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A Letter From the Artistic Director

Good evening!

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Battell Community Center Auditorium in beautiful downtown Mishawaka! As we begin our second season, I continue to be amazed at how much 574 Theatre grows every day. Since last summer, the 574 Theatre team has been working constantly to improve, and grow in every way possible. This year we have been able to add a summer Management Staff, as well as our first ever Acting Company. We're also on pace to hire more than double the total number of local theatre artists as last year, and have increased artist compensation across the board. All of this is only possible thanks to you all, and your continued support of 574 Theatre!!

Tonight, we bring to you the first Deaf Theatre production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Into the Woods. As our first Deaf Theatre Project, it has been an honor to be at the helm of such a collaborative and innovative production. Tonight you will see both deaf and hearing actors on stage as we attempt to connect the hearing and deaf worlds. As this production went from dream to reality, we have been blessed by finding the very best to fill our team to translate this complex score into a new language. My sincerest thanks go to our Director of American Sign Language, Christie Maurer, who has spent a countless amount of hours translating with her team, and guiding our entire team.

Following Into the Woods, we present our summer play, Almost, Maine, featuring our 2019 Acting Company, and directed by Deb Swerman. Almost, Maine opens in a short three weeks on June 27-29 here in Mishawaka. To complete our 2019 Summer Season, we bring the classic Hello, Dolly! to life on stage at Bethel University on August 1-3. We'll also be taking Hello, Dolly! on the road to Berne, IN! Each year, Berne hosts the Swiss Days Festival, and  this year, for the first time, 574 Theatre will be a part of it with multiple performances of Hello, Dolly!

I want to thank you for joining us this evening. Just by being here, you are buying into the dream and vision of 574 Theatre. I hope you have a great experience with us, and will consider joining us for the rest of our 2019 season, and many more to come!

Enjoy the show!

Alex E. Price