FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2014
Media Contact: Steven Box, Director of Marketing and Communications
The Human Race Theatre Company
126 North Main Street, Suite 300
Dayton, OH 45402
(937) 461-3823 ext. 3112
steven@humanracetheatre.org
THE HUMAN RACE RISES TO MEET CHALLENGES
Regional Professional Theatre Company to Partner with The Dayton Foundation to
Develop New Business Model to Address Funding Needs
(Dayton, OH) — Last week, Dayton’s premier professional theatre company, The Human Race,
launched its 28th season. As with every season, the local arts organization pins a lot of hope on a lineup of
both well-known and unknown titles, programming that has been the company’s trademark. But the
current season is different. Like numerous arts organizations across the country, the company is now
facing significant financial challenges.
“Each season, it gets harder and harder to balance the budget,” says Human Race Producing Artistic
Director Kevin Moore. “With the decline in recent years of general operating support and rising
production costs, more pressure is put on ticket sales. Unfortunately, a number of artistic successes last
season were not box office successes. New works and unknown titles have not sold as well as ‘Broadway
blockbusters.’” The weak year-end put the company in a serious cash flow situation.
Now, in an attempt to break the pattern, The Human Race has turned to The Dayton Foundation for
assistance. An anonymous fund of The Dayton Foundation will make it possible to connect Human Race
board of trustees, staff, and community leaders with Strategic Leadership Associates, a team of
specialized consultants, to help create a Sustainability and Reorganization Plan for success in the
future. “We anticipate the plan to take six months to complete,” says Moore, “and we will update our
supporters on our progress.”
The company has already engaged a new finance team and made some difficult cuts in its current
operating budget by reducing administrative, production and marketing expenses. One significant cut is
the postponement of the February 2015 “Loft Extra” production of Buyer & Cellar, with plans to mount
it during a future season.
The Human Race has taken measures to ensure other productions and programs remain intact, and created
an online giving campaign on the crowdfunding website GoGetFunding.com. That campaign, aimed to
help fund the 2014-2015 Loft Season, has brought in over $42,000 as of September 10. Additionally, a
handful of donors have pledged to match up to $100,000 of new contributions made by October 15 to
The Human Race’s “Don’t Let Our Lights Go Out” online campaign. “Any size gift matters,” Moore
stresses to prospective donors, “from one dollar on up. And the match will double your support.”
Donors can contribute and receive more information about The Human Race Theatre Company’s “Don’t
Let Our Lights Go Out” campaign online at: http://gogetfunding.com/project/don-t-let-our-lights-goout
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The Human Race Theatre Company was founded in 1986 and moved into the Metropolitan Arts
Center in 1991, taking up residence at the 212-seat Loft Theatre. In addition to the Eichelberger
Loft Season, The Human Race produces for the Victoria Theatre’s Broadway Series, the Musical
Theatre Workshop series, and special event programming. The Human Race, under the direction
of Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore and Executive Producer Tara Lail, also maintains
education and outreach programs for children, teens and adults, as well as artist residencies in
area schools, The Muse Machine In-School Tour, and summer youth programs. Human Race
organizational support is provided by Culture Works, the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural
District, the Shubert Foundation, the Erma R. Catterton Trust Fund, the Jesse & Caryl Philips
Foundation Fund for the Development of New Works, the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation and
the Ohio Arts Council, which helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage
economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The 20142015 season sponsor is the Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation of the Dayton
Foundation, with additional support from Jim and Enid Goubeaux, the Sam Levin Foundation,
Premier Health and Morris Home Furnishings.
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