Miracle Theatre donates $150,515.03 to a Prince George charity.
Article Credit: Hanna Petersen, Prince George Matters
The Birds and the Bees exceeds Miracle Theatre’s donation goal by $40,000
Miracle Theatre, the production company that raises money for local charities, has just made its 'biggest donation ever.'
Its The Birds and The Bees production created quite the buzz earlier this year, raising $106,265.04 for The Children of Prince George Fund.
“It means a lot to us it’s now that Miracle Theatre’s efforts have been especially fruitful," says producer Anne Laughlin in a release.
"With the present health crisis, there are some hard times ahead. We know the funds will be put to good use by local charities helping children in need."
The fund, which is under the trusteeship of the Prince George Community Foundation (PGCF), is for children dealing with serious difficulties such as food, health, neglect and abuse.
The PGCF asked Miracle Theatre to establish the endowment in 2019 by donating last year’s production of Halfway There and resulted in a donation of $84,036.45.
Price and Laughlin decided to also donate this year’s production of The Birds and The Bees to the PGCF with the goal of increasing the Children’s Fund to at least $150,000.
“We felt that goal was achievable but never dared hope to exceed it by over $40,000," said Ted Price, Miracle Theatre director and production designer.
"With every production, it comes home to us what a remarkably supportive and generous town this is."
Both Laughlin and Price attribute the success of the project to several additional factors, believing the script and cast were especially strong this year with The Birds and The Bees being extended twice for a total of 28 performances.
In 2017, the long-time theatre professionals were hired by Victoria Playhouse on Prince Edward Island to direct and stage-manage the same play.
”We had already ‘field tested’ the script and were sure it would speak to our Prince George audiences,” says Price.
“And for our production we made the extra investment of hiring from all across Canada to put together the strongest cast we could find.”
Laughlin and Price also give a lot of credit to the theatre’s team of Prince George volunteers.
Although all of the performing arts have a volunteer component they believe it is rare to get people as capable and committed as those who have rallied around Miracle Theatre.
“These people are exceptional,” says Laughlin.
“It’s uncanny how many of them could have made a career of what they do for us if they had wanted to.”
Since 2016, Miracle Theatre has donated a total of $334,669 to Prince George Charities including the PGCF and The Children of Prince George Fund, northern B.C.’s Breast Cancer Clinic, Salvation Army Food Bank and United Way.
Price and Laughlin say they're currently planning their next production.
Article Credit: Prince George Daily News
Photo Credit: Bill Phillips
Prince George’s Miracle Theatre will be returning in the spring and, for the second year in a row, the Community Foundation’s The Children of Prince George Fund will be the beneficiary of all the proceeds.
It’s the fifth production for the Miracle Theatre, created by Anne Laughlin and Ted Price.
“Halfway There was our last play and it started The Children of Prince George Fund under the trusteeship of the foundation,” said Price. “The idea of starting an endowment fund to help children in need was something we could instantly get behind. But more importantly, our audiences were eager to get behind it as well.”
Halfway There raised a record $84,000 for the new fund and the goal this year is to raise $71,298.
"Meeting this goal would mean that over four years and two months, Miracle Theatre’s donations to our city’s non-profits will reach $300,000,” said Price. “That is such a nice number to hit. In addition that goal will also allow The Children of Prince George Fund to achieve critical mass. That goal will allow the fund to grow to over $150,000.”
Miracle Theatre has secured the rights to Mark Crawford’s The Birds and The Bees.
The Birds and The Bees will run from Feb. 12 to March 4.
Tickets are $34, at Books and Company – available in person or by phone.
The play will be produced by Laughlin and directed and designed by Price. In addition a large group of supporters contribute to each production in such areas as carpentry, costumes, painting, promotion, lighting, sound, and front of house.
The production, with actors recruited nationally, is being cast and contracted with the co-operation of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.
Miracle Theatre donates over $84,000 to the Prince George Community Foundation "Children of Prince George" fund.
From The Prince George Citizen:
Miracle Theatre donated $50,225.95, the proceeds from the March production of The Fabulous Lipitones to the United Way on Tuesday. Left to right, Roberta Squire, CEO United Way of Northern BC, Anne Laughlin, Miricle Theatre producer, Ted Price, Miracle Theatre director and Margaret Jone-Bricker, United Way of Northern B.C. board member. The United Way will distribute the funds to local organizations aiding the city's most vulnerable people.
© Copyright 2018 Prince George Citizen
BY BILL PHILLIPS - PG Daily News
The Fabulous Lipitones left a lot of laughs in town during its three-week run at Artspace.
But it also left some loot.
