G.E.T. Funding: AN ONLINE FUN(d)RAISER
Krampus!, December 2016
Support the Best New Theatre Company in Chicago*! Ghostlight Ensemble Theatre (G.E.T.) sheds light on the human experience and provokes communal connections beyond the edge of the stage.
As we gear up for our first full season of programing, Ghostlight is starting an independent fundraising drive because we like doing things our own way — we're scrappy like that. We aren’t using a typical fundraising website or platform, there’s no flashy slideshow, no celebrity spokesperson — this is it. We’re appealing directly to you from our basement in NorthCenter. But don't worry, like all those other fancy fundraisers, we've got a slew of cool, unique incentives— with a focus on experience-based rewards!
How Does This Even Work?
Between October 1 and December 31, 2017, you make a donation to our PayPal account. Once the donation has been made, you’ll receive a follow-up email from us with details of your donation level and instructions on how to claim your reward. Perks will be given out on an ongoing basis, with all items distributed by the end of our 2017-18 Season.
Plus, as mentioned above, Ghostlight Ensemble is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so any donation you give is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
What Your Contribution Goes Towards
Six Characters in Search of an Author, Spring 2017
We are producing three shows this season: Gingerbread Grindhouse in December, An Ideal Husband in the spring and The Princess Without Pots next summer. Costs to do this include:
- Paying our Artists! We believe artists should be compensated for the hard work they put into their creative efforts. Crazy. We know.
- Performance Space Rental
- Rehearsal Space Rental
- Design (Costumes, Lights, Props, Set)
- Administrative Costs (Rights, Insurance, etc.)
If you love numbers and have always been curious about how a theatre company is run, consider joining our Board of Directors. It's another great way to give to Ghostlight Ensemble.
But Why Aren’t You Doing a Kickstarter Like Everybody Else?
If the other kids jumped off a bridge, would you?
No, but joking aside, Kickstarter charges a 5 percent fee on projects that reach their goal. That’s 5 percent of the money you gave to support this company that instead goes to someone in Brooklyn. AND if we don’t reach our goal, we receive none of the money pledged.
What About Indiegogo, Then?
Indiegogo charges 4 percent in fees on the total amount of money we raise – IF we meet our goal. If we don’t meet that fundraising goal, then we’re charged 9 percent. That’s a lot of lost money for a company our size.
PLUS, on top of those fees, both sites charge credit card-processing and PayPal fees that can range from 3 to 5 percent. As Ghostlight is a registered 501(c)3, PayPal only charges us 2.5 percent, so mathematically speaking it seems best to cut out the middle man.
What you G.E.T.
We know the feel goods you get from supporting local artists only go so far. So here are some added perks for our donors:
- $15: G.E.T. LEVEL. An autographed poster from the Season 1 show of your choosing and our gratitude for all eternity…or until our next fundraiser, whichever comes first...and your name in lights (well, in our programs).
- $25: NUTS or POTS LEVEL: Join cast members and the director of our holiday show Gingerbread Grindhouse for cookies and cocoa before a show and find out about the holiday magic that brings murderous dolls to life. OR Join cast members and the director of our summer children’s show The Princess Without Pots for buñuelos before a show and find out exactly what it takes to fight like a girl.
Plus: A free pair of tickets to your choice of show above, as well as our gratitude for all eternity…or until our next fundraiser, whichever comes first...and your name in lights (a.k.a., in our programs).
- $50: GO WILDE LEVEL: Join cast members and the director of our spring show An Ideal Husband for tea and biscuits before a performance and receive an autographed poster from the show.
Plus: A free pair of tickets to two of our Season 1 shows, as well as our gratitude for all eternity…or until our next fundraiser, whichever comes first; your name in lights (read: programs); and a fancy Ghostlight Ensemble magnet to pin that program to your refrigerator and be the envy of all your friends.
- $100 or more: MURDER or MOVIE STAR LEVEL: Get killed on stage during Gingerbread Grindhouse (because nothing says the holidays like blood and guts – don’t worry you’ll get a clean Ghostlight T-shirt so you won’t have to wear your bloody shirt home) OR pick a movie for us to perform for our Live Reading Series** and join us for the rehearsal and performance process (don’t worry, you’ll get a fancy Ghostlight tote bag to carry your script around in).
Plus a season ticket to all our Season 1 Shows, as well as the eternal gratitude, name in lights, magnet, envy of all your friends, etc.
OR
- CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE! Ignore all these levels and instead opt to become a Character In Your Own Play! Our Ensemble playwrights will write a personalized play for you, starring you. The amount you donate, determines how long the play will be. The rate is $5 a page. There is no minimum page requirement.
We’ll be posting updates throughout our campaign and making some funny videos featuring cute cats and dogs...and possibly an otter that we may or may not have “borrowed” from the Shedd Aquarium. (It’s a really big basement.)
Please Note: You may certainly elect to remain anonymous and opt out of the physical manifestations of our eternal gratitude (i.e.: program special thanks). However, you will not be allowed to opt out of the place of eternal gratitude you will hold in our hearts.
Thanks for supporting live theatre in Chicago and particularly for supporting Ghostlight Ensemble Theatre. Let’s G.E.T. started!
*As chosen by The Chicago Reader’s readers in 2017.
**Ghostlight reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify suggestions that are deemed to be obscene, racist, derogatory, or similarly objectionable.
