The Prologue Campaign
Ensuring Taproot Theatre's Future Impact

The Prologue Campaign was launched in March, 2007 with the goal of raising $2.2 million toward four specific initiatives. To date the campaign has reached over one-half of its fundraising goal.

The four areas targeted by this campaign are:

I. Maintain sound & balanced annual budgets (2007 & 2008) - $1.1 million

It's critical that TTC steward its staff and financial resources. We also recognize the unique balance of earned and donated income necessary to keep TTC's programs affordable and excellent. In 2006 TTC's staff managed an annual budget of nearly $1.5 million, of which 64% of our budgeted expenses were earned from ticket sales, touring fees, class tuitions and other smaller sources. To balance the budget, 36% was received as donation from individuals and grants, totaling just over $516,000.

II. Retire the mortgage on the property - $600,000

Owning our theatre facility and the adjacent Eleanor Roosevelt Building (ERB) is highly unique among arts organizations. The mortgage contract mandates expensive repairs such as re-roofing the ERB ($100,000+), replacing the awnings and re-paving the parking lot. Since the ERB was acquired for expansion, a huge investment in the current building is poor stewardship of TTC's resources.

III. Expand our reserve funds - $250,000

In the years following 9/11 and the technology sector's decline, many businesses and non-profit organizations experiences lay-offs and even closures. Taproot Theatre Company, with a relatively small staff, considered lay-offs and cutting the values-based plays touring to schools. With hard work, prayers and the aid of its reserve fund, TTC weathered the storm with minimal cuts but exhausted the reserves.

IV. Establish a fund to explore expanding our facilities - $250,000

What Does Taproot Theatre Company's Future Hold?

With the support of friends like you, we aim to:

• Mentor emerging artists of faith, interns, playwrights, and new scripts through expanded performance, play development and apprentice programs.
• Impact young actors through the Acting Studio in the classroom and onstage with new programs offered on-site and in other cities.
• Be a community crossroads with comfortable lobbies and a future entry lounge for pre- and post-show relaxation and dialogue.
• Expand and improve our facilities through a 42,000 square-foot expansion of the ERB property. The architects' current drawings offer additional space for TTC's efforts, featuring a new 350-seat theatre, on-site rehearsal and education space, efficient administrative offices, design labs and classrooms surrounding a "hub" for creative interaction and community, and vastly improved scenic and costume facilities. By linking the two buildings for a facility exceeding 52,000 square-feet, we can more than double our audiences, be more efficient with our classes and rehearsals and be better stewards of actors, designers, technicians and directors.

Taproot Theatre Company's present facility has been a huge blessing to our work. This former adult movie house became a positive force in the Puget Sound region through its performance and educational programs since opening in 1996. But after 11 years of growth, we are nearing the limits of the facility's physical resources.

Present Challenges

• Need to use off-site locations for rehearsals and classes due to multiple programs running consecutively.
• Administrative offices occupy leased space to accommodate staff growth.
• The Scene Shop, which doubles as the theatre's backstage, cannot build scenery during the run of a show, creating scheduling and labor-cost issues during the brief turn around between plays.
• Inadequate public spaces for receptions and educational displays.

Initial Steps
In 2006 Taproot Theatre took some initial steps to study an expansion on the ERB property and:

• Met with the developer of Greenwood Town Center, a planned retail/residential development directly behind and to the west of the theatre.
• Obtained funding from 4Culture and the City of Seattle Office of Economic Development to conduct a feasibility study.
• Retained the services of renowned LMN Architects to conduct a feasibility study of expanding onto the adjacent ERB property.

Taking the First Steps

Taproot Theatre Company has been a daring nexus of art and faith, unique in the nation's theatre community. Our successes and trials have made us a strong contributor to the life of Seattle's church and cultural marketplace. The possibilities for growth are missional: we seek to better serve the region as professionally competent artists, informed by our faith, and equipped for world-class theatre. The Prologue Campaign provides financial stabilization while planning for greater art and service.

Help us reach our goal and secure Taproot Theatre's future by making a secure donation through PayPal today!

Taproot Theatre is a registered 501(c)3 corporation. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.