A look behind the curtain at Northlight Theatre, which seeks $2 million from City Council
Theater stresses community involvement, local impact as it requests ARPA funds
by Gay Riseborough
April 2, 2022
Northlight Theatre will go before Evanston’s City Council on April 11 to ask for $2 million of the $43 million Evanston will receive from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Northlight has bold plans to build a state-of-the-art, 300-seat theater and complex in Evanston at 1012-16 Church St., just west of the Metra tracks – a project expected to total $26 million.
So far, $11 million has been raised. If the theater group is successful in its presentation to the council asking for $2 million, it will be almost halfway to its goal.
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Northlight is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. To maintain that status, an organization must provide service to the community.
“The staff at Northlight is very invested in its community engagement programs,” said Christina Lepri, a writer and director formerly on staff at Mudlark Theater and now North-light’s Director of Education & Community Engagement.
“Northlight has always offered a subsidized matinee program for Evanston and Skokie children in the middle schools and high school,” Lepri said. “At the matinee performances, the kids stay afterwards to engage in conversation with the actors and others involved in the production. I am the most excited about connecting professional artists with young people who are future theater-makers and -goers.”
Northlight‘s Evanston community partnerships engage hundreds of individuals, from youth to senior citizens. Ruben Carrazana, an actor and new Community Engagement Manager, referenced several partnership programs, each tailored to the needs of the individuals involved and led by experienced teaching artists. “We are open for new partners to all our programs,” Carrazana said.
Read the full story at Evanston Roundtable