And that loot is going to the United Way of Northern B.C. The Miracle Theatre production chose the charity as this year’s recipients of proceeds from the play. On Monday, Miracle Theatre’s Anne Laughlin and Ted Price announced $50,225.95 was raised and that they are extremely pleased with the community’s reaction to the play about a barbershop quartet that finds a very unlikely fourth member in time for the championships.
“We’re thrilled with how willing people have been to attend and contribute,” said Laughlin. “We’ve done a lot of fundraising and a lot of theatre over the years, but this is such a winning combination. It’s worked for three winters in a row and people are already asking for more.”
This week’s donation means that over the past 28 months, Miracle Theatre has generated $144,663 for local charities. Last year Miracle Theatre’s production of The Last Romance raised $52,144 for local cancer clinic equipment and the year before Miracle on South Division Street raised $42,294 for children’s programs as the Salvation Army and 27 Million Voices.
“Audience reaction was even more than we hoped for,” said Price. “We wanted people to have a great night out and they certainly did. But we also wanted to give them something worthwhile to ponder. We got both in spades with this play being so full of laughter while the story showed the power of having a generous spirt and standing up for the right thing.”
Laughlin and Price say gross revenues for the production were $98,912.51, with $48,686.56 in costs, leaving the net proceeds at just over $50,000.
“It’s been an honour to work with Ted and Anne,” said Roberta Squire, United Way of Northern B.C. CEO.
Laughlin and Price attribute much of the continuing success of Miracle Theatre to the growing volunteer force that pitches in to help put on the production. They say the group are the most capable volunteers they have encountered in their careers.
“We have some people who just want to help out with work day activities, but we have just as many who could have succeeded in the profession as scenic carpenters, or costumers, or technicians, or administrators,” said Laughlin. “We have never had to many ready, willing, and especially capable volunteers step forward to work with us.”
Will they be back at it again next year?
“We, we certainly will,” said Price. “But we’ve been hired by a theatre on Prince Edward Island to do a production this summer and also have some other plans, so it won’t be before next winter or spring.”
Laughlin said the toughest part of it all is choosing which charity to donate the proceeds to.
“There are so many worthy organizations in Prince George,” she said. “Ted and I are very encouraged that so many people feel the same way while also agreeing that coming to a theatre production is such an enjoyable way to support them.”
Seems the Fabulous Lipitones are in demand! Miracle Theatre is delighted that their current theatre production The Fabulous Lipitones is being enjoyed by so many that performances are being extended. So as not to disappoint theatre goers who have not yet had a chance to catch this fun, fundraising comedy, additional performances will take place.
“Once we had the first couple of performances of The Fabulous Lipitones under our belt, we had many early attenders spreading the word about how much fun they had. That has resulted in very high attendance this past week,” stated producer Anne Laughlin. We always hope there will be such demand for tickets that we can add performances to increase the fundraising results,” added director, Ted Price.
Given the rate of sales for this week, Miracle Theatre is adding performances for Wednesday March 21st to Sunday the 25th inclusive. Performances are at 8:00 except Sunday March 25, which is a 2:00 matinee. “The two previous Sunday Matinees were the first to sell out so we know there are still many who want those afternoon performances.” explained Laughlin.
Once again ArtSpace, above Books and Company, has been transformed into a theatre, complete with tiered rows of seating and a professionally designed stage set. Miracle Theatre casts its actors from across Canada.
This is the third Miracle Theatre production which has been donated to local non-profit organizations. The two previous shows have raised over $94,000 for local charities. With United Way being this year's beneficiary the fundraising goal is $60,000. The play is laugh filled and uplifting theatre and is raising funds for those organizations who, with the financial support of United Way, assist Prince George’s most vulnerable people.
Tickets are $32 and available at Books & Company 1685 3rd Avenue or by calling 563-6637.
Today, Ted Price and Anne Laughlin are excited to announce that their third fundraising theatre production will run from March 2nd to March 18th, 2018. It's a professional production of The Fabulous Lipitones to support those who, under the aegis of the United way, are tackling poverty in our community. These are the organizations who are helping to provide the necessities for Prince George’s most vulnerable people.
Their goal for this production is to raise $60,000 while providing Prince George with a great deal of fun and pleasure, in the form of at least 18 evenings and afternoons of professional theatre. Performances will run every night at ArtSpace above Books and Company, except Mondays. There will also be Sunday matinees.
As before, Ted, Anne and their wonderful supporters and volunteers will transform ArtSpace into a theatre with a thrust stage, a full set, and the installation of tiered rows for all of the chairs. This will provide everyone with a clear view of the performance.
About the Production
The Fabulous Lipitones is an uplifting comedy by John Markus, winner of both the Emmy and Peabody Awards, and Mark St. Germain, winner of the Outer Critics Circle Award and the Lucille Lortel Award for outstanding playwriting.
