President’s Annual Report
2023-2024
This 2023–2024 Season was the first year of my privilege of being President of this organization. I am looking forward to the 2024-2025 season as we celebrate our 30th anniversary. Lots to reflect on and forge forward, with goals to keep our program thriving. Our play choices for this upcoming year have already garnered excitement among our young actors and their families.
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MISSION
The mission of the Children’s Theatre, Inc. is to foster and encourage children in the development of and commitment to the highest standard of theatre through instruction, direction, and production of quality performances, whereby, its audiences may gain an appreciation for the arts.
GRANTS
We received grants from the Kent County Fund for the Arts and The Delaware Division of the Arts for this season. Thanks to their support, we were able to run our three shows this season.
The Children’s Theatre, Inc. received funding for the 2023-2024 season from these same state and county organizations. The Delaware Division of the Arts awarded us $2,800. We received a $2,000 grant from The Kent County Fund for the Arts. We are grateful for the opportunities and support that we have received from these organizations.
Our productions are supported in part by The Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on:
Special thanks to Craig Horleman who wrote coverage for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Seussical, Jr and The Glass Slipper. We would also like to thank Christina Lockerd for taking pictures for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Seussical and Quiana Nieves who took the photos for The Glass Slipper. We thank the Delaware State News for their enthusiastic support and press coverage of our productions.
FUNDRAISING
In addition to the grant funding, we participated in the DoMore24 fundraising initiative in March. This successful state-wide fundraising campaign brought in $1,244.41 in donations to TCT, and we received an additional $540 in grant dollars from the DDOA. We look forward to participating in this campaign again in 2025.
AUDIENCE COUNT
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory sold 490 tickets for both of its shows. Seussical Jr, the musical, had 831 total tickets sold (this counts 2 public shows plus 2 school shows) and The Glass Slipper sold 437 tickets for it’s performance weekend.
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2023-2024 SHOWS
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (October 2023)
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The first show of the season was a sweet one!
A chocolate river, lickable wallpaper, and
the crafty oompa-loompas brought the tale
to life. Forty-two children helped to transport
the audience from the Schwartz Center for the
Arts to the chocolate-scented factory. It was a
fun show, enjoyed by all in attendance.
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Seussical, JR (April 2024)
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Jojo and the playful Cat in the Hat led the audience on an imaginative adventure, where we met lots of Dr. Seuss’s famous story book characters. The cast of 36 captivated the audience with their performance. The venue was the Schwartz Center for the Arts.
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The Glass Slipper (June 2024)
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The magical familiar tale of Cinderella was performed at the Schwartz Center for the Arts in June. The cast of 35 looked absolutely stunning in their formal wear, ball gowns, and satin gloves. Several young audience members donned their own princess gowns to attend the show and came up to the stage during intermission to meet the prince and queen.
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Community Involvement
Tre Sorelle Dolce ice cream and mini golf in Wyoming offered us an opportunity to perform a sneak peek of Seussical Jr in April. The full cast performed 4 musical numbers to a captive audience at their outdoor venue on a Sunday afternoon.
Platinum Sponsors
Law Office of Laura A Yiengst, LLC
Fifer Orchards
Edelman Spine & Orthopaedic Therapy
Gold Sponsors
Top City
Michael & Sara Soules
McGinnis Auto & Mobile Home Salvage, LLC
Silver Sponsors
Forrest Avenue Animal Hospital
Children First Learning Center, Inc
If you or your business would like to be a sponsor to our tax exempt organization, please send your check to The Children’s Theatre, Inc. c/o Treasurer, P.O. Box 823, Dover, Delaware 19903. All donations are tax deductible. Your name will be printed on all programs for the 2024-2025 season. We thank you in advance for your generous support.
We are very thankful for a generous donation from Forest Avenue Animal Hospital to help purchase additional sound equipment.
Our treasurer, Aaron Lefort, has kept a close watch on our finances this year. We have had some unexpected expenses incurred along with rising prices of venue rentals and videographers. These recent increases will require us to devote more time to fundraising, or consider other ways to cut costs in order to maintain good financial standing moving forward.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships were presented to two deserving high school seniors for $500 each. The scholarship committee recommended Cassidy Yiengst, from Polytech High School, and Daprie Nieves, from Caesar Rodney High School, for this honor. Their applications, letters of reference, community service and commitment to The Children’s Theatre, Inc. made them perfect candidates for this award, which is now in its fourth year. Both of these candidates have grown up in the theatre, and have been immensely helpful behind the scenes as well as on the stage. This Fall, Cassidy will be attending New York University to study Musical Theatre; and Daprie will be going to Polytech Adult Education to study HVAC and Plumbing.
We wish them much success as they graduate and start this next exciting chapter.
The Children’s Theatre’s 2024-2025 Season
TICKETS: All seats for all public shows are $10.
Auditions for The Spell of Sleeping Beauty: Wednesday, July 10 & Wednesday, July 17 @ at Reith Hall, 304 South Governor’s Avenue, Dover, DE. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. when auditions will begin. Performance dates are October 12 & 13, 2024
Auditions for Shrek, Jr the Musical will be Sunday, January 11 & Sunday, January 12, doors open at 1:30 p.m. and close at 2:00 p.m. when auditions will begin. Performance dates are March 22-24, with a school show for March 25 2025.
Auditions for Freaky Friday the Musical are March, 2025 (TBD). Performance dates are May 2025 (TBD).
**Please note that dates are subject to change, the venue for our shows may change, ticket price may change.**
This 2023 - 2024 year in review was prepared by Tracy Fennemore and presented at the annual meeting on September 3, 2024.
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The Children’s Theatre, Inc. organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.
Funding in part also provided by The Kent County Fund for the Arts.
