Awesome Theatre is raising money for 2026
We need your help to manifest Theatre Magic.
Hi Fends and mere mortals!
What does one do in the face of a world that feels like the upside down? Why you conjure an alternate reality escape where the power of theatre magic rules. Let Awesome Theatre be your circle of salt, the magic potion, a protective spell that keeps you sane.
This year, our protective fourth wall is HERE for you. The one catch is that THEATRE MAGIC, much like groceries, are not free. On the upside, you know what HASN’T succumb to inflation?: OUR BUDGET!!! We plan a meager increase to support new works in development and our re-animated Artist in Residence Program, but nothing a little craftiness can’t cover.
As a women led organization we assume some folks will wonder how we could have possibly survived these trying times. Call it witchcraft if you want, we call it “good accounting and smart partnership decisions”.
You probably have some practical magic questions. We’ll let Natalie take it from here. She freekin’ LOVES a good FAQ section because she gets to say “Well actually” and “Did you know” a lot without feeling pretentious. Continue reading for more on what we plan for 2026 and what we are lovingly referring to as our Season of the Witch.
Q: Uh … aren’t you like, always raising money?!
A: Much to our chagrin, yep. In live theater, ticket sales account for 33% of income for the average organization in the United States. That includes the major for profit houses, and small not for profits. Even movie theaters only make 50% of their budgets from what we call “BIS” (butts in seats). The rest is popcorn and corn syrup. Its a boom industry for corn, but not so much for creatives. The bar is a big helper for venues that have a liquor license – but it’s pretty hard to obtain one of those. If you DO get one, you’ve got to run a bar too! So, for small 501c3 not for profits like us, it’s all about grants. You’ve probably heard those are sparse lately. So small donors and wild ideas are our bread and butter. Lucky for us, we have a TON of weird ideas, and a gaggle or friends – or as we say “fends!”.
Q: Where will this money go?
A: It’s not going to the admin or team – like AT ALL currently, and that’s not sustainable. As much as we LOVE facilitating the arts, it’s a lot of work.
Specifically in 2025 the money went to artists and our space. Even though we are a non-profit, volunteer-run organization, we offer an expense stipend for our Actors, Directors, and Production Teams. Additionally, we have our amazing venue, Eclectic Box, who have, in a short time, become our new home away from home. They are also a not-for-profit. Supporting their residents (us!) supports them. So you can feel good knowing that this money is going into the pockets of local artists or a great independent venue run by swell people. If we can raise enough to cover all those costs first, then we will re-institute a small stipend for the leadership team this coming Spring.
Q: Seems like you’re having money troubles, what are you doing long-term to solve this?
A: We are actually still asking for LESS for 2026 despite some minor increases in program costs. Awesome Theatre has implemented a program that allows actors and designers to participate in both producing and budget outcomes. It went well for Terror-Rama 5 in 2024 and we implemented the format in 2025 with much success. The ongoing goal is to hit an average of 1/3 of the budget coming from the business of “BIS”. It previously hovered around 20%. This shift will mean that every show will have a co-op-like structure whose goal is to gradually destroy stubborn lines between back-of-house, front-of-house and administrative roles. In plain terms, everyone will have a real stake in ticket sales, and no one will reap those benefits or suffer the letdowns alone. It’s just too much pressure for a few unpaid administrators to hold alone. We think this is a win/win as we see artists continue to call for more transparency on budgetary decisions and more cultural acknowledgment around unpaid mental labor. If we win, we win together, not in a vacuum.
Additionally, we have been successfully pushing for a greener design approach forsaking impulse stress Amazon binges for redesigning existing materials in our scenic and costume design studio at Awesome HQ in Oakland. This has not only saved our org money, broadened artist’s skill sets, and helped avoid my mental breakdown over clutter, but also kept a lot of junk from the landfill.
So, don’t worry, we are both literally and figuratively cleaning the house.
Thanks in advance for helping facilitate that, because, as you might have guessed, Theatre Magic Isn’t Free.
GIVING LEVELS
Give whatever you want!
$25+: A crisp high-five and listing our “no hex” list
$50+: TOW Tickets to the NOT GALA Thursday 11/13/25
$100+: TWO Tickets to NOT GALA & TWO Mocktail Tickets
$150 +: TWO Tickets to NOT GALA, 2026 calendar poster, & Mocktail tickets
$250+ : TWO Tickets to NOT GALA, 2026 calendar poster, your choice of 2025 show posters, & Mocktail tickets
$500 +: TWO Tickets to NOT GALA. One ticket to the 2026 show of your choice. A 2026 calendar poster, your choice of 2025 show posters, Mocktail tickets and your choice of one other Awesome Swag option
$1000+: You must be a producer, ‘cause you’ve got swag! Get everything listed in the last tier + free entry badge to all 2026 main stage shows and a producer’s credit to brag about and clap for during our show credits.