ITHACA, NY - The Hangar Theatre launched a community-wide fundraising effort on September 16 to “Keep the Hangar Soaring High!” as they make plans for a more stable and sustainable future.
The Hangar, a year-round performance venue operating in a unique theatrical space converted from a WPA-era airplane hangar (once an essential training ground for WWII pilots) located on the banks of beautiful Cayuga Lake since 1975, offers professional theatrical productions and education programs during an expansive and diverse summer season (June-August) and hosts local and national musical acts, community arts groups and events, and education programs during the remaining months of the year (September to May).
“Our 2022 summer season was incredibly successful from an artistic, educational, and production perspective” reflects Hangar’s Artistic Director Shirley Serotsky. “We produced 5 excellent Mainstage productions, 3 joyous KIDDSTUFF Theatre for Young Audiences shows, 3 thought-provoking Hangar Wedge FutureNow theatre workshops, and 21 inspiring week-long sessions of the Hangar’s Next Generation School of Theatre. We were able to produce indoors, accommodating audiences eager to be back inside, and outdoors, which increased accessibility for individuals and families, especially those with specific health needs. The new outdoor tent shielded us from the elements and provided a flexible and innovative space for our most buzz-worthy productions, several of which were regional or world premieres. The feedback we’ve received from audiences, some longtime supporters of the Hangar and others attending their first Hangar shows, has been enthusiastic and encouraging, with folks sharing their gratitude about having access to such high quality and resonant shows right in their collective backyards. But we also faced many of the same challenges that small businesses across the region have experienced: staffing shortages, skyrocketing inflation, and rising housing and travel costs. We continue to believe that access to the arts is an essential and urgent tool for strengthening community bonds, improving mental health, instigating important dialogues, and sparking joy and we are committed to finding more stable and sustainable ways of offering these transformative outcomes.”
The “Keep the Hangar Soaring High!” campaign asks supporters to commit to Hangar-specific giving levels in return for a variety of perks. $19.75 (to honor 1975, the year of the Hangar’s first production) gets your name on a seasonal donor lobby display; $243 (the Hangar has produced 243 Mainstage shows) gets your name or a chosen dedication on a Hangar-inspired airplane graphic displayed in the lobby. “We love the way our permanent wall of stars, from the Hangar’s 2010 “Hangar for all Seasons'' campaign, recognizes community members who have championed the Hangar over the years. We wanted to do this on a seasonal level as well,” Serotsky shared, “Though it’s also still possible (for a $3000 to $50,000 donation) to get a name or dedication on our wall of perpetual stars or to acquire a named Hangar theatre seat!”
All supporters of $49 or above also receive an exclusive, private link to view an excerpt of the musical performance by singer Julie Benko and pianist Jeff Theiss from last year’s fall benefit. Benko, who starred as Girl in the Hangar’s 2021 production of Once, then went on to have a newsworthy year as the much celebrated Fanny Brice standby in the Broadway musical Funny Girl. “Hangar audiences tell us time and again how much they appreciate the chance to see incredible rising talent in the Hangar’s intimate spaces. I cannot imagine a better example of this than Julie Benko. We knew she was a superstar when we worked with her; now the whole world knows!” The musical excerpt is an entertaining selection of songs compiled by Benko and Ithaca-area musical director Jeff Theiss, that can now be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home.
Hangar Theatre Board President Kristen Burt shares, “The Hangar has been delighting audiences with the highest quality of storytelling in Ithaca for 48 years. We have been training the next generation of storytellers right here in our community. On stage or off stage, when you have a chance to get your hands into the work, it changes how you see the world and how you engage with others. We enrich the community and also drive hospitality and tourism to the area, which benefits everyone. We help make Ithaca a great place to live and to visit!” Hangar Board Vice-President Bernadette Parr agrees, "The Hangar Theatre plays a critical role in the creative life of the Ithaca community. By sharing a range of stories, the Hangar Theatre expands our understanding of the world and the people in it. Our educational programs support families and youth development, give young people a voice, and help them see themselves in a broader context. This work is especially critical today. When [Hangar Board President] Kristen Burt asked Board members and staff recently to share 'Why the Hangar?' at our last meeting, I was struck by how consistently members talked about the Hangar bringing understanding, bridge building, conversation starting, and adding magic to their lives."
The Hangar Theatre is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization whose mission is to create and present performances of exceptional quality in New York’s Finger Lakes region while training the next generation of theatre artists. The Hangar aims to inspire the community with work and classes that enrich, entertain, and enlighten. The Hangar values opportunities for intergenerational theatre-going experiences and is committed to producing work that encourages meaningful conversation while expressing the joy and magic of creation to our younger audiences.
All proceeds raised by the “Keep the Hangar’s Soaring High!” campaign will help sustain the Hangar Theatre and its many programming streams and assure that this essential arts organization remains a strong and vital part of the Ithaca community. For more information or to give to the campaign, please visit: www.hangartheatre.org/soaring
