Theater News

Palace Theater, Hennepin Theatre Trust, and More Receive Broadway League Grants

Ten organizations have been selected for National Education and Community Engagement Grants.

Jillian Mueller (Baby) and Samuel Pergande (Johnny) in the North American tour of Dirty Dancing.
Jillian Mueller (Baby) and Samuel Pergande (Johnny) in the North American tour of Dirty Dancing.
(© Matthew Murphy)

The Broadway League has announced the recipients of its 19th annual National Education and Community Engagement Grants. Each of the 10 selected organizations will receive grants of $5,000 to bolster programming associated with touring Broadway productions. This year The Broadway League is adding four $2,500 grants to support further audience engagement.

The National Education and Community Engagement Grants aim is to "support inspired and inventive programs for a wide range of participants to experience and understand Broadway performances as a form of artistic expression and a powerful educational tool." In addition to the National Education and Community Engagement Grants program, the League also administers similar grants for programs affiliated with Broadway productions in New York City each year.

"We tip our hats to the performing arts centers across the country, and to their commitment to provide arts-based learning experiences for future Broadway professionals and audiences," said Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League, in a statement. "These programs successfully continue to help students become historians, critical thinkers, ambassadors, and lovers of the Broadway mission and legacy."

Recipients of this year's grants include The Denver Center for the Performing Arts in Denver; Des Moines Performing Arts in Des Moines, Iowa; Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; The Peace Center for the Performing Arts in Greenville, South Carolina; Clowes Memorial Hall in Indianapolis; Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville; Rochester Broadway Theatre League in Rochester, New York; Arts Center and Theatre of Schenectady, Inc. in Schenectady, New York; Palace Theater in Waterbury, Connecticut; The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. in West Palm Beach, Florida; Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, Wisconsin; Hennepin Theatre Trust in Minneapolis; Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Florida; and Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida.

Touring Broadway shows represented in this year’s grant recipient list include: Dirty Dancing, Jersey Boys, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Kinky Boots, The Lion King, Motown, Newsies, Once, Pippin, and Cinderella.