Posted July 11, 2023
Dear Theater Patron and Lover of the Arts:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” wrote Charles Dickens.
Recently, Cherry Creek Theatre was informed it received ten Henry Award nominations from the Colorado Theatre Guild, a thrilling accomplishment beyond our wildest dreams — the most we have ever received. Who could have ever imagined a small, professional, theatre company like ours, emerging from a global pandemic, worried about filling seats, would be able to produce shows like Peter and the Starcatcher, Moon for the Misbegotten, and The Headliners and garner such critical acclaim and award-worthy validation.
We say in every curtain speech, “Ticket sales alone cannot support live theatre.” The sheer economics of producing live theatre simply doesn’t add up. Despite attendance beyond our projected goals, Cherry Creek Theatre has found itself in a compromising financial situation, and the future of Cherry Creek Theatre is currently hanging in the balance.
Unlike other arts organizations that shuttered during and just after the pandemic, Cherry Creek Theatre managed to forge ahead thanks to the support of patrons like you with a passion for the cultural escape that Cherry Creek Theatre brings to our community. There is no other way to say this, Cherry Creek Theatre is at a financial crossroads. Oh, how we wish this were our polite and cordial annual “ask letter” asking for your generous support, but this time it’s different. We need your financial help… now. No donation is too small. And certainly, no donation is too big.
We are fundraising to produce our final show of the 13th season, Sondheim on Sondheim, and to begin planning for our February show. Our immediate challenge is simply getting to opening night in October. With ticket sales not kicking in until early fall, we need assistance to cover the salaries of our production staff charged with keeping this production on track up until opening night.
Trust us when we say we have been beyond responsible with every dollar you have generously donated. And our ticket sales and grant funding has increased. It simply has not been enough. To bring you these award-winning productions as soon as we began to emerge from Covid-19, we tapped heavily into our financial reserves. But full productions with empty seats was not a math equation that landed in our favor. And we never caught up.
To help save Cherry Creek Theatre, our goal is $50,000.
That may seem like a daunting number, but when you break it down, if everyone receiving this message donates $20, that would sprinkle Cherry Creek Theatre with all the “star stuff” (Peter and the Starcatcher reference) we would need to keep our small but mighty theatrical company alive and soaring forward. (A few checks with extra zeros would gladly be embraced as well.) And all donations are tax-deductible.
Please help Cherry Creek Theatre stay alive with a donation today. You can give safely online here, or call the theatre at 303-800-6578 and give your credit card information over the phone, or send a check to Cherry Creek Theatre, PO Box 200491, Denver, Colorado 80220.
We cannot thank you enough for your support. It is our lifeblood. If you have a matching donation program through your work or have a suggested corporate donor, we would appreciate that too. We have very exciting plans for our 14th season next year, and we can’t wait to see you here!
Sincerely,
Meghan Dougherty
Interim Board Chair
