Playhouse on the Green nets $25K grant

Playhouse on the Green, a not-for-profit theater company in downtown Bridgeport, has received funding in the amount of $25,000 from the Fairfield County Community Foundation (FCCF). The grant provides general operating support as the Playhouse continues its theater and education programs from June 2009 through June 2010. This is the first time Playhouse on the Green has received funding from FCCF.

Formerly known as the “Polka Dot Playhouse,” in 2007 Playhouse on the Green recommitted to its mission by returning to its roots as a community theater. To launch this new phase, the shows Six Degrees of Separation and Barnum – The Musical (in cooperation with the Barnum Festival and The Barnum Museum) were produced by the Playhouse in May and June 2008, followed by the first “Project Broadway” summer theater program for kids and teens, in which 75 local children participated.

From September 2008 to May 2009, the Playhouse’s first full season since 2002 was seen by more than 6,000 audience members and included productions of The Underpants, The Rocky Horror Show, The Santaland Diaries and Season’s Greetings, Twelve Angry Jurors, and The Wiz. The 2008-2009 season also saw the debut of the “Playhouse Greenhouse” arts education program in partnership with RYASAP; and "Best Night Bridgeport”, a New Year’s Eve celebration in cooperation with The Barnum Museum, City Lights Gallery, and other downtown organizations.

In 2009-2010, 6 mainstage productions are being planned, and an expanded 6-week “Project Broadway 2009” program began its first session on July 6, 2009. As a primary partner of RYASAP’s “MYO: Mine, Yours, & Ours: What’s Right in Relationships” Program, part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s national Start Strong Initiative, the “Playhouse Greenhouse” program will be expanded in 2009-2010 to include more opportunities for kids and teens. Adult learning classes also are being developed.  

“We are so pleased and honored that Fairfield County Community Foundation has invested in the Playhouse in this way,” says Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Matt Schicker, “This ‘vote of confidence’ in our community theater, and the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to the arts in Bridgeport in general, is very meaningful, especially in these tough times. Thanks to the FCCF’s belief in our mission, we are redoubling our efforts to provide our audience and artists the best programs possible at an affordable cost.”

About Playhouse on the Green

Playhouse on the Green is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit theater company in residence at a beautiful 228-seat jewel-box theater in the heart of downtown Bridgeport, Connecticut. Playhouse on the Green’s mission is to enrich Bridgeport's cultural life by providing an eclectic variety of live stage entertainment and arts education programs at an affordable cost, as well as providing opportunities for area artists. Among these programs are its mainstage season of plays and musicals; “Playhouse Greenhouse” and “Project Broadway”, its arts education programs for kids, teens, and adults; a music and comedy series; and the “Page to Stage New Play Reading Series”, which brings the new work of Connecticut playwrights to the stage. Playhouse on the Green is generously funded by Fairfield County Community Foundation, People’s United Community Foundation, Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District, City of Bridgeport Community Development Block Grant, and CT Arts Endowment Fund Grant, as well as sponsorships and donations from businesses and individuals in the Greater Bridgeport area and beyond. More information can be found at www.playhouseonthegreen.org.

 

About Fairfield County Community Foundation

The Fairfield County Community Foundation promotes the growth of community and regional philanthropy to improve the quality of life throughout Fairfield County. Individuals, families, corporations and organizations can establish charitable funds and contribute to existing funds. The Foundation also provides philanthropic advisory services, and develops and leads initiatives to tackle critical community issues. It is in compliance with the Council on Foundations’ national standards for community foundations. The Foundation has awarded over $110 million in grants to nonprofits in Fairfield County and beyond. For more information, visit www.fccfoundation.org.