The Fabulous Lipitones is about four middle-aged “wannabe stars” who have the big dream of winning the Grand Barber Shop Quartet Championships. But in the middle of the semi-finals, their leader keels over trying to reach a note too far. Can they possibly find and rehearse a replacement with the Championships only weeks away? Is this the end of their dream?
While on the phone to the service station about their car trouble, they happen to overhear the marvellous singing of the service station’s newest mechanic in the background. Little do the Lipitones know that what they think they are hearing is something and someone entirely different than what they imagine.
The new recruit is brought right over for a try-out. And that’s where the fun, and surprises, really begin. And never end!
Cast
To assemble the cast for this unique play, Ted and Anne have been fielding applications and talking to actors, directors and agents from Milton Newfoundland to Victoria, BC. They expect to announce the casting within the next few weeks.
Tickets
Tickets are $32 and are available at Books and Company - in person or by phone (250) 563-6637
Acknowledgements
Ted and Anne would like to acknowledge the generosity of Books and Company and Owen Lubbers for donating ArtSpace for this special fundraiser.
In addition, a platoon of over 50 local volunteers and supporters, ranging from ticket takers to journeymen carpenters, are standing by to bring this play to the stage for Prince George.
Sponsorship
There is a reasonably priced sponsorship program available to support this production. The United Way or Miracle Theatre would be pleased to hear from any business who would like to enjoy the wide range of promotional and corporate benefits, while also supporting this worthy cause. In addition, there is a program for individuals and families to participate as official patrons of the project.
For more information, contact Ted and Anne, or Roberta Squire at The United Way of Northern B.C.
Prince George, B.C. – Miracle Theatre production The Last Romance has raised over $52,000 in the local fight against breast cancer.
Producer Anne Laughlin and director and designer Ted Price donated the money to Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation today to go towards Prince George’s new Breast Imaging Centre. The $500,000 centre is due to open this fall.
The comedy, featuring well-known actor Billy Vickers, was such a hit it was held over last month.
“We hired some of our favourite actors from across Canada so we were sure audiences would enjoy the performances,” Price said. “And the script has such an appealing story, but audiences were even more enthusiastic than we ever dared hope.”
Miracle Theatre’s previous production, Miracle On South Division Street, raised $42,000 for children’s programs at the Salvation Army Food Bank and 27 Million Voices last year.
Laughlin, who was inspired by her own bout with blood cancer, says they plan to donate their services again in the future.
Article originally posted to 250News - April 10, 2017
'A Barrow of Bucks' Raised to Fight Cancer
by Greg Fry
Here's Producer Anne Laughlin and Director Ted Price outside of the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation offices. They extend a big thank you to Prince George for making "The Last Romance" fundraiser for the new Breast Cancer Clinic such a success.
Ted and Anne look forward to releasing the total amount raised! Stay tuned here for updates.
Originally posted to Miracle Theatre of Prince George's Facebook page, March 23, 2017.
A Prince George, B.C. theatre company hopes to raise $50,000 for equipment for a new breast health clinic in the city from its performance of the Joe DiPietro play The Last Romance.
It's a very personal cause for producer Anne Laughlin.
"I was diagnosed with a blood cancer in August of 2014 and I was taken care of so well," she told Radio West host Audrey McKinnon. "I thought that I could pay it back a little bit to the community."
A previous fundraiser Miracle Theatre organized raised $42,000 for a local food bank.
Director and set designer Ted Price says it isn't easy or cheap putting together their productions, but others in the community have volunteered and donated to make it all possible.
"It's hard to find somebody who hasn't had [cancer] touch their family or circle of friends," he said. "There's more than half a dozen in our circle, and indeed, one of them even died five or six weeks ago."
Miracle Theatre has already raised $24,000 between ticket sales, private donations concessions and raffle tickets.
The Last Romance will be at ArtSpace in Prince George every evening except Mondays until March 5.
Posted to CBC website, www.cbc.ca, on February 26, 2017
With files from CBC Radio One's Radio West
To hear the full story, click the audio labelled:
Prince George theatre company fundraising $50k for new cancer centre
Prince George, B.C. – A holiday season Christmas comedy has raised $40,242.07 for two local charities.
Produced by Anne Laughlin and directed and designed by Ted Price, all net earnings from “Miracle on South Division Street” will be shared by the Prince George Salvation Army and 27 Million Voices.
The production was a donation to the children’s programs run by both organizations.
Both were extremely pleased with the results. “This is just another example of the way Prince George steps up to the plate,” said Laughlin.
She adds they already have plans to donate another production to the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation to help fund cancer treatment.
Article originally posted to 250News on January 6, 2016
Christmas Comedy Raises $40K for Charity
by Greg Fry
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