The Program | The Campaign | Summary | Message from the Co-Chairs

A Message From the Co-Chairs

Dear Friends;

As honorary Co-Chairs of the "Building on a Dream" campaign, we urge you to consider a gift to the West Virginia Public Theatre.

We both have been successful professional performers for 55 years. We have spent much of our lives in professional theatre, on Broadway and in hundreds of regional theatres all over the country. With this background and seniority, we feel competent to comment on the work produced by West Virginia Public Theatre.

We have appeared in its productions - both straight plays and musicals - in nearly every year of its existence. We have watched it flower from dream to reality, from sparsely-cast shows in a 400 seat canvas tent to superbly professional productions with full-sized casts and Broadway quality. We have watched its production team grow from a one-man operation to a dedicated board of directors and community-serving corporate sponsorship. we have seen the audience evolve into an impressive annual subscription base drawn from many states.

At a time when other professional regional theatres have suffered, declined, even stopped production, WVPT has remarkably - through its continuously improving quality - blossomed into an extraordinary theatre, where Broadway singers, actors, dancers, directors, and choreographers are proud to include its name on their resumes.

The charter of WVPT requires that school children be invited - at reduced prices or, when possible, free of charge - to witness live professional theatre. In most cases, these performances are the first such experiences for the youngsters. If you are not aware, thousands of young students have been bused to see shows every year for the past dozen years. This is obviously a boon to West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and other contiguous states.

What economic effect does WVPT have on the City of Morgantown? In the two summer months, mid-June to mid-August, $3,000,000 is regularly added to the local community income due to the presence of WVPT: hotels, restaurants, clothing and book stores, coffee shops, merchants, malls, supermarkets, etc. All benefit from the influx of theatrical personnel as well as the hundreds of audience tourists.

As to the proposed Wharf District complex, WVPT will certainly be an exciting and integral component. Not only will it serve the upscale clientele utilizing the new Radisson Hotel, but the new convenient parking will make an evening of dinner (at one of the new restaurants) and theatre an easy actuality. The hotel, restaurants and new boutique shops can all gain by the addition of the theatre. Economic benefits can thus be year-round, rather than confined to summer months.

We are very excited about these prospects. We believe in the capability of WVPT's leaders. We foresee much economic development stemming from this project, and believe that it should be done in a classy way, in keeping with the rest of the Wharf District plan.

We appreciate your support of the future of West Virginia Public Theatre, and thank you in advance.

Sincerely yours,

Bill Hayes
Susan Seaforth Hayes
Honorary Co-Chairs

The Program | The Campaign | Summary | Message from the Co-Chairs