Theatre for All! Encore Stage & Studio
Theatre by kids, for kids
Encore Stage & Studio believes that participating in live theatre offers critically important benefits for young people: it builds teamwork, leadership, creativity, literacy, problem-solving skills and self-confidence. But Encore is more than an arts education program; for 50 years, we've been an award-winning theatre company that puts the process of creating theatre into the hands of young people. Join us as we build towards our next 50 years!
Our Mission
Our mission is to build a lifelong appreciation for live theatre by involving young people in all aspects of theatre arts — onstage, backstage, in the classroom and in the audience.
Our Vision
Encore Stage & Studio is the artistic home for young people in the Washington, DC area and a national leader in children’s theatre. We are an incubator of young talent, providing challenging and diverse opportunities in the arts.
Our Values
We love theatre · Kids come first · We expect excellence · We encourage inclusiveness We connect communities · We build leaders · We believe education empowers
"Encore gave my kid a place to shine, a stage on which to build his confidence
and take bold, creative risks. Theatre has helped my son become a leader."
History of Encore
Since our inception as the Children’s Theatre of Arlington in 1967, we have produced 213 shows, and more than 375,000 children and their families have attended our productions. Over time, we have changed our name and grown substantially, both in terms of professional staffing and the number of programs and learning opportunities we offer to local children. We are proud of our history and excited for the potential our future holds as we celebrate our 50th anniversary.
The Power of the Arts
Students with 4 years of arts education earn an average of 100 points higher on the SAT than students who have no arts instruction.
72% of employers say creativity is of primary concern when hiring.
*From the Americans for the Arts, Arts Education Facts & Figures Booklet
Low-income students who are highly engaged in the arts are more than twice as likely to graduate college as their peers with no arts education.
The Healthy Play Initiative
When we play together, we grow together. The Healthy Play Initiative was born in September 2016 from a unique partnership between the Arlington Food Assistance Center and Encore. Encore teaching artists lead weekly creative play classes at The Gates of Ballston and Arlington Mill Community Center, two affordable housing neighborhoods in our community. Professional teaching artists use games and songs to teach toddlers about making healthy choices, bringing a theatrical experience to locations where access to live theatre is uncommon. This highly regarded program continues to reach students of all cultures, transcending language and socioeconomic barriers to share a message of healthy living and empowering kids to make positive choices in their own lives. When you contribute to our Theatre for All! Fund, you help expand Encore’s impact and bring these important experiences to all children.
Carla's Story
Encore's Impact Years ago, a friend encouraged me to audition for Encore’s summer musical The Pirates of Penzance. Being brand new to theatre, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was totally unaware that my life would change forever.
"Encore creates a
comfortable,
educational, and
judgment free
environment."
Encore gave me a comfortable, educational and judgment free environment where I could fully explore all aspects of theatre and of myself. It offers actors and technicians a place where they can learn about the craft of theatre, and it ignites a fire and love for this beautiful art. Encore’s greatest asset is the way they genuinely and organically find something special in every single person who walks through their doors. They can see what makes each student sparkle and do everything they can to continue the growth of this spark. Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald once said, “I found the theatre and I found my home.” To me, this is exactly what Encore provides: a home.
"This has been the
best and most
consistent activity
in my child’s life."
"If I could describe
Encore in one word
"Encore has an amazing staff
and cadre of volunteers."
it would be 'home.'"
Theatre for All! Fund The Theatre for All! Fund has been established to guarantee that our children will continue to have access to the joy of the performing arts. Your support helps us reach our goals of ensuring access, embracing inclusion, sustaining excellence, and increasing our impact.
