The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Soul

JAG PRODUCTIONS

Last summer, over a thousand people flocked to JAG’s Theatre on the Hill at King Arthur Baking Company in Norwich to listen to the funk, gospel, and soul music of Tony Award-winner Britton Smith, the selfidentified Black Gay Mega Pastor, and his funk liberation band, Britton & The Sting.

“I was struck by the diversity of the audience in terms of age, race, gender, and identity,” said Jason Schumacher, managing director at JAG Productions. “At first, they were a little reserved, but by the second or third song, everyone was on their feet and dancing. There were grandmas in the front row swinging their arms.”

And that, he says, is the power of performance. “It taps into something fundamental that brings people together.”

Attracting creatives from all over the country, JAG’s mission is to “catalyze compassion, empathy, love, and community through the lens of the Black experience.” Based in White River Junction, the nonprofit theater offers a sanctuary for Black and Black queer storytellers and creatives.

In addition to performances, JAG hosts artist discussions with local school and community groups. “There are people who don’t see themselves reflected in the community or on stage,” said Jason. “Representation really matters.”

“This type of work is fragile and precious,” said Jason, “and would go away without the robust support of the community. We weathered the pandemic, which is more than many small theaters can say, but without shows you lose connection with the audience. So that’s what we are working to rebuild.”

Donor advised fundholders and discretionary fund advisors at the Vermont Community Foundation recognize the critical role of the arts in supporting community wellbeing. More than just a source of entertainment, the arts are a means of connection, expression, and healing for individuals and communities during challenging times. Since the start of the pandemic, the Community Foundation and its fundholders—in partnership with the Vermont Arts Council—have supported Vermont’s creative economy through the Arts Endowment Fund.

Edward “Ted” Richards loved singing. “He sang his entire life,” said his wife, Paula Gills. Both professional musicians and English teachers at Norwich University, Ted and Paula sang with the Randolph Singers and the choir at their church. They frequented theater, from Broadway to community plays. For fifteen years, Ted was on the board of Lost Nation Theater, an organization he “adored,” according to his wife.

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2015, Ted passed in 2020 just a few weeks before the pandemic. More than twenty years prior, he had established a series of interlocking trusts, including a testamentary fund at the VCF, the Richards-Gills Fund for Musical and Theater Arts for Central Vermont. At the time, he hoped the charitable fund would provide support to arts organizations in the community.

“The timing is so meaningful,” said Paula of Ted’s testamentary gift through a Charitable Remainder Trust going into an arts-focused discretionary fund just prior to the pandemic. “Our ardent desire is to help organizations stay solvent, to rebuild, and hopefully get to a position to thrive again. This fund could mean the difference between remaining open or closing for an arts organization in Vermont. It’s incredibly humbling.”

“When you look at a painting or go to a concert, you’re transformed,” said Paula. “You’re just not the same person you were before. It’s an invitation to let your imagination and your inner person explore. I’m so glad Ted set up this fund and that he trusted me to carry it forward.”