Looking for light: Wayside director says fundraising is key to theater's survival

View larger image Warner Crocker, director of Wayside Theater, is challenged to balance the roles of fundraiser and director of small town theater in the midst of a recession. Rich Cooley/Daily Recommend This Print This Get E-mail News Alerts Buy Photos/Page Reprints * Breaking News If local news is breaking and you know about it: * Call Us: 800-296-5137 * E-mail Us * Upload Your Photos View larger image the exterior of the theater, on Main Street in Middletown, is shown. Rich Cooley/Daily

By Josette Keelor -- jkeelor@nvdaily.com

MIDDLETOWN -- Wayside Theatre in Middletown has seen its share of economic trouble over the last several years. From launching massive fundraising initiatives to using its actors' talents in dual roles as musicians, the theater has pulled out all the stops to keep the show going.

Now, with help from the community, Wayside's director hopes the worst is behind them. At the start of its 50th season, the theater has begun a long-intended endowment fund and also has welcomed generous contributions -- particularly the $100,000 donation from the Wilkins family of Winchester. The performance space has been named after James R. Wilkins as a result.

"We now recognize that there's a light at the end of the tunnel," said director Warner Crocker.

"These last several years have hit Wayside Theatre hard," he said. "Thanks to the good graces and the generosity of some individuals ... we were able to keep the doors open."
In its last fiscal year, which ended May 30, the theater's budget remained in the black, for the first time since the recession hit, Crocker said.

Though the news is good, he said it's also deceptive. The Wayside staff cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel yet, he said. But they know it's there.

Half of the theater's income goes straight to paying off loans, he said, partly remaining from renovations that were completed in 2008, and partly from the economic downturn.
After that, 40 percent of income goes to running the theater and 10 percent goes to an endowment fund, the interest on which Crocker hopes will foster future projects.

"And that [ratio] has been key to helping us survive," he said.

"We're very pleased that we're gradually chipping away at that debt," he said. "We obviously have a long, long way to go."

But Wayside also has plans to hasten its journey out of debt.

Through the Golden 50th Campaign, the theater's goal is to raise $500,000 in cash by the end of its 50th year on May 30, 2012.

"We're up to $325,000, which is great," Crocker said.

Part of the funds come from the Wilkins family's gift; another $50,000 was promised by Jim Stutzman Jr. if the theater can raise an equal amount through donations this summer, Crocker said.

Crocker thinks Wayside is up to the task, but he said it's not as easy as it used to be to raise funds.

"A big portion of our annual fundraising has always been a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts," he said. The state agency used to grant Wayside $50,000 annually, he said. Now it gives the theater half that.

"Everything's affected by the economy," Crocker said.

As important as the arts are to American culture, society and economy, he said, when pitted against other expenses like health care, the arts are going to suffer.

"We know when we're in a bad economy we're going to get cut," he said.

Equally challenging is that Wayside feels like an island unto itself.

"We're right there at the confluence of three jurisdictions," Crocker said -- the counties of Frederick, Warren, and Shenandoah. Only none claim Wayside as part of their funding, he said.

"And that's a problem in a nut that we've been trying to crack for years," he said. "We would love to be owned, if you will, by Frederick County."

"I think because of where we're located, because we're so small, we're really easy to overlook."

He sees it in the decreasing number of donations as well. Wayside used to count on 40 percent of its patrons as the swing group that might or might not choose to donate to the theater, he said. Now, only 40 percent of past donors are still possible donors. Of the other 60 percent, he said, half no longer are able to donate because of economic troubles; the other half have chosen to remove philanthropy from their monthly expenses for whatever reason -- "And are probably lost forever," Crocker said.

"It's a tricky situation," he said. "We've reduced what we're looking at to 40."

Still, despite everything, he watches for that light at the tunnel's end, like a beacon, while continued projects keep hopes afloat and on course.

"The great $50,000 challenge," he said is another. "Jim [Stutzman] Jr. has followed his father's footsteps very, very well."

Stutzman, who owns Jim Stutzman Chevrolet-Cadillac Co. in Winchester, responded to the Golden 50th Challenge, Crocker explained, in turn challenging other patrons of the arts to show Wayside the money.

"By Sept. 3 we have to raise $50,000," Crocker said. It might seem a daunting task with only a couple months left, but Crocker is optimistic.

In the past the theater has had support from as far away as Australia, Crocker said. Some people drive by and drop off $5 for the challenge; others promised $5,000 over the course of a two-year period or $50 a month for a year.

"We make it very easy for people to help us," he said. The $100,000 donation, he said, will benefit the theater over the course of four years.

In the past the theater has had smaller goals of $20,000 or $25,000, "and we met both of those," he said.

In the first two weeks of June the theater had raised $8,500 toward its $50,000 goal.
"So we're very excited about the prospects of this, going all summer long," he said.

But it's not all work and no play at Wayside this summer. Kicking off the 50th season, its current play, "Reunion: A Musical Epic in Miniature," continues until July 2.

Next, "The Nerd," a play by the late Larry Shue, runs from July 16 to Aug. 13.

"If you wanna come laugh, this is the play to come laugh," Crocker said, about a man who moves in with friends to pay back a debt. He's "the nerdiest, geekiest man you've ever met," Crocker said.

Then, "Steel Magnolias" runs Aug. 27-Sept. 14.

"We'll be pushing the great $50,000 challenge throughout that," Crocker said.

With a little help from its friends, the summer will be successful for Wayside on and off the stage.

"The arts historically have always been supported not only by ticket sales but also by patrons," he said. This goes back to the times of William Shakespeare, he said, when the royalty were patrons of the arts. Because of that, theater groups try their best to cater to the community.

"As soon as someone gives you money, you're beholden to them," Crocker said. "You have to keep the patrons happy."