WHAT is North Texas Giving Day?
North Texas Giving Day is an online giving event that provides nonprofits the opportunity to gain exposure to — and start relationships with — new donors, and for people in North Texas to come together to raise as much money as possible for local nonprofits. In just six years, North Texas Giving Day has pumped more than $86 million into the North Texas community. In 2014, more than 98,000 gifts totaling $26.3 million benefited 80 nonprofits.
Last year, online gifts to DSM were multiplied on North Texas Giving Day, where your generosity helped us raise over $146,000 dollars, making DSM the number one performing arts organizations in North Texas! This success was primarily driven by the participation of dedicated subscribers and patrons like you. This year, commit to Do Something More for DSM.
WHEN is North Texas Giving Day?
Giving Day 2015 is Thursday, September 17, from 6:00 am – 11:59 pm.
WHY give on North Texas Giving Day?
Your gift goes farther! Donations of at least $25 dollars given through the North Texas Giving Day website will receive bonus funds, and there are multiple potential incentives made possible by Communities Foundation of North Texas and other generous donors, including two generous matching gifts for DSM totaling $50,000!
WHO Benefits from a gift given to Dallas Summer Musicals?
DSM Academy of Performing Arts students
High School Musical Theatre Award participants and scholarship recipients
Seats for Kids and Stage Right participants
Everyone who loves the musicals and the beloved Music Hall at Fair Park!
HOW can I help?
Do Something More:
Your involvement means bettering the lives and prospects of thousands of children through enriching arts exposure. Together, let’s Do Something More!
#GiveDSM #DSMisBIG #NTXGivingDay #DoSomethingMore
About Dallas Summer Musicals
Dallas Summer Musicals, Inc. (DSM) is the preeminent nonprofit presenter of Broadway theatre in North Texas. DSM produces, presents and promotes excellence in live musical theatre with year-round performances for diverse audiences of all ages, impacting the lives of children and families through community outreach and education, and enriching the cultural landscape of Dallas/Fort Worth, North Texas and the Southwest Region.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, DSM relies on a variety of funding sources to bring the Best of Broadway to Dallas at affordable ticket prices, as well as to preserve the beautiful historic theatre, educate young audiences and create important community programs. DSM’s Seats for Kids program provides a meaningful arts education experience to thousands of low income, at-risk and special needs children. DSM provides positive incentives for youth that are at risk for gang membership through the Stage Right program. In addition, The Dallas Summer Musicals Academy of Performing Arts offers professional theatre arts training and scholarships to talented students in need. DSM’s High School Musical Theatre Awards are patterned after Broadway’s Tony® Awards and celebrates the power of the arts to significantly improve all areas of education. Hear Us Now!™ is DSM’s newest initiative. Since 2010 the experts at DSM have made significant changes and upgrades to its acoustical systems to improve the sound quality of the productions for all its patrons, including the hearing impaired. It is so unique that a trademark has been allowed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Ticket sales alone do not sustain these endeavors. Only support from committed businesses, foundations and individuals make these programs possible.
Dallas Summer Musicals is presented by Texas Instruments and gratefully acknowledges the support of our season sponsors and partners The Dallas Morning News, WFAA TV Channel 8, American Airlines, and The Original Cupcakery.
For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, please call 214.421.5678 or visit our website at DallasSummerMusicals.org.
Imagine a flash of stage lights in your eyes. Imagine giving yourself over to a flow of dance, dialogue, and movement that you’ve practiced for months. Imagine your efforts culminating with audience murmurs erupting into applause as you breathe an accomplished sigh. Each year across North Texas, students from over 60 schools work for this moment as they prepare for DSM’s High School Musical Theatre Awards.
The event, structured like Broadway’s Tony© Awards, spotlights local, developing musical theatre talent. Students compete in 15 total categories, running the gamut from technical to artistic awards. The Best Actor and Actress receive coaching and take master classes in a five-day, all-expense paid trip to New York. There they have the opportunity to perform in the musical theatre hub and win scholarships and prizes at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards.
It takes passion, motivation and dedication to get to the DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards stage, and that becomes even more apparent when talking to participant Payton Reeves. “It can be hard and overwhelming, but you have to realize that this is what you love doing, so every bit of it is worth it.”
In her senior year at Bishop Lynch High School, Payton was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her work as Holly in The Wedding Singer. She recalls her first impression of the program, “Overall, it was just amazing. They made you feel really comfortable, but you were also able to feel like a professional and get real professional experience. It was really well put together and exciting.”
