Theatre in the Woods
605 1st Street
P.O. Box 156
Shell Lake, WI 54871
715-468-4387
CONTACT: Carolyn Burnett
354-3803
For Immediate Release: Theatre in the Woods Uses Grant to Further Mission
Theatre in the Woods is pleased to announce that it has received for a second time a matching grant of $2500 from the Wisconsin Arts Board. This grant was awarded through the Creation and Presentation Program and will be used to further TITW's mission "to support artistic development of individuals within our organization". Board member Carolyn Burnett explains that such development makes it possible to fulfill that portion of the mission statement which reads "to provide high quality live theatre entertainment".
"Our first expenditure was a general acting workshop open to all interested actors and directors in our area. Twenty nine adults and teenagers were led by Jan Lee, professional actor/director, in a series of energizing activities September 12", said Burnett. Next up will be a workshop on speaking verse, specifically for the cast of "Much Ado about Nothing", which will be on stage at the Erika Quam Theater in March of next year. This workshop will be led by Doug Scholz-Carlson, Associate Director of the Great River Shakespeare Festival. "Having professionals of this caliber and experience would not be possible without the support of the Arts Board", says Burnett.
The Wisconsin Arts Board is the state agency that nurtures creativity, cultivates expression, promotes the arts, supports the arts in education, stimulates community and economic development and serves as a resource for people of every culture and heritage in Wisconsin's communities.
State grants are awarded through a competitive process. Theatre in the Woods' grant application ranked 10th overall out of 81 applicants, including the urban areas of Madison and Milwaukee, with a score of 92.6. The award, which indicates that Theatre in the Woods provides the highest level of quality in its programs, community outreach and administration, is given on a matching basis. Organizations that receive Arts Board funds are required to match state tax dollars with additional public and private funds. TITW is able to make this match because of the strong level of support it enjoys in the community. "We just opened our 20th season", says Burnett. "That longevity of an all volunteer organization speaks not just to the dedication of a stalwart few, but to the ongoing financial and moral support of the whole community. We all accomplish this together."
