating have come up short. Whenever you’re facing unforeseen stumbling blocks, the first thing to do is to gather all the information you can about the trouble. Here’s what has surprised our playhouse: in qualifying for a grant to complete the final cosmetic restoration on the exterior of our historical downtown space, a building inspection determined we must fine-tune some of the modifications we had already made to the interior of our theater.
To comply with these requests – regardless of continued eligibility for the grant – we must tweak changes to stage lighting, re-configure some of the seating, and meet other code alterations that seem minor, but are necessary to do.
The Future
Resilience will get us through this, but we’re going to need help. We are wondering if you would pledge or donate any small amount you feel is appropriate to help the theater meet the improvement deadlines and continue with our important mission. This money will translate into ensuring that barrier-free theater in the arts and culture of our town becomes part of the fabric to a vibrant and flourishing Vancouver.
We are deeply appreciative for your past participation and support in helping launch our unique addition to quality performing arts in the region. Putting this unexpected hurdle behind us will mark an important turning point for the continued excellence that is Serendipity Players.
The Impact
This is it. The big chance. The step up. How often do you get the chance to be a part of a new adventure from the beginning (or close to the beginning.) You'll be able to look at Serendipity Playhouse as not just a place where you come and see great theater, you'll be able to say, “I'm part of the reason this is here.” We're currently rehearsing our next show, we have the 2013 season laid out, and we've started making plans for 2014. If you help us, we'll be here for years to come. We've only started to scratch the surface of what we can do at Serendipity Playhouse. With your help, things will only get better.
We're trying to set a new standard for theater in SW Washington. We're hoping that future includes you as an active member of the Serendipity family.
It’s amazing, thrilling, terrifying – and the board of Serendipity is ready for our baby to grow up and take the leap. But we need your help.
Every donation made to this campaign will help us all realize our goal of maintaining a permanent venue. It will help to continue to have great theater right here, in our community, without having to cross the bridge to the “big city.”
What We Need
Only 40 to 60 percent of a non-profit theater's budget comes from the box office. Our founders, Board of Trustees, Donors from the community and theater lovers like you provide the additional necessary funding to keep the keep the productions excellent and informed by diverse perspectives. Because of this, we need your help to raise the following funds:
$2,500 for air flow adjustments
$1,500 for permits
$1,500 for lighting upgrades
$1,500 for access by wheelchairs
$1,000 to adjust stadium seating arrangement to meet code
We have secured a promise of matching funds from one of our regular donors for all contributions received through this campaign - your gift will be doubled! Serendipity Players is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so the portion of your donation that doesn't pay for a perk is tax deductible.
Other Ways You Can Help
Every little bit helps, but if you can't spare the cash, there are other things you can do:
- Donate professional skills that would allow us to complete the work free of labor costs.
- Help get the word out and make some noise about our campaign.
- Indiegogo has share tools that you can use on Facebook, Twitter and your other favorite social media outlets!
Spread the word, spread the word, spread the word!
“Thank you!” from all of us at Serendipity Players – Sandra Geary, President; Tony Broom, Artistic Director; the acting Board of Trustees: John Chiappetta, Vice President; Cecelia Harper, Secretary; David Crain, Development Director; Bob Pitman, Historian.