Love Letters

First Stage values hearing from and listening to all the voices that make up our community—and it truly makes our heart go pitter-patter when we receive love letters. Your words inspire us daily to transform lives through theater!

DONOR love letters:

“Thank you for working miracles for youth and teens—my favorite kind of miracles, no less: on stage, artful, dynamic ones that teach and entertain, bolster and inspire. Keep doing the great, unique work you do!”

“The leadership and the entire staff speak with a genuine passion and love for our children, their respective jobs and the bigger mission. You all make me endeavor to be a better person, and have given our children the tools to do so. Thank you.”

“First Stage is a model organization that other cities would like to replicate, and we are truly fortunate to have them in our community. For instance, First Stage’s Theater Academy provides a positive atmosphere that enables our community’s young people to take positive risks and to fully be themselves. Through the Academy, young people build self-esteem and learn life skills such as collaboration, empathy, creative thinking, and focus. Regardless of age, we could all benefit from such an environment! Our wish is that more and more young people can take advantage of First Stage’s programs, because the life lessons that First Stage is teaching them will translate into their future success, which will, in turn, benefit us all.”

AUDIENCE love letters:

“Nothing transports children into the humanities like a live performance featuring peers. First Stage’s theater productions are accessible without being patronizing and truly engaging for child and adult.”

“It was truly a beautiful play. Highly recommended for the cultural experience. Qué bonita es nuestra cultura y nuestra gente. Qué orgullo de nuestras tradiciones. Adelante con todo ese talento y siempre apoyarnos unos a otros.”

“Going to the theater—particularly at First Stage—is how I spend quality time with my three boys, as theater is something we all enjoy. This not only makes me a better parent, but increases the quality of my experiences with my kids. Theater contributes to the well-being of my family.”

STUDENT love letters:

“Located in the heart of Milwaukee, one of the most segregated cities in America, First Stage is the exception. The immense diversity paired with open-mindedness of all the students allows for more innovative ideas, productive discussion, and an overall more vibrant community. As a First Stage student and member of the Student Advisory Board, I love having the privilege of working in this environment.”

“I learned that you can't always have things exactly your way, and that being a leader is important, but only when necessary. Being kind is always the right answer.”

“Young Company has given me everything. It has given me confidence and resilience, it has given me lifelong friends, it gave me the strength to stand up in front of hundreds of people and perform just three hours after my mom passed away. I am so grateful to every one of my friends, directors, and teachers. I have been given an incredible gift the past four years that I can never say enough thanks for; but I will spend the rest of my career and life trying to repay you all.”

YOUNG PERFORMER love letters:

“First Stage was an amazing community for me growing up, and it nurtured my growth as a performer as well as a person. Without First Stage, I’m not sure when or how I would have been introduced to theatre. First Stage also gave me my first performance opportunities, providing insight into how a play is produced and staged and allowing me to experience live theatre.”

“It was endearing for me to be able to work with people who are underrepresented in our city to tell this story. The best moment of the show was performing for Hispanic children and seeing their reactions.”

photos by Paul Ruffolo Photography and Lindsey Abendschein

FAMILY love letters:

“It’s important to me as a parent to give back to an organization that is giving my daughter and her friends an incredible education. I believe in First Stage because I truly see it provide a place for tomorrow’s future to be themselves without judgment from their peers.  I know what involvement in the arts can do for children and it’s important to me to actively support that mission.”

“We are so incredibly fortunate to have found a second home for our daughter at First Stage. From her very first audition, to all of the classes, the summer Theater Academy, interning, and her four shows—your approach to humanity, to inclusiveness, and to learning life skills through stage skills—all fell in line with how we, as parents, hoped our daughter would develop as a young adult. Her success as a student, an actress, a sibling, a daughter, a friend and as a person, is the result of her being surrounded by a consistent message of love, support, compassion, hard work, accountability and fun. What she learned at First Stage has become her, and we simply couldn’t be more proud. Thanks for contributing to her development as an exceptional young woman. Thanks again for the years of encouragement, support, kindness and opportunities. The world, our country, Wisconsin, Milwaukee—all need a place like First Stage, perhaps more now than ever before. You’re teaching the children, and reminding the parents, that there is hope, potential, love and kindness—in everyone.” 

“I’d like to say that our family is just so grateful for the financial assistance First Stage has provided our daughter. The assistance makes it possible for her to experience the benefits of First Stage again this summer. I’d like to thank the kind donors and the staff for all that you do. It means a lot. Our daughter’s experiences with First Stage this last year have made her better at everything she takes on. She’s becoming more confident and well-rounded. Theater has opened up pathways that help her explore her own emotions and views.”

ARTIST love letters:

“Our First Stage experience has been a very important part of the development of GRETEL! as much for what it taught us about what is already there and what is working, as for what we learned about things we still need to do. …I have long admired the work of First Stage, but to see the impact you are have on the young people who come through your programs is deeply rewarding. You have affected generations of audiences, and artists through the excellence of your work and the integrity of your program and we were privileged to be part of that even for just a week. To me this is the true currency of our field, more important than new productions or new plays… To see firsthand how First Stage has touched so many lives gives me belief in our past and faith for our future as a field. I do sincerely hope we will work together again… on this project and perhaps others. You all truly are the embodiment of Best Practice.”

“First Stage’s rigorous commitment to quality artistry, and championing of young people (as both valid performers onstage and deserving spectators in an audience) means I’m always excited about the opportunity to work together. Particularly for a world premiere—where the stakes are higher, the risks grander and the reveals all the more exciting—it is a true pleasure that for the third time with my work, First Stage will act as the performance’s very literal first stage.”

CLASSROOM TEACHER love letters:

“I was very impressed by the First Stage teaching artist that I observed this morning. Today’s workshop especially stood out to me for how it was able to capture and maintain the attention and imagination of the 1^st through 3^rd graders. I also envied your teaching artist’s skills at managing kids firmly but not punitively, encouraging them to be focused and respectful, and giving them techniques and ideas for doing so. What I most enjoyed was the look on the student’s faces as the teaching artist took them on a sometimes perilous but always fun and exciting journey. Thank you! Please pass along my comments to the very talented and resourceful teaching artist.”

It warms our heart to hear from you! Head over to our Facebook page and share your love letter with us.