The DSM HSMTA program also provides college-bound students the opportunity to get instant feedback and direction from Broadway veterans and university faculty through their College Audition Prep Weekend workshop. Holly Reeves, DSM Executive Committee and Guild member, expounds on the boost the weekend gave her family, “The workshop really opened our eyes to not only how competitive this industry is for the high school students but also what a huge undertaking and process it is to become a theatre major. The information that this weekend provides is invaluable – you can’t find it anywhere else.”
Talking to Holly, you quickly see that passion and dedication are Reeves family characteristics. “I just can’t tell you how much I support this weekend and how much I support the High School Musical Theatre Awards. If you don’t have a child who loves the theatre, you don’t probably get it. It’s like watching Dance Moms or Toddlers in Tiaras,” she laughs cheerily. “But once you have a child that has that fire and desire to perform, you have to get on board.”
Getting on board includes facilitating and organizing all of the training, lessons, and outside commitments that a musical theatre student needs. Holly explains, “Musical theatre is very different. You’re talking about kids that sing, that act, and that dance. It is not unusual for these kids to take dancing lessons outside of school, singing lessons outside of school, acting lessons outside of school. Balancing Payton’s other duties while getting the experience she needed to take the next step was very difficult. We have had to find a way to balance all of it.”
Holly’s support and Payton’s dedication have ultimately paid off. Payton received one of just thirteen spots in the Musical Theatre program at Abilene Christian University for the 2015-16 year. “Going through all the rehearsals and all the hard work, especially the audition process, and then finally being rewarded with a B.F.A. in this program makes it all worth it. In this career especially, you’re going to be told no. You didn’t get this part. That shouldn’t make you want to give up. That should make you want to strive to be better — continue to put your heart into it and do what you love.”
Payton also credits the program with her success. “I really don’t think I would have been able to get into my school’s program without attending this camp because there were so many things I learned that I didn’t even know I had to think about. It almost brought a sense of a certain comfort level when I was at auditions. I would have been a lot more nervous and doubting myself, but after coming here it made auditions so much easier. It gave me a lot of confidence.”
The participants are not the only ones who appreciate the program. GLEE choreographer, co-producer and 2015 High School Musical Theatre Awards host Zach Woodlee says, “I was blown away by the talent pool of young actors in Texas! This program is a strong stepping stone that shines a light on our future stars. DSM is pretty much the Super Bowl for Texas musical theatre.”
The DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards and the College Prep Audition weekend are two of the ways that Dallas Summer Musicals supports arts education for the youth of North Texas. Participating high school seniors who pursue higher education may also be awarded scholarships from Dallas Summer Musicals in recognition of outstanding academic achievement or by faculty recommendation. On September 17th, gifts given to Dallas Summer Musicals through northtexasgivingday.org will go farther in helping to realize the dreams of these dedicated aspiring stars.
Together, let’s Do Something More!
#GiveDSM #DSMisBIG #NTXGivingDay #DoSomethingMore
About Dallas Summer Musicals
Dallas Summer Musicals, Inc. (DSM) is the preeminent nonprofit presenter of Broadway theatre in North Texas. DSM produces, presents and promotes excellence in live musical theatre with year-round performances for diverse audiences of all ages, impacting the lives of children and families through community outreach and education, and enriching the cultural landscape of Dallas/Fort Worth, North Texas and the Southwest Region.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, DSM relies on a variety of funding sources to bring the Best of Broadway to Dallas at affordable ticket prices, as well as to preserve the beautiful historic theatre, educate young audiences and create important community programs. DSM’s Seats for Kids program provides a meaningful arts education experience to thousands of low income, at-risk and special needs children. DSM provides positive incentives for youth that are at risk for gang membership through the Stage Right program. In addition, The Dallas Summer Musicals Academy of Performing Arts offers professional theatre arts training and scholarships to talented students in need. DSM’s High School Musical Theatre Awards are patterned after Broadway’s Tony® Awards and celebrates the power of the arts to significantly improve all areas of education. Hear Us Now!™ is DSM’s newest initiative. Since 2010 the experts at DSM have made significant changes and upgrades to its acoustical systems to improve the sound quality of the productions for all its patrons, including the hearing impaired. It is so unique that a trademark has been allowed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Ticket sales alone do not sustain these endeavors. Only support from committed businesses, foundations and individuals make these programs possible.
Dallas Summer Musicals is presented by Texas Instruments and gratefully acknowledges the support of our season sponsors and partners The Dallas Morning News, WFAA TV Channel 8, American Airlines, and The Original Cupcakery.
For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, please call 214.421.5678 or visit our website at DallasSummerMusicals.org.
