Places Please Project Teams with The Actors Fund to Help Theatre Workers Return to NYC

New nonprofit Places Please Project has partnered with The Actors Fund to provide financial assistance to theater workers who left New York during the COVID pandemic and now need to return so they can go back to work. Founded by Lilli Cooper (Tony-nominated actor), Kyle Jarrow (Tony-nominated writer), Andrew Lippa (Tony-nominated composer), Annie Schiffmann (founder of Downstage Media) and Kara Unterberg (founder of New York SongSpace), Places Please Project is committed to helping theater workers in need at this unique moment in time.

"An unprecedented shutdown of the theater industry has left a generation of artists, musicians, designers, technicians and administrators unable to work," says Places Please co-founder Jarrow. "Many have had to leave New York. Many are now struggling to return. We're honored to join with The Actors Fund to help those in need."

"Since March of 2020, The Actors Fund has distributed more than $22.3 million in emergency financial assistance to more than 16,600 members of the performing arts and entertainment community," shares Joe Benincasa, President and CEO of The Actors Fund. "We've partnered with more than 20 organizations to support all professions in the entertainment industry, and we're proud to join with Places Please Project to help theater workers moving back to New York be safe and secure in their futures."

Grants from Places Please Project are needs-based and can be applied toward first month's rent, security deposit and/or moving costs. All categories of theater workers are included: artists, designers, musicians, technical and administrative employees. Applications are now open. Full eligibility criteria and other information can be found at actorsfund.org/GetHelp.

Places Please Project is also continuing their fundraising efforts with a generous $50,000 matching grant from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. This gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar through a special fundraising campaign through September 15th. To make a matched donation, please visit actorsfund.org/PlacesPlease. "Broadway Cares is happy and proud to support Places Please Project in this special collaboration with The Actors Fund," says Tom Viola, executive director of BC/EFA. "There is nothing more important than securing housing, a home. As members of our community come back to town to step back into auditions and work, Broadway Cares is eager to help make this essential transition possible." Since the Broadway shutdown began on March 12, 2020, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has provided The Actors Fund more than $13 million in support for COVID-19 emergency financial assistance.

Added Jarrow, "Theater is a core part of New York City's identity, and New York City is a core part of the theater industry's identity too. We want to bring theater workers home."

To learn more about Places Please Project, go to: PlacesPleaseProject.com.

Places Please Project is committed to helping bring home theater workers who had to leave NYC during the pandemic... and to connecting all NYC theater workers with resources that can help with housing insecurity. Theater will make it through this pandemic. Let's make sure theater workers do too. The new nonprofit is led by board members Lilli Cooper, Andrew Lippa, Kyle Jarrow, Kara Unterberg and Annie Schiffmann.