We’ve all been deeply touched by the tragedy in Haiti. Now you and your drama group can do something to help! Have you considered putting on a play of Haitian folklore as a fundraiser for one of the organizations lending aid to the devastated country?
Using Theatre to Raise Funds for Haiti and Other Important Causes
Pioneer Drama Service is proud to carry the play Don’t Sleep Under the Mapou Tree by Greer Sucke. This play beautifully adapts for the stage two stories from unique Haitian folklore, depicting the adventures of several traditional Haitian characters, including the Loup-Garou, Djab, Bouki, Legba and Baron Samedi. “Why the Sun Still Shines” tells how a wicked werewolf plots to steal the sun and plunge the world into everlasting darkness. In “This Way or That?”, a not-very-wise young traveler named Bouki angers the God of the Crossroads and is forced to outwit stomping elephants, hungry “zeaubeaups” or cannibals, and the terrible two-headed dragon. In true storyteller fashion, young audience members participate as elephants, zeaubeaups and an unusual group of villagers who do everything backwards.
The theatre has long been used as a venue for fundraising for important causes. Its effectiveness is enhanced by the power of live stage productions to build a sense of community within the audience. Whether you’re raising funds for Haiti, for breast cancer awareness or to help a specific family in your community struck by tragedy, sitting in an auditorium filled with people who care about the same cause you do is both heartwarming and empowering. You create a sense that people can come together and make a difference, much more so than anyone could individually.
There are a myriad of ways to structure your play as a fundraiser.
- Of course, you can donate part or all of what you collect from ticket sales to the designated organization.
- Some groups have better luck not charging a set admission but asking for donations instead. (You might give a “suggested” donation of $5, $10 or $20 per person or family.) This is especially effective if your audience is comprised not just of friends and family of your actors but the broader community as well who are attending specifically to support your cause.
- Still another possibility is to sell snacks before, during or after the show to earn proceeds to donate.
- If you’re brave, you can also sell other items: pins or buttons about your cause, noisemakers to use at appropriate places in the play or marshamallows to throw at the play’s villain are just a few creative ideas.
- You might also consider expanding your show into a dinner theatre. Pair up a night of theatre with a spaghetti dinner to raise additional funds, and your audience gets to eat, drink and be merry participants in a theatrical extravaganza while supporting a great cause.
The key to the success of any fundraiser is the size of the audience. To ensure a large house, make sure you involve a ton of people in your production. If the play you choose has a small cast (as Don’t Sleep Under the Mapou Tree does), you can add in additional entertainment either before or after the play itself. Small skits, songs and jokes presented with brief blackouts between each are a great way to beef up your cast. Remember, the more people in your production, the more people in your audience — and that’s just what you need for a successful fundraiser! Attract a crowd and put the “fun” in fundraising for an important cause while you build community and make a difference.
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