An affiliate of Dallas Summer Musicals, the DSM Academy of Performing arts was founded in 1999 to engage and educate children and young adults in musical theatre training. Accredited arts teachers and theatre professionals lead four comprehensive sessions yearly, all culminating with a public performance of a student production. Master classes also give students a taste of Broadway in lessons led by touring performers. The program is intentionally designed as a confidence-building experience, with a guarantee that every child will receive a speaking part. (For current class offerings and more details, click here.)
Lynne and Bob Thompson signing a scholarship.
In appreciation of his love of musical theatre, Endeavour International Corporation established the Robert L. Thompson Scholarship fund for Mr. Thompson as a retirement present in 2013. He and his family continue to financially back the fund and make musical theatre education possible for more students. “We want the community to know about the Academy and all of DSM. There is so much more happening at DSM than entertaining patrons. These experiences are integral to children’s development. The growth experienced by these kids cannot be overstated, and the scholarship program extends that opportunity to those who cannot do it without help.”
DSM Academy students take a master class taught by cast members from the National Tour of PIPPIN.
Alexis became involved with the Academy after her high school theatre teacher encouraged her to audition. Alexis was interested in the program but was reluctant to audition because she knew her family couldn’t cover the full cost of tuition. Deadline looming, her teacher pulled her aside and filmed Alexis’ audition tape herself. Academy Director of Education Kevin Cook was impressed, and Alexis was brought into the Academy on scholarship.
Alexis recalls feeling a little frightened in her first days at the Academy, not knowing what to expect. She quickly found her footing and the support she needed to expand her limits. “That first day it was scary, but that feeling of being by myself helped me grow, and the teachers were always there to push and help support us all, while being so welcoming.”
Once, Alexis remembers thinking she was in trouble when Mr. Cook gave her a sideways glance during auditions. She had gone out for the smaller, comedic role of the chicken in Pippin and got called up by Mr. Cook during auditions for the lead part. She asked him if she was in trouble and he exclaimed, “No! Go audition!” She shares, “Then I got the part. Mr. Kevin and Ms. Ty pushed me to see that I am way more than I think I am sometimes.”
Recalling her meeting with the Thompsons, Alexis’ voice floods with emotion. “Even though this man doesn’t know me, he gave me the amazing opportunity to do what I love and to make people smile. I could see how proud he was that he was helping students accomplish their dreams. He was proud of me even though he had never met me before.” She quickly transitioned from tears to laughter, “It made me laugh after the show because he said, ‘I had a meeting to go to, but I’m going to stay for the second show!’”
Alexis plans to get a musical theatre education at NYU and pursue her Broadway dreams. She wants then to share her knowledge as a teacher and create the kind of experience that she had at the Academy for other students. “They all touch your heart and they all impact you. Those feelings like I learned at DSM of acceptance, confidence and love, they will stay with me.”
Taking another moment of gratitude for the Thompsons, Alexis emphasized, “Just by one action, you can change someone’s life. Even though he had not yet met me, he changed my life.”
DSM Academy Students Say Thank You!
You’re also invited to see Alexis perform at the House of Blues on September 17th for DSM’s North Texas Giving Day celebration from 4-8pm. She will be joined by rocking Texas band GOODnGONE and local talent Keron Jackson.
Together, let’s Do Something More!
#GiveDSM #DSMisBIG #NTXGivingDay #DoSomethingMore
Keron Jackson has a voice that hits you like a wave. Whether performing for DSM’s Curtain Call gala or at an intimate gathering, the power of his singing leaves an indelible impression. But the journey to shape and share his gift has been riddled with difficulty, beginning with an unstable, unsafe home life.
Keron and his sisters experienced bouts of homelessness and bounced from house to house, living, as he puts it, “a life without a foundation. A one-note kind of life. The way I grew up, I didn’t know what it was to go to college, to have a career path, to pursue something. I knew what it was to stand on the corner and sell drugs, to be a hoodlum.”
At 11, Keron’s grandparents took him in and enrolled him in middle school. He recalls wondering what the point of school was, not being able to see a tangible reward. That changed when his school took a field trip to see The Princess and the Pea, for which he had to forge his parents’ signatures on the permission slip. This was Keron’s first experience with the arts, and he laughs deeply as he remembers the awe he felt when looking up at the actors on stage. It was also the first time that he imagined a possibility for himself outside the bounds of a life whose only potentials seemed to include drugs, theft, and gangs.
During high school, Keron had the amazing support of his theatre teacher Ernestine Rose. Rose exposed Keron to UIL competitions, took him under her wing, and further solidified his interest in the performing arts. He recalls watching his first UIL performance and knowing that he had found his calling.
