Support

Support Us 

Individual Donations

“Every role is integral to the story,” a statement founding Artistic Director, Madeleine Ramsey, instilled in her young students from the beginning, 35 years ago, and continues to echo in the studios of PYT. Whether one is the director, cast as a townsperson, lands the lead role, creates a costume or volunteers to usher, “every role is integral to the story.” Theatre is a collaboration. It takes a group of individuals to dedicate their time, talent and philanthropic support to sustain the growth and success of our programs and productions.

Young people deserve the highest level of artistic and educational excellence. PYT depends greatly on the support of our donors, such as you, to maintain affordable programs for our families, schools and the community in which we serve:

  • $50 sponsors a family of four to attend a Mainstage production.
  • $250 sends one classroom to a PYT school-time matinee.
  • $500 funds a drama or dance scholarship for one student.
  • $1,000 places a teaching artist in the classroom of a local school for an 8-week residency program.

By making a donation to PYT today, you are landing a lead role in our story and investing in the future of our students, our leaders of tomorrow. YOUR leading role can change lives.

Where Your Gift Goes

At PYT, we pride ourselves on having a variety of programs that appeal to the Lehigh Valley’s diverse community. Your contribution helps us fund the following programs:

Seat Subsidies

To ensure access to our productions, we offer students and teachers attending our school-time matinee performances a discounted rate to keep the shows affordable, a fee which covers less than half of our production costs. PYT productions enhance the language arts curriculum in the schools by exposing children to classic literature, great music, and live theatre. Our literature-based productions provide local schools the opportunity to see a live production and back in the classroom, teachers are able to enhance the students’ experience by using PYT’s Resource Guides. These guides, created specifically for each production, augment creative writing; help students discuss important themes in each play/musical, pinpoint ways to explore local and national history and learn how to better utilize the theatre-going experience to enrich their own lives.

Education Programs

PYT’s well-rounded mission provides a rich, arts-infused experience for thousands of young people. PYT’s year round drama, dance and voice classes compliment and enrich its professional theatre productions.

Our School of Performing Arts boasts approximately 400 students, ages 3-18, who take one or more of our classes. Children exposed to PYT productions, by participating in or by attending the theatre, can develop the ability to communicate effectively, work collaboratively, and understand and appreciate other cultures, perspectives, and traditions.

Scholarship Program provides access to our performing arts classes, productions and camps throughout the year to young people and their families who are economically disadvantaged. We believe all children should have the opportunity for performing arts education. Providing PYT scholarships to the community not only enhances the experience for all students in the program, but also fosters mutuality, communication and understanding between these young people from diverse backgrounds.

PYT Reaching Out! Residency Programs bring the performing arts into area schools. Using literature as the foundation, PYT crafts rich, multi-layered learning experiences in which children respond through movement, music and drama. Designed to expose students to a wide range of experiences and to motivate them to use their artistic and analytical skills, these residencies improve literacy and fluency as the students interpret, imagine, and invent in creative drama activities.