The theatre industry is facing a reckoning. The artists and technicians who create theatre are rightfully searching for more of a balance in life and work, and more equitable and diverse workplaces that put the experiences of their employees at the forefront. Where the people who create the work are treated with respect and are valued as people, and not expected to sacrifice their well-being for the sake of the work. We can’t fix everything all at once, but we know the time for small, incremental change is long passed.

The Peterborough Players is committed to making the changes necessary to improve the lives of the artists and technicians who create the theatre we love.

• We have hired a full-time Production Manager dedicated to this cause with years of experience (make sure to play the video above with the message from her!)
• We have redesigned the schedule to reduce staff and intern work hours by 7-15 hours PER WEEK.
• We have eliminated the inhumane and unproductive “10 out of 12”, a type of work day that usually means staff and interns work way more than 12 hours in a single day, and we are doing it WITHOUT reducing rehearsal or tech hours.
• We are doing all of this while ALSO raising staff and intern salaries 15%-40%. 

We can improve a lot through planning and efficiency, but it also takes money to accomplish these goals. Audiences haven’t returned to their pre-covid levels, and federal funds have dried up, leaving theatres to shoulder the added expenses of keeping our workers safe from covid, in addition to the continued rising costs for all materials and services. Many theatre supporters and donors have little knowledge of how much money theatres spend unrelated to the work they produce and are shocked when they learn of it.

In response to all of this, we are establishing a Production Fund in which all donations can only be used for the work we produce on stage and the artists and technicians who create the work. It can’t be used to pay Administrative salaries, or for landscaping, or for anything outside of Production.

We are launching the Production Fund with this peer-to-peer fundraising campaign to not only raise the money we need to accomplish our goals, but to send a message to organizations around the country - We can make the changes necessary to make theatre a more sustainable, accessible career.

Just like a grassroots political campaign, a lot of small donations can make a huge difference. So please join us to help us hit our fundraising goal of $20,000 by February 28th.Click the REGISTER button to set up your fundraising page in minutes. Write a brief story about why you want to help us reach this goal, and share with your friends to get donations. You can easily record a brief video, too, which is VERY helpful when raising money.

Whether or not you can help us raise money, please consider making a tax deductible donation of whatever you can afford. Whether that is $500 or $5, every dollar counts. Also, please SHARE this fundraiser with other theatre and arts supporters you know. Together, we can help change the industry for the better.