But after high school, Keron was again left on his own financially and struggled once more with homelessness. “It is one thing to start to believe in a dream and it is another to know how the dream is going to happen. If you don’t have support, it isn’t possible.” Rose had given Keron the exposure necessary to ignite his passion and the support necessary to instill self-confidence, but he still could not see the path to making his dreams a reality. He says he felt “torn between two worlds,” a world of clear but strife-filled boundaries and a world of hazy possibility.
In his early 20s, dreams began to take shape. With the help of John and Janice King and the guidance of church organist Joyce Hughes, Keron began daily voice lessons and focused intently on honing his craft. He emphasizes, “Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong.” Keron began winning music competitions and eventually earned a scholarship to Baylor. He attributes his success to a philosophy of perseverance: “Even if nobody else shows up for your dream, you still have to show up for it every day.”
After a life of struggle, Keron is finally beginning to reap the rewards of developing self-worth and dedication. In the last year, Keron has performed at DSM’s Curtain Call gala, begun production on an album and received back-to-back standing ovations at Carnegie Hall. He swells with pride recalling that DSM President and Managing Director Michael Jenkins told him, “the world has chosen you.”
Beyond sharing his voice, he says his purpose is to share hope with children who have a dream but don’t know how to realize it. “The importance of DSM’s programs is to see a new path. Kids in Compton have never seen the ocean. They live five miles from it and have never seen it. I want to show kids the ocean.”
You’re invited to see Keron Jackson perform live at the House of Blues on September 17th for our North Texas Giving Day celebration from 4:00-8:00pm. A gift on this day benefits the significant education and outreach programs that DSM promotes to open the door of possibility for at-risk and underserved youth.
Together, let’s Do Something More!
#GiveDSM #DSMisBIG #NTXGivingDay #DoSomethingMore
About Dallas Summer Musicals
Dallas Summer Musicals, Inc. (DSM) is the preeminent nonprofit presenter of Broadway theatre in North Texas. DSM produces, presents and promotes excellence in live musical theatre with year-round performances for diverse audiences of all ages, impacting the lives of children and families through community outreach and education, and enriching the cultural landscape of Dallas/Fort Worth, North Texas and the Southwest Region.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, DSM relies on a variety of funding sources to bring the Best of Broadway to Dallas at affordable ticket prices, as well as to preserve the beautiful historic theatre, educate young audiences and create important community programs. DSM’s Seats for Kids program provides a meaningful arts education experience to thousands of low income, at-risk and special needs children. DSM provides positive incentives for youth that are at risk for gang membership through the Stage Right program. In addition, The Dallas Summer Musicals Academy of Performing Arts offers professional theatre arts training and scholarships to talented students in need. DSM’s High School Musical Theatre Awards are patterned after Broadway’s Tony® Awards and celebrates the power of the arts to significantly improve all areas of education. Hear Us Now!™ is DSM’s newest initiative. Since 2010 the experts at DSM have made significant changes and upgrades to its acoustical systems to improve the sound quality of the productions for all its patrons, including the hearing impaired. It is so unique that a trademark has been allowed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Ticket sales alone do not sustain these endeavors. Only support from committed businesses, foundations and individuals make these programs possible.
Dallas Summer Musicals is presented by Texas Instruments and gratefully acknowledges the support of our season sponsors and partners The Dallas Morning News, WFAA TV Channel 8, American Airlines, and The Original Cupcakery.
For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, please call 214.421.5678 or visit our website at DallasSummerMusicals.org.
At the heart of live theatre is the chemistry of shared experience, the electricity that charges a room in a dance of anticipation and connection. The palpable interplay between audience and performers enlivens each group, and meaningful performances ignite conversations and inspire memories that live on long after the show. By its very nature, theatre is community.
Last week, we shared THIS POST about DSM’s longstanding history of making community connections that open the theatre to at-risk and resource-limited children. This week, we invite you to imagine the future at DSM. For our 76th year, we have envisioned two new programs that would allow us to engage more of North Texas in the true communal experience offered by musical theatre.
In March, DSM will bring Disney’s The Little Mermaid back to the stage in a beautifully reimagined production featuring completely new songs in addition to the movie’s Oscar-winning score. For one performance, DSM will offer the Dallas community every seat in the house! The DSM Community Performance aims to build a foundation of partner integration by engaging new patrons, volunteers, city officials, area nonprofits, businesses, and you! We will open our doors to members of our community who may not otherwise be able to afford to attend a performance, continue the dialogue on arts importance, and highlight historic Fair Park and its role as a Dallas landmark. Most importantly, we will create partnerships which promote access to the arts for all families of Dallas/Fort Worth.
