Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phylicia Rashad & More to Discuss Nonprofit Regional Theater Crisis With Congressional Leaders

The Los Angeles Times has reported that Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phylicia Rashad and more well-known figures in the theatre world will be meeting to discuss the crisis facing nonprofit regional theater with congressional leaders. 

Read the full story HERE. 

The event will be hosted by Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, and will serve as the introduction of the Supporting Theater and Generating Economic Activity Act, also known as the STAGE Act. 

If passed, the STAGE Act would provide $500 million in grants annually to nonprofit regional theaters for five years, or around 20% of the eligible organizations’ collective budgets.

Oskar Eustis, artistic director of New York’s Public Theater, shared, "To the federal government, it’s a pretty small amount of money, but it would make an unbelievable difference to theaters across the country... Every theater would survive, and could serve our communities in ways that, right now, we’re struggling to do.”

The bill is being presented by the Professional Non-Profit Theater Coalition, which includes artistic, managing and executive directors from over 140 theaters across the country. 

Prior to the pandemic, nonprofit theaters added over $2.8 billion to the U.S. economy.

Danny Feldman, artistic director of The Pasadena Playhouse stated, "The impact of the regional American theater on the economy is not as widely known, but that’s the language some people speak best...The data is clear — the theater is an essential part of the health and welfare of America, but we have not made the bounce back that other performing arts have. And when the auto industry says, ‘We’re in crisis,’ the government gives them billions of dollars. So why are we not treated in the same way?"

Read the full story HERE.