VIRTUALLY UNUSUAL CREATE-A-THON

JUNE 2021

#UNUSUALCREATEATHON OUR MISSION The mission of The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company is to mentor, educate, and enrich youth in under-resourced communities through the creation of collaborative, original theatre. OUR VISION The vision of The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company is a world in JOIN US FOR where all youth are given the opportunities and support they need to THIS YEAR'S succeed.

“I come here because it makes me feel better about myself because CREATE usually I don’t have enough self-confidence.” -A- Participant and Middle School Student THON WHO WHAT WHY AND We are a group of In collaborative Every child from dedicated educators, workshop settings, we every neighborhood CHANGE writers, actors, mentor youth to write deserves a place to directors, mentors and perform their belong, the freedom LIVES and volunteers who stories, using theater to safely express transform hearts, to champion those themselves, an minds, lives and most desperate to be opportunity to be SIGN UP communities by heard and toughest seen, heard, and TO BE A SPONSOR empowering young to reach. We teach known, and the people to own and confidence, choice, chance to dream and BY APRIL 30TH share their stories. hope, and empathy. achieve beyond their circumstance. CREATIVE SPARK $1,000 Your commitment of $1,000 will provide approximately fifty hours of dedicated mentorship and arts education to one under-resourced youth.

· As a Creative Spark sponsor, your company will receive prominent name placement during the entire campaign beginning May 7th through July 1st being seen by thousands of Los Angeles supporters to potentially represent over 55,000 digital t marketing/media impressions. Placement to include the following:

o Company/Organization name to be listed on the Virtually UnUSual Create-A- Thon fundraising campaign event pages and various e-communication to be seen by all participants and donors.

· Announcement of sponsorship commitment on Social Media promoting the campaign. 2021 · Ability to assign a representative to participate as a Team Captain. SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES LIGHTS UP $2,500 Your commitment of $2,500 will provide two parents the chance to perform theatre together with their children, improving parental skills and building tight- CREATIVE SPARK $1,000 knit communities. · As a Lights Up sponsor, your company will receive all the recognition of Creative LIGHTS UP $2,500 Spark, plus:

CENTER STAGE $5,000 o Logo placement in all campaign-related e-blasts. o Company/Organization name on the final e-book presentation of the finished ENCORE $10,000 work with the ability to write/record a thank you to all participants involved in the campaign. BROADWAY $25,000 fr “I got to have fun with people who believe in me and love me for me.”

Neighborhood Voices Participant, Spring 2020

rv CENTER STAGE $5,000 BROADWAY $25,000 Your commitment of $5,000 will provide five parents/children the cultural Your commitment of $25,000 will provide thirteen under-resourced experience of attending live, professional theatre, providing lasting long-term youth with high-quality, transformative theatre arts education helping benefits and creating a combined passion for the arts. them to increase academic, coping and social skills.

· As a Center Stage sponsor, your company will receive all the recognition of Lights · As a Broadway sponsor, your company will receive all the recognition of Encore Up plus: plus:

o Small logo placement on The Unusual Suspects webpage, the Virtually o Large logo and name on all US material, including playbills, fliers and UnUSual Create-A-Thon fundraising campaign event pages and various more beginning May 7,2021 through July 1,2021. e-communication to be seen by all participants and donors. oLarge logo placement on The Unusual Suspects webpage with a URL link o Small logo on the final e-book presentation of the finished work with the back to the website of choice. Large logo placement on the Virtually ability to write/record a thank you to all participants involved in the UnUSual Create-A-Thon fundraising campaign event pages and various e- campaign. communication to be seen by all participants and donors. o Large logo on the final e-book presentation of the finished work with the · Sponsorship mention during press release and media promotional activities. ability to write/record a thank you to all participants involved in the · Opportunity for a representative of your company to speak at the kick-off Zoom campaign. Meeting for campaign participants. · Digital recognition during campaign weekly highlight video. · Opportunity for select executives from your company/organization to participate in our programs as a guest speaker ENCORE $10,000 · 10 entries in the VIP Raffle drawing. Your commitment of $10,000 will provide approximately one or more weeks of Alumni Program services to our participating youth ages 16-26 as they consider post-secondary opportunities via our core theatre-arts curriculum. · As an Encore sponsor, your company will receive all the recognition of Center Stage plus:

