Olney Theatre Center - Support Us

Dear Friends:

Olney Theatre Center has brought live, quality theatrical performances to the greater metropolitan DC and Mid-Atlantic region for over 70 years! We are both extremely proud to call Olney our hometown theater and to be longtime supporters of the Center.

Olney was, and is, a magical place for all those involved in its productions, both on stage and off, and remains a leader in the arts nationwide. You may know Olney Theatre Center as the place where you saw your first live show, or heard what would become the "special song" between you and a loved one. Did you see Tallulah Bankhead, Carol Channing, Sir Ian McKellen, Jose Ferrer, or Lillian Gish, when they played at Olney? Yes, all of them and more, including the wonderful and popular Marcia Gay Harden, John Carradine, and John Slattery, have performed at the theater. The list of stars who have graced our stages reads like a "Who's Who" of the American film and theater industry. And, Olney's history of bringing incredibly talented up-and-coming artists to the area continues.

Olney has also offered sixty years of education programs through the National Players tours and now, the Olney Theatre Institute. Each year, more than 50,000 children, and audience members, across the United States are inspired and moved by the company's education and outreach programs.

While Olney Theatre Center has certainly grown from humble beginnings as an outdoor summer theater (still holding the title of the State Summer Theatre of Maryland), to a campus in excess of 14 acres housing four uniquely different theaters, and employing hundreds, we still face the challenges of all non-profit theaters in this country. Ticket sales, while surpassing the national averages by a great deal, still only allow us 50% of what it takes to run the company and in essence, put on the show!

We are honored to have been asked to reach out to you today and ask you to consider making your contribution to The Legacy Project, ensuring the financial stability of Olney Theatre Center. Be a part of this incredible organization that has made our hearts, and those of countless others, soar for many years. A gift to the theater not only honors you and us but tells everyone that theater is essential, critical to our development as humans, and still as vital as ever. As seasoned patrons we can forecast the joy and satisfaction your gift will bring you. We express our gratitude in advance for your support of our historic Olney Theatre Center.

Sincerely,

Gertrude L. Poe & Maggi Root

Please click here for a pdf of our Legacy Project Brochure