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MORE THAN APPLAUSE
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Led by Equity member Pam Hyatt, the company of Chemainus Theatre Festival's production of "My Fair Lady" raised an astonishing $15,000 with two weeks of curtain speeches and collections during the last two weeks of their run. "We're absolutely thrilled by the tremendous effort from every member of the "My Fair Lady" company and the terrific cooperation they received from Chemainus Theatre Festival management" says Actors' Fund Executive Director David Hope. "The money they have raised is enough to help the Fund buy a month's worth of groceries for thirty fellow artists and their families who are struggling through financial hardship."
The collection at the sold-out 274-seat Vancouver Island venue kicked off the Actors' Fund's 2006 More Than Applause fundraising campaign. Key elements of last year's campaign, which raised $75,000 during the week of October 17-24, included curtain speeches and audience collections at theatres, the "Wonderland Challenge" fundraising competition on film & TV sets, and the Toronto More Than Applause Gala.
This year's fourth annual drive has expanded from its traditional one week block in October to encompass the entire theatre season. "We found that many theatres would like to have participated in the curtain speeches and audience collections during last fall's campaign, but were hampered by the fact that it only ran for one week. This year we're introducing much more flexibility: dates for the theatre campaign will vary by region and can be anytime through the fall/winter season" reported the Executive Director.
Coordinated by the Fund's National Advisory Board members in the B.C.-Yukon, Alberta-Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Eastern Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic regions, campaign activities will be tailored to what works best for the theatre companies and casts involved. Says Hope: "My Fair Lady" at Chemainus sets a great example: even the smallest companies can participate in More Than Applause. All you need is enthusiasm and an audience that's willing to give." More Than Applause is an evolution of the popular "Equity Fights AIDS" drive, run successfully for many years in the Canadian theatre community.
While HIV/AIDS relief for entertainment industry workers remains a priority for the Fund, More Than Applause highlights the Fund's broader mandate of providing financial aid to help entertainment professionals bounce back from every type of serious illness, injury or financial crisis. Also launched in 2006, the Share Your Gift incentive encourages donations in lieu of opening night gifts in Canadian theatres. Look for posters and donation card packages to be displayed on theatre callboards across the country.
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Cast and Crew from My Fair Lady
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©2010 The Actors' Fund of Canada - 1000 Yonge Street, Suite 301 Toronto, ON M4W 2K2
contact@actorsfund.ca / Tel: 416.975.0304 / Toll-Free: 1.877.399.8392 / Fax: 416.975.0306
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