Springfield Little Theatre is VITAL to the SOUL of our community!

In a typical year, ticket sales cover just 44% of SLT's expenses, and this, as you know, has been anything but a typical year.  With the necessary cancellation of fundraising events and a decrease in show revenue of more than $700,000, SLT has never faced a shortfall of the current magnitude.  Nor have we been presented with such a THRILLING opportunity as it is to not only house an Academy of Fine and Performing Arts, but also to provide daily theatre and dance instruction to 50 lucky 5th graders!  Our talented staff and committed board members have never worked harder with less to work with, and, at the same time, we have never appreciated so much what it is that we have built together.  We have faced hard truths about what it is to be “essential,” and we have owned our obligation to keep creating.  We know that the art we make and the educational experiences we provide not only inspire us, but also provide a much-needed outlet to escape and to help others realize their full potential.  Thus, the need for your support has never been greater.  For the LOVE of The Landers and the JOY of The Judy, and because THE SHOW MUST GO ON, show your support for #SpringfieldLittleTheatre this #GiveOzarks Day!

Simply put, no money, no mission!  Please give today, so that we can fulfil our mission to ENTERTAIN, EDUCATE, and INVOLVE our community in the joy of live theatre, and ensure the preservation of our historic facilities during this crisis and beyond.

Theatre is about human CONNECTION, a once in a lifetime exchange between actor and audience.  The absence of that connection is part of what has made the COVID-19 pandemic so very challenging for many of our artists and volunteers, because it has deprived that exchange which inspires our work and stirs our beings.  With depression and disconnection in our community increasing, now, more than ever, YOU are needed to help bridge the gap between hopelessness and BELONGING, between aimlessness and PURPOSE.  In a time where nothing is certain, we are counting on you to make a gift this #GiveOzarks to ensure the continuity of SLT programming that offers a creative and recreational home, if not a LIFELINE, for hundreds of students and volunteers each season.

The arts are an essential part of a complete education, no matter if the learning happens in the home, school, or community.  Students of all ages benefit from artistic activities, innovative thinking, creativity, teamwork, accountability, and pride in accomplishment.  A gift to Springfield Little Theatre through #GiveOzarks is a way to recognize this IMPACT; make a meaningful investment in the life of a child; strengthen your community’s future workforce; and contribute to the perpetuation of the arts and arts education.

The historic buildings that house our operations are truly each an IRREPLACEABLE part of the character of our city.  The Landers Theatre and The Judith Enyeart Reynolds School of the Performing Arts (formerly The McDaniel School) represent both the diversity of experiences and the history we share.  These beautiful buildings that hold the stories of so much of our past, immeasurably enrich our lives today while inspiring countless tomorrows.  Your #GiveOzarks donation will keep the lights on and the heat running.  (Did we mention that we had to replace our boiler at the Landers this year?  That was a $40,000 surprise!)

You may have experienced first-hand the desire for quality entertainment during your sheltering-at-home.  (More Netflix, anyone?)   At Springfield Little Theatre, we are passionate about providing remarkable experiences for our audiences young and old, and we so look forward to offering our signature, over-the-top, large-scale, mega-spectacular musical theatre productions to full houses when it’s safe to do so again.  Your donation NOW will help us maintain the staff that will orchestrate the MAGIC!

For a non-profit, the “extras” are rarely in the budget.  But, still, we DARE to DREAM... and those dreams are, in fact, “essential” to the vitality of our organization and the people who are a part of it.  If you would like to learn more about how a larger gift could impact The Landers Theatre, please contact SLT Executive Director Beth Domann at 417-869-3869 x112.  If you would like to make a dream come true for The Judith Enyeart Reynolds School of the Performing Arts for Springfield Little Theatre, please contact SLT Education Director Lorianne Dunn at 417-413-2287 x110.

We are so proud to be a part of the community we serve and are so grateful for the opportunity to #GiveOzarks!  Together, we will RALLY FOR RECOVERY and never cease to dare to dream.

Give Ozarks Day is the Community Foundation of the Ozark’s online “giving day” event for its nonprofit agency partners. Previously held each May in 2015, 2016 and 2017, the three events raised more than $3.5 million. The event is returning in 2021 with the theme “Rally for Recovery” to give agency partners the opportunity to raise operating funds that were lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 24, 2021, and will be powered by CauseMomentum.org, the CFO’s crowdfunding platform.

Sponsors for the 2021 event include: Bass Pro Shops; Burrell Behavioral Health; Central Bank and Central Trust Co.; the Louis L. and Julia Dorothy Coover Charitable Foundation managed by Commerce Trust; the Darr Family Foundation; Great Southern Bank; Guaranty Bank; the Hatch Foundation; Legacy Bank; Ollis/Akers/Arney; and SFC Bank.