Taking Care of Our Own, an initiative of theatreWashington, was born to meet a critical need in our community, assisting currently active Washington area theatre professionals and artists in personal emergency situations.

There are many ways for theatres to help support this initiative. For more details, contact Michael Kyrioglou, Theatre Services Manager at mkyrioglou@theatrewashington.org or 202-337-4572. We have listed some options below, but we welcome other ideas as well.

"BUCKET BRIGADE" COLLECTIONS
Each spring, we reach out to area theatres with productions on their stages to request that they hold a “Bucket Brigade” collection during their run. Each theatre will designate at which performances it is able to do a “Bucket Brigade.” Some theatres do a performance or two, especially those presenting readings or one-night events, while others collect donations for a week or over the run of a production.

• theatreWashington will provide yellow buckets, fliers, and a curtain speech that can be customized to suit the theatre. That speech can be delivered by a cast member or theatre representative after each performance to tell patrons about the program and ask if they would like to contribute.
• Cast members or a theatre representative should be stationed at the door with buckets to collect donations after the speech.
• Hint: when cast members get engaged to participate, it really does affect the amount of collections at the end of a performance.
• theatreWashington will do weekly collections from each theatre, unless other arrangements are made, of the total donations collected at the theatre.

HOST OR DESIGNATE AN EVENT AS A FUNDRAISER
During our inaugural year, Signature Theatre produced a one-night-only variety show called the “Summer Hummer” featuring area performers singing and dancing to raise additional funds for Taking Care of Our Own. The “Summer Hummer” fundraiser will be an annual part of our Taking Care of Our Own campaign. We also closed out 2012 with two CD launch parties: one for “Holiday: the Divas of DC,” a cd produced by artists associated with Signature Theatre and local divas of Washington stages; and one for Sandy Bainum’s “This Christmas,” with CD sales and donations from both events supporting Taking Care of Our Own.

Your organization can get involved in a similar fashion by hosting an event specifically to raise funds for Taking Care of Our Own or designate all or a portion of ticket sales at a particular performance for same.

VIRTUAL BUCKETS AND PROMOTIONS
Your organization may not be a presenter or have a production running during the Taking Care of Our Own promotion period — but you can still be involved by promoting the cause. We can get you copy and artwork for

• Program ads or stuffers
• E-blasts
• Postings on your website
• Social media updates

Reaching out to your patrons about this important initiative is just as valuable as collecting funds as awareness is half the battle.

MAKE A CONTRIBUTION
Every little bit helps. You may not be involved with an organization that can raise funds for Taking Care of Our Own, but you can attend fundraising events, make a donation on www.theatrewashington.org, or contact us for volunteer opportunities.

As we support an intensely creative community, we recognize that you may have an idea not listed here. We encourage you to contact us if you want to participate, in the ways listed above or in other ways.

theatreWashington is the unified voice of Washington theatre and the only organization dedicated solely to strengthening, representing, and supporting all segments of Washington’s professional theatre community — theatres, artists, company members, and audiences of all ages.

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