Sustaining Excellence, Increasing Impact
We'll be frank: We need more space. Encore uses a variety of facilities around Northern Virginia to hold classes and stage performances, but we have outgrown many of the spaces that the county has available. Your 50th anniversary charitable contribution will have a monumental impact in helping us establish a dedicated theatrical space designed for our young actors and audiences. This teaching theatre will provide students with opportunities to learn about both the problem-solving aspects of technical theatre and the empathy-building world of on-stage performances. Your generous financial gift will also help us develop relationships with different locations that can house our educational programs--expanding our geographic impact and enabling us to serve a broader range of students.
Ensuring Access, Embracing Inclusion
Encore is an award-winning, regional leader in theatre education for children 6 months to 18 years old. Help us grow our access and inclusion programming. We want to expand our successful outreach programs, such as the Healthy Play Initiative, by providing consistent funding to serve more children across our region. We believe Encore can grow our scholarship fund to allow more students to attend outstanding classes and summer programs, which provide a safe and positive environment for creative expression. We seek to increase our partnerships with local elementary and middle schools to bring character-building dramatic arts directly to students.
How to Get Involved
Our goal is to raise $250,000 to share our spectacular programs with all children in our community and to provide facilities to support those programs. We are committed to this fund: 100% of Encore board members and staff have made a contribution to the Theatre for All! Fund. We ask you to consider a gift that reflects how Encore Stage & Studio has impacted your life or the life of a child close to you. Whether that is a one-time gift or a multi-year pledge, each contribution ensures that Encore is here for the future and for everyone.
$250,000
$0
$62,500
$113,130 $125,000
$187,500
$250,000 *As of October 26, 2017
How to Get Involved
Our goal is to raise $250,000 to share our spectacular programs with all children in our community and to provide facilities to support those programs. We are committed to this fund: 100% of Encore board members and staff have made a contribution to the Theatre for All! Fund. We ask you to consider a gift that reflects how Encore Stage & Studio has impacted your life or the life of a child close to you. Whether that is a one-time gift or a multi-year pledge, each contribution ensures that Encore is here for the future and for everyone.
$250,000
$0
$62,500
$113,130* $125,000
$187,500
$250,000 *As of January, 3, 2018
Theatre for All! Donors* Producer- $25,000+ Fred & Cathie Fagerstrom Jerry Gidner & Amy Sosin Stage Manager- $5,000+ Katie & Charlie Boone Kevin & Sara Duke Kathleen Fong Melissa & John Huston Betsy & Walter Lohmann Nancy Ory & James Adams Dana & George Schindler
Lead Actor- $2,500+ Karol & Don Boudreaux Jane & Eric Massant Supporting Role- $1,000+ Robin & William Baxter Dr. Elizabeth A. Foss Jen Jacobsen & Ethan Shenkman Ashby & Colin Rushing Ellen & Manuel Vicens
*As of October 26, 2017
2017 BEST CHILDREN'S THEATRE
2017 BEST ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
Ensemble- $750 & Below Adriana & RJ Beers Jim & Laura Clancy Josephine Diemond Debra N. Diener Encore Staff James Keady Family Andrea Lipschitz & Ronan McHugh Catherine & Kevin Meek Sara Rubida Carole & Anthony Russo Adrienne Wichard-Edds & Kevin Edds Kenneth D. Woodrow
2017 TWINK LYNCH AWARD FOR ORGANIZATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT WINNER
2017-2018 Board · Ashby Rushing, President · Katie Boone, Vice President · Jim Clancy, Treasurer · Nancy Ory, Secretary Karol Boudreaux · Lisa Chang · Josephine Diemond · Cathie Fagerstrom · Kathy Fong · Andrea Lipschitz · Jane Massant Carole Russo · Ellen Vicens · Adrienne Wichard-Edds · Ken Woodrow Staff · Sara Strehle Duke, Executive Director · Susan Alison Keady, Artistic Director· Madaline Langston · Kelsey Meiklejohn · Rosemarie O'Connor · Aileen Pangan · Rebecca Pfeil · Rosemarie O'Connor
www.encorestage.org · 4000 Lorcom Lane, Arlington, VA 22207 · (703) 548-1154