Nic Elliott, Emily Pate, Zoe Rosas
Grant Writing Group Project
American Theater Wing Grant Information
- ATW seeks to recognize companies that pursue a clearly defined mission, and whose work represents breadth, vitality, innovation, and a commitment to an artistic community, general audiences, or a specific demographic. ATW considers and values additional education, outreach work, and new play development on the part of the applicant company.
- Applicants must be a Theatre Company, whose primary activities center on the production of dramatic and/or musical theater. Additional activities may include developmental and/or educational programming. Every applicant must be a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
- Qualified companies will have produced at least five consecutive seasons, have plans for an upcoming season, and show evidence of stable programming and fiscal health. For the purposes of this grant, ATW defines a “season” as producing at least two (2) plays or musicals in each year (defined by a 12 month period), each of which play a minimum of 12 public performances (including previews). The productions in a season must be originated by the company or through a co-production agreement with another not-for-profit; productions presented, but not originated, by the company do not fulfill this criteria.
- Applicants must have started producing theatre work after the year 2003, and have an operating budget that does not exceed three million dollars.
- Applicants must demonstrate that they pay their performers, and must legally acquire the rights to produce the pieces within their seasons.
Z.E.N. Theater Company
MISSION STATEMENT:
The Z.E.N. Theatre Company produces extraordinary theatre in a deliberately intimate and welcoming space, encouraging a more connected community, to ignite the soul, and support the diversity of the community in which it serves.
Proposal:
As a stable theater company with consecutive successful seasons for the past five years, featuring Cinderella, The Wizard of Oz and A Christmas Carol; all of which were huge successes in the community and encouraged more community members to come out and audition for upcoming shows. As the shows continue to grow and become more detailed with their construction, set design, more detailed painting and larger casts, we have started running short on funding for the season schedule. The goal of Z.E.N. is to accommodate our community and keep a relatively affordable ticket price so that more people can see our productions. In our first year and on a tight budget, the ticket costs for both The Wizard of Oz and Christmas Carol were only $10. Every single showing had an almost sold out theater, and while we have retained our audiences over the past five years, we have had to raise the price per ticket to offset the cost of production for our shows.
In the coming season, the board has proposed a set of acting classes for younger students to encourage development in their acting abilities, which would directly, and positively, effect our Junior productions featuring the youth in our community. Within these classes, the students will be given the opportunity to learn the basic constructs of acting, interaction with others, how to carry themselves on a stage, and learning how to memorize stanzas of dialogue while applying their acting techniques. This endeavor to heighten the education of theatrical performance requires educational talent, which is where the grant you offer comes into play. Z.E.N. needs your help to supply these classes with every learning tool necessary for the success of the students. The grant will be applied to tools such as video projectors, updated computers, textbooks, etc… to encourage the youth to learn and enjoy acting at an early, and very vital stage of development in their lives.
Z.E.N. Theater Company
Season Breakdown
2014
The Wizard of Oz: July 31st thru August 17th (rights $5,993)
A Christmas Carol: November 20th thru December 14th (rights $8,288)
2015
Cinderella: April 30th thru May 24th (rights $5,993)
Elf The Musical: November 28th thru December 19th (rights $5,993)
2016
Into the Woods: March 4th thru March 27th (rights $8,288)
Schoolhouse Rock Live Jr.: June 2nd thru June 26th (rights $5,525)
Miracle on 34th Street: November 7th thru November 24th (rights $9,542)
2017
West Side Story: April 23rd thru April 2nd (rights $7,140)
The Lion King Jr.: June 1st thru June 11th (rights $7,140)
Young Frankenstein: October 12th thru October 29th (rights $10,009)
2018
Beauty and the Beast: February 1st thru February 25th (rights $11,050) (4wks)
Mamma Mia: April 5th thru April 29th (rights $11,050) (4wks)
Willy Wonka Jr.: June 7th thru June 17th (rights $7,140) (3wks)
Les Miserables: October 25th thru November 18th (rights $11,050) (4wks)
2019 (Anticipated)
She Loves Me: January 31st thru February 24th (10,050) (4wks)
Sister Act: April 4th thru April 28th (11,050) (4 wks)
Frozen Jr.: July 11th thru July 28th (7,140) (3wks)
Sweeny Todd: September 19th thru October 6th (11,050) (4wks)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame: November 22 thru Dec 15th (10,445) (4wks)
Z.EN. Production Cost Breakdown
Year 1:
Wizard of Oz Budget: $10,000; $5593 – rights; $1400 – production; $300 for 10 actors
Profitable gain: tickets ($10 per ticket) $30,000
Christmas Carol Budget $20,000; $8288 – rights; $3000 – production; $720 for 12 actors
Profitable Gain: tickets ($10 per ticket) $27,000
$17,000 leftover
Year 2:
Cinderella Budget $15,000; $5993 – rights; $4000 –production; $415 for 12 actors
Profitable Gain: tickets ($12 per ticket) $38,400
Elf Budget: $23,000; $5993 – rights; $5,000 – production; $750 for 16 actors
Profitable Gain: ticket ($12 per ticket) $42,000
$19,000 leftover
Year 3:
ITW Budget $18,000; $8288 – rights; $4,000 – production; $357 for 16 actors
Profitable Gain: tickets ($15 per ticket) $52,500
School House Rock Live Jr. Budget $30,000; $5225 – rights; $3,000 – production; 8 child actors
Profitable Gain: tickets ($10 per ticket) $53,000
Miracle on 34Th Budget $23,000; $9542 – rights; $4,500 – production; $639 for 14 actors
Profitable Gain: Tickets ($15 per ticket) $52,500
Year 4
West Side Story Budget $27,000; $7140 – rights; $5,000 – production; $825 for 18 actors
Profitable Gain: Tickets ($15 per ticket) $53,400
Lion King Jr. Budget $15,000; $7140 – rights; $5,000- production; 25 child actors
Profitable Gain: Tickets ($10 per ticket) $40,600
Young Frankenstein Budget $25,000; $10,009 – rights; $3,500 – production; $884 for 13 actors
Profitable Gain: Tickets ($15 per ticket) $46,500
Year 5
Beauty and the Beast Budget $30,000; $11,050 – rights; $6,500 – production; $565 for 22 actors
Profitable Gain: Tickets ($15 per ticket) $69,000
Mama Mia Budget $35,000; $11,050 – rights; $5,000 – production; $823 for 23 actors
Profitable Gain: Tickets ($15 per ticket) $61,500
Willy Wonka Jr. Budget $15,000; $7,140 – rights; $4,500 – production; 30 child actors
Profitable Gain: Tickets ($10 per ticket) $31,500
Les Miserables Budget $$30,000; $11,050 – rights; $8,000 – production; $450 for 24 actors.
Profitable Gain: Tickets ($15 per ticket) $69,000
