California Shakespeare Theater

“And, after, every of this happy number that have endured shrewd days and nights with us shall share the good of our returnèd fortune.” —Duke Senior, Act 5, Scene 4 Overwhelming Support for a Place, and a Play—Get Your Tickets! Just one week ago, we put out a call for financial help to complete production and open Cal Shakes’ 50th Anniversary production of As You Like It. Your overwhelming response has not only met this funding goal but brought together over 700 donors and believers. And it has given us the momentum we need to start production, and open this play! Because of you, rehearsals will begin, scenes will be blocked, lights will be hung, costumes will be fitted, the set will be moved into place. Our resident raccoons, coyotes, hawks and bats will see more activity backstage than they have in the past two years! What’s Next? It’s time to get your tickets and spread the word! Join us under the stars for a beautiful show and a gathering of people who care about the arts and are doing something about it. People we know, and people we haven’t met yet, came together to make this happen in a matter of days. As a result of such incredible generosity, just under 100 artists and staff will continue the process of rehearsing and building out this production. We are so honored and excited to welcome you. Previews begin September 12th, and there’s a Gala Opening Night on Saturday, September 14th. Grab a blanket, come up and enjoy something from the café before the show, and let’s celebrate outdoor theater and the return of Shakespeare to the Cal Shakes stage! Get Your Tickets Now! https://lnkd.in/gVfDeNAV There's Still Time To Contribute! https://lnkd.in/g9eREyhf

The Scene Shop speaks — Keep Cal Shakes alive! ???? Please share this appeal as widely as you can, and help us bring this beautiful production to life. “As You Like It” is directed by Elizabeth Carter, with an entirely local team of cast and creatives. Help us close the gap: https://lnkd.in/g9eREyhf ? ? ? #CalShakes #Shakespeare #CalShakesAYLI #AsYouLikeIt #AtTheBruns #CalShakes50 #Zendaya #colemandomingo #annettebening #ArtsEducation #contracostacounty #alamedacounty #easybay #SF #calshakescritters

The Finances of Theater: Costs at Cal Shakes A fundraising goal only tells a part of the story. Where do those funds go? How do we decide how much to raise? And, how does timing come into play? Theater is always about the future. Everything we do is an act of hope toward that opening night. So what gets spent before then? Well, almost everything. As with any business, the bulk of the cost of a production is people, labor, skills. A typical Cal Shakes production costs a minimum of half a million dollars, often closer to $750K. As You Like It is clocking in at about $550K altogether. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gmZDeivF Donate Today: https://lnkd.in/g9eREyhf ? ? ? #CalShakes #Shakespeare #CalShakesAYLI #AsYouLikeIt #AtTheBruns #CalShakes50 #Zendaya #colemandomingo #annettebening #ArtsEducation #contracostacounty #alamedacounty #easybay #SF #calshakescritters

An Incredible Response, More to Do! Learn More on Our Webpage: https://lnkd.in/gmZDeivF Dear Cal Shakes Community, The public has responded to our request for aid to complete As You Like It with an outpouring of support unlike anything we’ve ever seen. In public and private contributions (from over 450 of you so far!), we have reached $244,874 of our $350,000 goal. We cannot say just yet that the show will go on, but because of this incredible progress we believe that it is within reach if we all pull together. And so we are extending our deadline to Monday, August 5th. We are hearing from so many of you that what Cal Shakes means to you goes far beyond any one show or performance. "Kids across the Bay Area desperately need this resource. Other theater companies across the Bay Area desperately need this resource. We all need resources like Cal Shakes to remind us what it means to be human and why it matters so damn much." - Augusta Thomson - Theater that Churns: Cal Shakes Must Live! Go Fund Me and private donations and pledges are coming in. The news outlets are telling our story. We believe that we can produce As You Like It in the Cal Shakes tradition, and set the stage for a beautiful future of performance in the hills. If you have given, thank you. If you can give, thank you. Please continue to spread the word so that we can accomplish this together by Monday, August 5th! "Fortune reigns in gifts of the world" Rosalind Act I scene 2 In Gratitude, The Cal Shakes Team PS: Some of you have expressed a desire to speak privately about contributions. If you would like to do so, please contact us directly here: [email protected]