o Medium logo placement on The Unusual Suspects webpage with a URL link back to the website of choice. Medium logo placement on the Virtually UnUSual Create-A-Thon fundraising campaign event pages and various e-communication to be seen by all participants and donors. o Medium logo on the final e-book presentation of the finished work with the ability to write/record a thank you to all participants involved in the campaign.

· Recognition during campaign weekly highlight video by emcee and digital placement for sponsorship. · 7 entries in the VIP Raffle drawing. CREATE-A-THON2021 SPONSORSHIP FORM DEADLINE IS APRIL 30TH, 2021 PLEASE PRINT ALL INFO CLEARLY. PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM & PAYMENT TO JOYCE LABRIOLA AT [email protected]

NAME

COMPANY NAME

ADDRESS “Feels good because I never thought I could talk about these kind of things before, like feelings. PHONE I learned that everybody can work together. Like everybody’s got good ideas, good questions. And it EMAIL felt cool to complete something. It’s like once you start trying, you want to never give up.” Yes, I would like to become a sponsor at the following level Dorothy Kirby Center Participant, Spring 2020 BROADWAY $25,000 ENCORE $10,000 CENTER STAGE $5,000 LIGHTS UP $2,500 CREATIVE SPARK $1,000

My logo file is enclosed Please contact the following for logo (list email/name)

Unfortunately I can’t participate as a sponsor or fundraiser, but would like to make a contribution in the amount of $

Please make checks payable to: The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company Mail check and this form to: The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company | 3719 Verdugo Road Los Angeles, CA 90065 Credit card payments & questions? Contact Joyce LaBriola at (708) 218-1472 or [email protected] For additional information, please visit theunusualsuspects.org/create-a-thon

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Tax ID#: 95-4661312 All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please consult your personal tax advisor for details. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT TAKE PART IN THE VIRTUALLY UNUSUAL CREATE-A-THON FUNDRAISER WHEN June 2021 WHERE Anywhere in the world, this is a virtual campaign!

Join US as we raise money to continue our 28 year legacy of bringing theatre arts education to under-resourced and incarcerated youth, and communities, throughout Los Angeles.

GALA AMBASSADORS

Bradford & Phyllis Bancroft Annabeth Gish & Wade Allen Lara & Christian Magnusen Nancy & Steve Carell Rachel Goldberg Luis Rodriguez 2021 HOSTS Steve & Sherie Carroll Dwight Hicks Elizabeth L. Silver Tameka Carter Laura Leigh Hughes David E. Talbert Melissa Peterman & Ed & Dianne Coghlan David Henry Hwang & Nina Tassler & Jerry Levine Kirsten Vangsness & Alex Skuby Kathryn Layng Julie Tugend Hector & Carollee Elizondo Sydney Kamlager-Dove Kirsten Vangsness Sally Fairman & Kevin King Deborah Lintz Markese Freeman Annie & Scott Lukowski

Melissa Peterman Kirsten Vangness CENTER STAGE SPONSORS The Campizondo Foundation WHAT IS CREATE-A-THON? Stephen & Sherie Carroll

Create-A-Thon is our digital fundraising campaign BROADWAY where participants raise funds and create art, Nancy & Steve Carell LIGHTS UP whatever art means to you! Dave & Pamela Peterman Kit Pongetti & Write, act, sing, draw, do stand-up... create whatever you'd like and share with your friends Mark Stegemann and family. Brighten someone's day with your creation and raise funds for Unusual ENCORE Suspects along the way. The Johnny Carson Foundation CREATIVE SPARK Levine/Tassler Foundation 100% of funds raised goes towards our vital programs. Carol Biondi Annie & Scott Lukowski Madeline Cripe Longtime Nancy Carell performing in Blood Over Water, an original production written by our youth supporter/actress Viola Davis “Everything from writing the play to actually putting it on, we’re doing from scratch... So it’s not like everything is fixed... You can just have any idea and it will end up in some way in the final product. And, everyone treats you literally like family. Like we’re just all one big family. We accept you no matter what. “

