EIN: 23-7311352
Mission Statement
For over 50 years, Encore Stage & Studio has provided hundreds of thousands of young people the opportunity to grow and discover themselves through theatre: onstage, backstage, in the classroom, and in the audience. Our mission is to inspire young people to develop the creativity, empathy and confidence they need to create meaningful connections with peers and positively impact their communities.
Program Summary
Encore’s story is rich with successes on the stage as we serve over 15,000 children and their families each season. We are Northern Virginia’s premier children’s theatre and have been recognized nationally and locally as a leader in the non-profit field. Since our founding in 1967, we have produced more than 250 plays and musicals with newly commissioned works in each of the past eight seasons. Importantly, there are no fees to participate in a production as a cast or crew member.
Our Flip the Script program premiered in 2019 as a major artistic and community-building endeavor, highlighting African-American voices with The Day Nothing Happened, a student-devised production project about the integration of the first school in Virginia. Students conducted first-person interviews and archival research before writing the full-length play. In 2022, we filmed an adaptation for younger students and the program continued with a new script focused on the Green Valley neighborhood in South Arlington in the spring of 2023. We were recently awarded a National Endowment for the Arts grant to produce a third original play in this series in 2024/2025.
Additionally, we offer a vibrant array of theatre arts educational opportunities for artistic expression and growth in a safe and nurturing environment. In 2023, two thousand students participated in classes, summer camps and after-school programs, including partnerships with affordable housing nonprofits and Title I schools.
In 2020, our Board of Directors approved a new strategic plan to build on successes, connect us to more youth and deepen our commitment to our community. We are proud that we successfully navigated the many challenges of COVID and have seen significant growth and new opportunities in the last two years. In the fall of 2024, we will launch a new strategic planning process which will be our roadmap for continued growth.
Impact Statement
Children are at the heart of our mission and we believe they have a vital role to play in the larger artistic community. We desire to provide our students with challenging, creative experiences. Our productions are affordable and wholesome. We provide the first theatre experience for thousands of kids who see peers onstage and envision themselves there. Our multi-age structure encourages mentoring and role modeling with participants not available in most schools. Our work is essential to the social, emotional, and mental well-being of children.
What ways can the public get involved?
We hope the community will support Encore by attending performances, participating in our educational programming and connecting us to potential partners. We are actively seeking volunteers with skills in the following areas: human resources, development, finance and non-profit management.
How are charitable dollars spent? Where does my donation go?
Information provided March 2024