Support for Artist Pay and Production Cost

Grant Information
Categories	Arts
Location	United States
Cycle Year	2024

Organization Information
Organization Name (provided by applicant)	Ruskin Group Theatre Company
Organization Name (provided by automatic EIN validation)	Ruskin Group Theatre Company
Secondary Addressee
EIN	02-6577706
Website	https://www.ruskingrouptheatre.com/

Contact Information
Contact Name	Mr. Mike Myers
Phone	3104133618
E-mail	mike@ruskinschool.com
Address	3000 Airport Ave. Santa Monica CA 90405

Additional Information
Used for	The Ruskin Group Theatre Company will use any funds awarded by the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation to support our ever increasing production costs. Though we operate as a small equity theater company in Santa Monica, CA, we have experienced exponential increases in production costs over the past four years. Though we have been very successful in attracting audiences back to the live theater since the Covid pandemic, we have not been immune to the rapidly rising costs of both labor and materials.
Benefits	Though our audience primarily comes from the Santa Monica and greater Los Angeles community, we have developed plays that have gone on to other venues throughout the country, such as the musical "Sneaky Ol' Time", which played for a summer at the Austin Playhouse; and "Sideways: The Play", which was moved to the LaJolla Playhouse in San Diego, and then to London. The artists we work with are both some who are just starting their careers, as well as those who are more established. This creates an ideal environment in which to both cultivate new talent and as well provide a safe space for artists to reconnect with their creative roots`.
Proposal Description	Clearly, these grant funds will serve to benefit artists who seek to string together enough work to help them survive a tough economy in an expensive city. As well, through being able to pay the quality of artist we employ, our audience members benefit from their exposure to world class theater. We employ actors, designers and builders to accomplish the production of our plays, many of whom are out between projects, or just starting their careers film professionals. In the past year, they have helped us to garner three Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) nominations for our production of Arthur Miller’s A View From The Bridge. We were the only small theater nominated for such awards, making our competition the largest, and most well funded theaters in the region, including the Center Theater Group’s Ahmanson Theater and the Mark Taper Forum. Without the services of the kinds of talented artists that we have cultivated over the years, such recognition would not be possible. This year, we have produced two one person shows that have received favorable critical reviews and attracted full houses. As well, we are currently in production on Jon Robin Baitz’ The Substance of Fire, starring Rob Morrow and Marcia Cross. We have cast up and coming actors with these two well known and established artists, giving them an opportunity to hone their craft alongside actors with much more experience. The production itself will employ over twenty artists from actors and designers, to directors and production managers. In early 2025, we will finally move to our new, larger venue at 2800 Airport Ave., Santa Monica (two buildings west of our current location). We are busy readying for the move, and have been fully focused on our Capital Campaign, making this move possible. Yet, we find ourselves needing, more than ever, to raise operational funds to continue producing quality theater while we work toward our move.