Adrian, age 16, San Fernando High School, Spring 2020

Actress Tiffany Haddish during Reba McEntire in US Shirt a workshop with US participants

US supporter Mo Collins in Supporter/actress Aisha Tyler with Supporter/actress Annabeth Gish with costume shares about the 2020 supporter/actress Wanda Sykes students at Joyner Elementary. Create-a-Thon

Actr “Feels good because I never thought I could talk about these kind of things before, like feelings. I learned that everybody can work together. Like everybody’s got good ideas, good questions. And it felt cool to complete something. It’s like once you start trying, you want to never give up.” “I learned to never give up.

Dorothy Kirby Center Participant, Spring 2020 Working with a group of people made me feel like I The Unusual Suspects program participant Actress Toni Trucks and Actor being interviewed by ABC 7 got somebody who has my Cedric Yarbrough meet as they enjoy their evening back, whatever I’m struggling with.”

The Unusual Suspects’ Incarcerated Youth Participant

Longtime supporter/actress US Board Member Decker Sadowski, Rachel Bloom showing off her rehearses an original song for the 2020 US T-shirt Create-a-Thon HISTORY BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sara Scott Decker Sadowski In 1992, called to action by the LA under-resourced individuals each Board Chair, Senior Vice President Production Actor year all through the theatre stage. Uprising, founder Laura Leigh Development, Universal Pictures Hughes created The Unusual US has received several accolades Suspects Theatre Company (US) to for our work, including The National David Borsari Kristina Segesvary give strength to vulnerable youth, Youth Arts and Humanities Program Attorney, Law Offices of David S. Borsari Private Wealth Management, and provide them a safe outlet and Award (our nation’s highest honor Goldman Sachs platform for self-expression. As for after-school arts and humanities founding members of the Arts for programs), The National Juvenile Russ Cashdan Lesley Wake Webster Healing and Justice Network, US Justice Award, and more. Board Treasurer, Attorney, Cashdan Law Television Writer and Producer has since grown into a leader Since the Covid-19 in the fields of arts Albert G. Chou Joe Weil pandemic hit, US education, youth Wealth Manager, Goldman Sachs President & Founder, Psycho Films development, quickly pivoted to mentorship, and offering programming Ryan Jones Charlotte White community building, virtually to help Senior Vice President Production Board Vice Chair, with a presence in mitigate the Development, Universal Pictures Co-Founder, Ready to Launch under-resourced disproportionate impact schools, community Melissa Peterman centers, and juvenile of the pandemic on Actor detention camps our communities. Last throughout LA County. year US successfully Our participant-driven developed and Julio Quijada Unusual Suspects Alumni, launched distance learning theatre-arts programs go beyond Post-Production Coordinator, the reach of typical arts education alternatives, which now include live NBCUniversal workshops to empower vulnerable and pre-recorded lessons that served close to 1,000 participants in youth with lifelong skills, hope, and Gina Reyes confidence to overcome their 2020 alone. Now more than ever, TV Literary Agent Verve Talent and difficult surroundings. we need your help to continue this Literary Agency vital work with Los Angeles’ most Decades later, US has developed 7 vulnerable youth and families Karine Rosenthal helping to reconcile history and re- complimentary, place-based Writer / Producer programs that provide well-rounded envision futures full of joy, “Honestly, it’s been a really fun program. The program has helped me improve my mood, benefits for approximately 1,600 opportunity, and expectation. and it has given me a place to express myself during quarantine. It’s helped me with my confidence… let’s say I’m in class and the teacher asks a question. Before I was in the program, I wouldn’t answer it, even though I had the answer. After joining, I’m usually the first one to raise my hand and answer the question. It’s helped me a lot...”

San Fernando High School Participant