DSM also seeks to expand its efforts of community care by welcoming the men and women who have bravely fought for our nation to the Music Hall. Each year, thousands of veterans separate from the military and rejoin the workforce in North Texas alone. DSM aims to support our veterans and honor their service by facilitating their access to a theatre experience. Seats for Vets will subsidize seating, making access to outstanding family entertainment affordable for this distinguished group.
School budget cutbacks and limited personal resources can deprive deserving people of the enriching experience of musical theatre entertainment. As a community, we have the power to provide this gift. On September 17th, help us Do Something More. Your online gift through northtexasgivingday.org will help us get these initiatives off the ground and build the foundation for our next 75 years.
Together, let’s Do Something More!
#GiveDSM #DSMisBIG #NTXGivingDay #DoSomethingMore
About Dallas Summer Musicals
Dallas Summer Musicals, Inc. (DSM) is the preeminent nonprofit presenter of Broadway theatre in North Texas. DSM produces, presents and promotes excellence in live musical theatre with year-round performances for diverse audiences of all ages, impacting the lives of children and families through community outreach and education, and enriching the cultural landscape of Dallas/Fort Worth, North Texas and the Southwest Region.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, DSM relies on a variety of funding sources to bring the Best of Broadway to Dallas at affordable ticket prices, as well as to preserve the beautiful historic theatre, educate young audiences and create important community programs. DSM’s Seats for Kids program provides a meaningful arts education experience to thousands of low income, at-risk and special needs children. DSM provides positive incentives for youth that are at risk for gang membership through the Stage Right program. In addition, The Dallas Summer Musicals Academy of Performing Arts offers professional theatre arts training and scholarships to talented students in need. DSM’s High School Musical Theatre Awards are patterned after Broadway’s Tony® Awards and celebrates the power of the arts to significantly improve all areas of education. Hear Us Now!™ is DSM’s newest initiative. Since 2010 the experts at DSM have made significant changes and upgrades to its acoustical systems to improve the sound quality of the productions for all its patrons, including the hearing impaired. It is so unique that a trademark has been allowed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Ticket sales alone do not sustain these endeavors. Only support from committed businesses, foundations and individuals make these programs possible.
Dallas Summer Musicals is presented by Texas Instruments and gratefully acknowledges the support of our season sponsors and partners The Dallas Morning News, WFAA TV Channel 8, American Airlines, and The Original Cupcakery.
For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, please call 214.421.5678 or visit our website at DallasSummerMusicals.org.
As our 75th year comes to a close, we want to thank you for making it a memorable one. The passion our patrons bring to the Music Hall is a huge part of why we are a cornerstone arts organization in Dallas. Last year, you vocalized your support of DSM on North Texas Giving Day and made us the number one performing arts organization in the online giving event. We need you to help us make this year an even bigger success! Every gift made through NorthTexasGivingDay.org on September 17th increases our chances of winning one of 70 prizes awarded by the Communities Foundation of Texas, and every gift of $25 or more will earn bonus funds. These incentives help you make the most of your generosity.
Beyond supporting the best of Broadway, a gift to DSM is an investment in the cultural fabric of North Texas. Your support directly powers the significant outreach programs that we offer to engage underserved children with musical theatre and the arts.
The success of these education programs and initiatives inspires creativity and imagination, promotes academic investment, and has realized the dream of musical theatre involvement for thousands of passionate young performers.
For our 76th season, DSM looks forward to expanding its efforts of community support with new initiatives. Imagine being able to provide seats to hundreds of veterans and their families. With your support, we can open the doors of the Music Hall to more of our community and pave the way for 75 more years of magic at the Music Hall.
We also want to celebrate you, our amazing patrons, and the spirit of giving in style this year! DSM will host a giving day soirèe at the House of Blues from 4pm – 8pm On September 17th. Join us for a live musical performance, donation stations for your giving convenience, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, prizes, photo booth fun, and the opportunity to connect with fellow supporters.
Finally, we want to give you more opportunities to share your love of the musicals and our community. On September 1st, we will be instituting the North Texas Giving Day DSM Photo Challenge, where contestants will share photos of themselves “Doing Something More” in the North Texas community OR of themselves in costume from one of our upcoming shows. The contest will run until 11:59 p.m. on September 15th, with winners announced at our celebration at the House of Blues. Click here for the full scoop!
Thank you again for making the Music Hall your home for music and memories. Thank you for the generosity which gives the same opportunity to all members of our community.
Together, let’s Do Something More.
#GiveDSM #DSMisBIG #NTXGivingDay #DoSomethingMore