DATE: June 16, 2020
CONTACT: development@twusa.org
TheaterWorksUSA to Receive $10,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
[New York/NY]— National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved more than $84 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment’s second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2020. Included in this announcement is an Art Works award of $10,000 to TheaterWorksUSA for expanding theatrical experiences throughout the US and New Works Development. This is one of 1015 grants nationwide that the agency has approved in this category.
“These awards demonstrate the resilience of the arts in America, showcasing not only the creativity of their arts projects but the organizations’ agility in the face of a national health crisis,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “We celebrate organizations like TheaterWorksUSA for providing opportunities for learning and engagement through the arts in these times.”
“Now more than ever, TheaterWorksUSA strives not only to entertain but to create new works that encourage empathy, empowerment, and hope. We are proud to lead as an innovator and collaborator in the cultural and education sectors, promoting the relevant and impactful nature of Theater for Young and Family Audiences. The impetus for creating works like LONG WAY DOWN and BLOCKED were the organization’s desire to broaden our reach and deepen the scope of the work we present. While still continuing to develop shows for the very young like PETE THE CAT’S BIG HOLLYWOOD ADVENTURE, NEA support enables artists to explore topical material that speaks to and challenges audiences, and acts as a springboard for deeper discussions. We are grateful for the support of the NEA and their commitment to our mission of creating exceptional, transformative theatrical experiences that are accessible to young and family audiences in diverse communities throughout New York City and North America.”
-Barbara Pasternack, Artistic Director
National Endowment for the Arts support will be used to develop exciting new works that speak to children and families across generations. These works include LONG WAY DOWN, a musical with book by Tearrance Chisholm and music and lyrics by Justin Hicks based on the young adult novel of the same title by Jason Reynolds; BLOCKED, an original musical by Ben Wexler; and PETE THE CAT’S BIG HOLLYWOOD ADVENTURE, a musical by Sarah Hammond and Will Aronson with an original story adapted from books by Kimberly Dean and James Dean. TheaterWorksUSA programming is designed to not only address the disproportionate accessibility of art for young people across the country, but also to give rising generations a reason to look up and explore with optimism the full potential of their personal and communal identities.
For more information on this National Endowment for the Arts grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.
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TheaterWorksUSA has led the Theater for Young and Family Audiences movement in New York City and across North America for over half a century. Since 1961, the 501(c)3 not-for-profit has captured the imaginations of nearly 100 million new and veteran theatergoers with an award-winning repertoire of over 130 original plays and musicals. Recent programmatic highlights include: the Broadway production of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical; two New York Times Critics Picks, Dog Man: The Musical and The Pout-Pout Fish, which opened the New Victory Theater’s 2019-2020 season; and Warriors Don’t Cry, a co-production with The Bushnell Performing Arts Center that premiered in January 2020. A new virtual Academy for the performing arts was launched in May 2020. To learn more, visit www.TWUSA.org.