SEATTLE, WA – The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation announced fourteen recipients of its annual Social Impact Theatre Grant Program.
Since 2011, the program has provided production support for theatres in Western states igniting positive changes in their communities through the programming they bring to life on stage and engaging their audiences around the critical issues at the forefront of the national discourse.
“We believe live theatre has the power to bring us together to learn, to challenge our perspectives, and to become more connected to our communities,” said Sheri Biller, Co-Founder and President of The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation.“These 14 productions are incredible examples of this kind of social impact theatre in action. These productions explore critical issues of our time and provide opportunities throughout their runs for audiences to meaningfully engage with the themes in the stories they see on stage.”
“What happens after the curtain comes down on our stage matters just as much to us as the show itself,” said Danny Feldman, Producing Artistic Director at the Pasadena Playhouse. “The gathering of patrons in our courtyard after the show, the conversation on the drive home, the community partner nights, the talkbacks. Those opportunities to make deeper connections to the art and to each other are the real gift that theater gives us.”
“Theatre cannot solve the world’s problems. But we hope that our work promotes empathy and understanding, encouraging us to work together to co-create the community we want to live in,” said Rodney Earl Jackson Jr., Artistic Director & Co-Founder of San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company. “With this support, we will continue to invest in the artists that help us celebrate our collective triumphs, grapple with our most pressing challenges, and confront our shared fears. After that, it’s on all of us to get to work.”
The productions receiving awards this year utilize the power of live theatre to honor humanity, build empathy, and move us closer to a more inclusive and connected society. These productions were also selected for their commitment to bringing different viewpoints together on challenging subjects, reaching new audiences, and partnering with organizations, community members, and subject matter experts to help amplify their production’s impact.
This year’s Social Impact Theatre Grant Program awardees include:
- Artists Repertory Theatre, “Eulogy, or How to Plan Your Own Funeral (and have fun doing it!)”
- Berkeley Repertory Theatre, “Meet the Cartozians”
- Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, “Liberation”
- Denver Center for the Performing Arts, “And So We Walked”
- Diversionary Theatre, “Take Me Out”
- Iama Theatre Company, “What We Leave Behind”
- Latino Theater Company, “Speaking in Tongues”
- Pasadena Playhouse, “Real Women Have Curves: The Musical”
- Perseverance Theatre, “Gaslight”
- Portland Playhouse, “Simply Simone, The Music of Nina Simone”
- San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company, “Every Saturday Night”
- Seattle Children’s Theatre, “I’ll Be Your Superhero”
- South Coast Repertory, “Blind Runner”
- Z Space Studio, “Wildfire”
The Social Impact Theatre Grant Program supports theatres throughout Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington State, with 501(c)(3) status, at least two years of operating history, and annual revenue of at least $1,000,000.
The next cycle will open in May 2027.
In addition to its Social Impact Theatre Grant Program, in 2024, the Foundation launched its Change Capital Grant Program to help theatres navigate the post-pandemic era and to support the broader live theatre sector. Designed as a cohort model, this grant program supported a small group of theatres along the West Cost that were in the process of piloting or implementing new business models. You can learn more about the program here and hear directly from cohort members on their projects here.
About The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation
Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026, The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation works to advance access to economic opportunity, the power of live theatre, and Supportive Cancer Care. Founded in 2001 by Sheri and Les Biller, the Foundation drives equitable change through direct grantmaking, advocacy, catalyzing new research and data, and convening stakeholders across sectors and across the United States. For more information, please visit The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation’s website at www.billerfamilyfoundation.org, or follow it on LinkedIn.