The outpouring of support has been tremendous! With this momentum, we have decided to extended our campaign to August 5! Please stay tuned for an in depth message from our Cal Shakes team. In the meantime, please continue to uplift our campaign and donate today! Help us close the gap: https://lnkd.in/g9eREyhf ? ? ? #CalShakes #Shakespeare #CalShakesAYLI #AsYouLikeIt #AtTheBruns #CalShakes50 #Zendaya #colemandomingo #annettebening #ArtsEducation #contracostacounty #alamedacounty #easybay #SF #calshakescritters

Thanks to a generous outpouring of public support, we raised nearly 10% of our goal in a single day, but unfortunately we’re not out of the woods yet! Between our Go Fund Me and private donations and pledges, we are currently sitting at around $140,000—which is no small feat in less than a week! However, we are still fighting to reach our initial goal of $350,000 by tomorrow, August 1st in order to not only move forward with our 50th Anniversary production of As You Like It, but also to ensure that our staff are secure for the rest of the season. We cannot thank you enough for answering to our call for aid at this time, and we must continue to ask as we get down to the wire to determine whether this production can move forward. If you have given, thank you. If you can give, thank you. If you cannot give but can share, thank you. As the Duke Senior says in Act 2, Scene 7: “Thou seest we are not all alone unhappy. / This wide and universal theater / Presents more woeful pageants than the scene / Wherein we play in.” We are not the first theater to have struggled, nor shall we be the last, but with our community to rally behind us, we believe we can continue forward. Help us close the gap: https://lnkd.in/g9eREyhf ? ? ? #CalShakes #Shakespeare #CalShakesAYLI #AsYouLikeIt #AtTheBruns #CalShakes50 #Zendaya #colemandomingo #annettebening #ArtsEducation #contracostacounty #alamedacounty #easybay #SF #calshakescritters

Please take a moment to listen to this important appeal from the Chair of the California Shakespeare Theater Board of Directors, Rahul Gupta. A this time, between online donations and donor pledges, we have raised $114,000 as of today. We’d like to thank the over 250 individuals who have come to our aid thus far. Please join them today! “As You Like It” is directed by Elizabeth Carter, with an entirely local team of cast and creatives. Help us close the gap: https://lnkd.in/g9eREyhf ? ? ? #CalShakes?#Shakespeare?#CalShakesAYLI?#AsYouLikeIt?#AtTheBruns?#CalShakes50?#Zendaya?#colemandomingo?#annettebening?#ArtsEducation?#contracostacounty?#alamedacounty?#easybay?#SF?#calshakescritters

Meet the cast and creatives of Cal Shakes’ production of #AsYouLikeIt! Please support “This Wide and Universal Theatre” and help us get this amazing cast and creative crew on the Bruns Stage by sharing and contributing to our GoFundMe. We are hopeful that the needed funding goal will be swiftly met. Production is already well underway, with the set designed by Nina Ball already built and awaiting installation, and costumes by Maggie Whitaker being prepared for fittings. Rehearsals begin August 13. “As You Like It” is directed by Elizabeth Carter, with an entirely local team of cast and creatives. Help us close the gap: https://lnkd.in/g9eREyhf ? ? ? #CalShakes #Shakespeare #CalShakesAYLI #AsYouLikeIt #AtTheBruns #CalShakes50 #Zendaya #colemandomingo #annettebening #ArtsEducation #contracostacounty #alamedacounty #easybay #SF #calshakescritters

Permanent closure of California Shakespeare Theater is “definitely in the realm of possibility, sadly,” Worsley said. He explained that it would be very hard for the company to mount a comeback next summer if it cancels “As You Like It.” Even with the very short time frame to raise the money, Worsley and the rest of the company remain “hopeful” that its fundraising goal will be met. The theme of its campaign is “This Wide and Universal Theatre,” a phrase from a passage in “As You Like It.” Donate today: https://lnkd.in/g9eREyhf

"Everybody can help. No gift is too small, and no gift is too large," Executive Director, Clive Worsley on #KTVU "I think the community deserves [California Shakespeare Theater] to continue. What I really want is for this place to remain open for your kids' kids. That's what I want.” Please share this appeal as widely as you can, and help us bring this beautiful production, directed by Elizabeth Carter, to life! Donate today: https://gofund.me/a08663d1 ? ? ? #CalShakes #Shakespeare #CalShakesAYLI #AsYouLikeIt #AtTheBruns #CalShakes50 #Zendaya #colemandomingo #annettebening #ArtsEducation #contracostacounty #alamedacounty #easybay #SF #calshakescritters