The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation’s Theatre Enrichment grant program supports theatre that grapples with the complex issues of contemporary society, and inspires audience members to engage in their communities. The program’s 2017, cycle 1 grantees will stage productions that do just that:

• Book-It Repertory Theatre (Seattle ,WA), I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
• Broadway Center for the Performing Arts (Tacoma, WA), Thurgood
• Perseverance Theatre (Douglas, AK), William, Inc.
• Portland Center Stage (Portland, OR), And So We Walked
• The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (Beverly Hills, CA), Turn Me Loose: A full-length play for stage from the works of Dick Gregory
• Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum (Topanga, CA), Animal Farm

Just this year, the Foundation expanded its geographic reach to include Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington; this cycle’s grant recipients showcase the diversity of cultures and communities that exist throughout these four states. Additionally, grantees pair exemplary theatre with auxiliary events that encourage audience members to become active participants. Events include a Native Alaskan art exhibition curated in a theatre lobby, post-performance intergenerational writing workshops that connect teens with seniors, a pre-performance lecture around the civil rights movement given by university faculty, and many more.

The Foundation’s next Theatre Enrichment grant program cycle will begin in July. The program supports organizations with 501(c)(3) status, at least two years of operating history, and annual revenue of at least $750,000. Grant funds can cover artistic, production, and overhead expenses. Theatre Enrichment grant opportunities are offered in two cycles each year; organizations may apply in both cycles. Organizations cannot receive more than one grant per calendar year, nor can they apply while in an active funding relationship with the Foundation.