After our extremely successful 50th summer season, Hope Repertory Theatre expands outside the summer to bring you this beloved American holiday classic. It’s A Wonderful Life comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve.

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Press

• “HSRT is Golden: 50 Seasons on the Hope Stage” – News from Hope College
• “Review: ‘The Color Purple’ Is Nothing Less Than Divine” – Revue
• “Holland artist's illustrations come to life onstage with ‘Lulu and the Long Walk’” – WZZM TV
• “Hope Is For Everyone: Professional Theater in Holland” – Revue
• “Hope Summer Repertory Theatre celebrating 50 years with large slate of performances” – Holland Sentinel
• Review: 'Hold These Truths' Is Storytelling At Its Finest – Revue
• Review: ‘Figaro’ is a Delightfully Charming Farce Full of Fresh Talent – Revue
• Review: The Beauty of Life Shines in ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ – Revue
• “Hope Summer Repertory Theatre celebrates 50th season” — eightWest

$500K for 50 Years Fundraising Campaign

Following one of the most successful and challenging seasons in the history of Hope Summer Repertory Theatre (HSRT), we NOW get to celebrate a true milestone for any theatre company…OUR 50th SEASON!  A 50th Season marks a huge success for a theatre company -- not only to last that long, but to THRIVE!  One of the major contributing factors to this success is the continuing support of donors to HSRT. Since 1972, donors have exhibited fantastic enthusiasm for keeping HSRT in our community.

Now is the time to use the memories of the past 49 seasons in planning the celebration of Season 50!  Using the past as momentum, we are going to launch HSRT into a new era of providing world class theatre not just to Holland and Western Michigan, but making HSRT a true presence within the NATIONAL level of theatre.

HSRT is a cultural beacon on the stage of Western Michigan…and in the future, a stage for the entire country.  Bringing in theater goers from throughout the United States as well as all of Michigan, these theatre enthusiasts experience the joy and beauty the amazing town of Holland offers.  Imagine how many theatre enthusiasts will plan a trip to visit Holland and spread the word of the cultural phenomenon located within our community.

Raising $500,000 for the 50th Season may seem an ambitious goal, but one we can achieve together. This level of support will allow HSRT to grow and continue to be a vibrant community and cultural beacon – shining for many years to come.  

It is my fervent hope you will join us in any way you can.  If we all work together we CAN reach this ambitious goal.  Please consider the immediate benefits for today and those for future generations.  The arts are an investment that pays continuous dividends well beyond the walls of the theatre itself…and will shape our lives and the lives of future generations.

The Why...

Why $500,000 for Season 50, and What it will bring:

1. Production titles and theatre programming truly worthy of a 50th Season
2. Commensurate pay for our amazing artists
3. Increased audition and recruitment tour to find the best and brightest artists available for HSRT
4. A new (and MUCH NEEDED) sound system in Hope’s DeWitt Theatre which will not only benefit HSRT, but the entire Hope College Theatre Department.
5. Larger, more comprehensive educational and outreach programs – solidifying HSRT as a true and lasting presence within the Holland community.
6. The opportunity for more community-based events with the HSRT Company during the summer
7. The ability to expand programming throughout the year – not just summer months.
8. The opportunity to create and produce new, exciting works raising the national profile of HSRT and Hope College.

The How...

$50,000 HSRT Season 49 Surplus
Season 49 presented challenges we have never seen before. COVID-19 had for all intents and purposes shut down our industry. However, with the hard work of so many, HSRT was one of only 35 companies at the start of our season to be approved to perform by the Actor’s Union. We also became a temporary outdoor theatre for the first time in our 49-year history. Even with all these challenges HSRT was able to achieve its most successful financial season in the history of the company. 

2 Donors @ $50,000 
Our 50k for 50 Years Campaign. We are looking for 3 Corporate or “Producer” Donors to sponsor our milestone season. Totaling $100,000 toward our goal.

5 Donors @ $20,000 
Our 5 to 500k Campaign. We are looking for 5 Corporate or “Director” Donors to sponsor our milestone 50th Season. Totaling $100,000 toward our goal.

5 Donors @ $10,000 
Our 5 times 10 for the 50th Campaign. We are looking for 5 Corporate or “Playwright” Donors to sponsor our milestone 50th Season. Totaling $50,000 toward our goal.

10 Donors @ $5,000
Our 10 5’s equal 50 Campaign. We are looking for 10 “Choreographer” Donors to sponsor our milestone 50th Season. Totaling $50,000 toward our goal.

50 Donors @ $1,000
Our 50 ways to 50 Campaign. We are looking for 50 “Designer” Donors to sponsor our milestone 50th Season. Totaling $50,000 toward our goal.

100 Donors @ $500
Our 100 ways to fund the 50th Campaign. We are looking for 100 “Actor” Donors to sponsor our milestone 50th Season. Totaling $50,000 toward our goal.

500 Donors @ $100
Our 500 ways to fund the 50th Campaign. We are looking for 500 “Stage” Donors to sponsor our milestone 50th Season. Totaling $50,000 toward our goal

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Video Gallery

See updates from HSRT and meet members of the 2020 company as a way of staying connected to HSRT:

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

Check out HSRT's amazing production team

Fun Flashback: Much Ado About Nothing

HSRT’s The Color Purple at I AM ACADEMY'S Juneteenth celebration

Lenny Banovez and John Tammi at HASP

Meet Stephen Hudson-Mairet

Meet Chip Duford

Meet Chaz Sanders

Meet Taylyn Reine

Meet Marcus Martin