Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here. First Stage, one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families, demonstrated resiliency and creativity during the 2020/21 season, the year everything changed and turned upside down. Like arts and cultural groups across the country, First Stage had to stop live in-person performances and look for new ways to engage audiences, students and families. Through Our Lens – A Virtual Season of Plays In reflecting on the 2020/21 season First Stage Artistic Director Jeff Frank shared: “In the face of all of the challenges to the process of creation this past year, the First Stage staff, alongside artists from around the country, found new and powerful ways to connect with our audiences. Among the highlights at First Stage was the world premiere web series THE QUEST FOR SOLOMON’S TREASURE, written by John Maclay and directed by Theater Academy alum and Hollywood actor Jeremy Tardy. This virtual production treated audiences to a high-stakes mystery/adventure that traveled virtually around Milwaukee. The show was highlighted at a national level during a Theatre for Young Audiences USA (TYA/USA) seminar exploring new work in the digital realm and was subsequently invited to be part of the Digital Showcase at the TYA/USA annual conference.” Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing! Frank continued, “During ESCAPE FROM PELIGRO ISLAND, which was on view at the beginning of the year, audiences used their phones to vote live on the choices of the young hero as they journeyed through a virtual adventure. I am still in awe of our actors, designers and staff who were prepared for any one of over 1,000 potential combinations of choices. Most recently, First Stage launched Amplify – First Stage’s BIPOC Virtual Short Play Series, lifting the voices of playwrights who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color, expanding First Stage’s commitment to new play development and our mission to ensure that the stories we tell and the tellers of those tales reflect the wonder and complexity of our community. Our award-winning Young Company continued their legacy of excellence with a virtual production of TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA and a radio play version of THE CRUCIBLE.” In summarizing, Frank added: “At a time when we were faced with some of our greatest challenges, the First Stage staff responded with tremendous creativity, innovation and passion – finding ways to connect with and serve our audiences. We’ve learned a lot – from the nuances of filming theater to navigating livestreaming – and we are ready to take that learning forward into our future.” Community Support As First Stage pivoted into offering an all-virtual 2020/21 season, support from the community was critical in making this possible. “We have been so grateful to have sponsorships from Children’s Wisconsin, PNC and Associated Bank, who helped make it possible for hundreds of families to view our Virtual Season of Plays – and for the generous support from the Burke Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Herzfeld Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Melitta S. Pick Charitable Trust, Frank L. Weyenberg Charitable Trust, Stackner Foundation and many others who ensured we were able to continue our programming,” said Managing Director Betsy Corry. “And we can’t thank our longtime supporters at the Molitor Foundation enough for matching dollars made to our 2020/21 HOPE Fund Relief Initiative, which has raised $276,520 to date in support of the First Stage staff.” Added First Stage Development Director Nancy Clarkin, “First Stage is also very grateful to our Board of Directors, Committee Members and all of our incredible families and supporters who have helped us and continue to help us make it through this challenging season. We recently completed our 11 annual Bard-O-thon, where students raised over $17,000 in pledges to support our Shakespeare programming. This fall, we engaged more than 100 guests with our annual ImpACT Event. We also pivoted our signature events to virtual platforms and continued to engage our attendees raising nearly $70,000 at our Wine Event and $130,000 with our Make Believe Ball.