The Downeaster Theatre

Kathryn Willis

Owner of The Downeaster Theatre

Lansing MI | http://www.thedowneastertheatre.com

What does your business do?

We educate (primarily) youth through theatre in a family-friendly environment. Theatre teaches a wide variety of skills that can be applied at home, at school, and in their future workplace. We also entertain our community with performances that delight, but also challenge the audience member to think, to speak, to act.

How would you use the grant money?

It would go towards the purchase of our building.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?

Currently, we cannot operate since we do not have a space in which to do so. After seeing the mistakes of other theatres, we have realized the necessity of this step; it puts us at great risk to not purchase our own space which we can govern.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?

Every year we want to host an "Orphan's Thanksgiving" for those in the community who don't have somewhere else to go for whatever reason. It may not be related to theatre, but to a company that places great value on inclusiveness, this should not come as a surprise to the theatre community.

Leave a Note of Support