It's a fair question.  There are a lot of causes and a lot of problems in the world.  What does new musical theatre do to address these problems? And why do we need your support?  

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Here are our reasons: 

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• In a world that shuts out many marginalized voices, new art, including new musicals, reflects the voices of our time.
   

• In a world that is increasingly addicted to home and mobile entertainment, the art we create now reaches us in a way that makes us feel connected rather than passive; involved rather than distanced. It makes us feel how art connects a continually dividing society. 
   

• New musicals are portraying perspectives of people of varying races, sexual orientations, gender identities, and abilities; moreover, they are providing more diverse, relatable stories for a wider variety of people.  This season at MTM features stories about a wide range of people from varying backgrounds. Casts and creative teams include a large variety of individuals of varying races, ethnicities, identities, and abilities. In 2021, our fifteenth anniversary season, you'll see our most varied season yet! 

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Okay.  So why Music Theatre of Madison?

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Another fair question. Why is MTM equipped to work toward equity and bring inspiring new work to Madison? The answer is we've been learning, improving, and excelling for years by staying up to date on trends, listening to our constituents, paying attention to what other theatres are doing, and hiring exceptional staff and Artistic Associates who bring varied skills and are committed not only to excellence, but to their continued education.  We're honored and humbled to have been recognized nationally for our work through the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Americans for the Arts, and American Theatre Magazine. 

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• In a time where the value of artists is increasingly questioned, we are paying local artists at competitive wages, which are reinvested in Madison’s economy.  We've paid since day one, at a time when we were literally asked "Why bother paying? People will work for free. We have never ever accepted that. And what we're able to pay is rapidly increasing thanks to community support. 
   

•  In a time when live entertainment, particularly expensive-to-produce musicals, has become an unaffordable commodity for many, we are keeping our prices flexible and affordable, offering increasing outreach, and using Pay What You Can performances to reach as many people as possible.  

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Your gift makes it happen. Your gift shines light on new pieces, removes barriers, offers jobs, encourages evolving work, and infuses us with excellence.  We are grateful for each and every donor who supports us.