November 16, 2023
To our amazing audiences, talented participants, and valued current and past donors:
As the season of Thanksgiving is here, we want to thank each and every one of you for participating in programs here at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts. This is a special unit that you have chosen to call home for a long or short time and for that we are grateful. As part of a public agency, we work hard to produce high quality and educational theatre; coordinate valuable elementary music programs; offer a safe and beautiful rental location for arts and culture groups in the community; cultivate a place to enjoy our varied and unique partnerships through theatrical and musical presentations, demonstrations, events and comedy shows; and build a place to enrich and grow your skills through art, theatre, music, dance, writing and fitness classes for all ages. The staff here are some of the most devoted, talented, and friendly that you will ever meet, and it has been our pleasure to work with and for you to have an amazing experience.
Like the rest of the world, things look a bit different after the pandemic. We are so happy to see packed shows, rental groups re-forming, participants of all ages back in our building, and classes and camp numbers increasing. We are also proud to be a partner location for many local organizations and have enjoyed adding new renters, organizations, and instructors to our programs. As a public agency, we do not have unlimited funding available for our programs and fundraising is a part of what we do in order to be able to expand our offerings, support new programs, and to allow us to do big-name titles; purchase new costumes, sets, props; and continue to offer generous financial assistance options for those in need. As Giving Tuesday is approaching on November 28, we kindly ask that you think of supporting Young Artists Ensemble, Hillcrest Players, Conejo Theatre for Everyone, and Elementary Music this year to help keep Hillcrest Center for the Arts a thriving location for you and your families.
Giving is easy and tax deductible and can be done using cash, check, or credit card.
1) You can send a check made out to CRPD and mail directly to Hillcrest Center for the Arts at 403 W. Hillcrest Drive Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 with “Donation to YAE” in the memo line and a note for how you would like to be written into the program.
2) You can pay cash donations at a performance, in the box office, or a the Hillcrest Center for the Arts office.
3)You can use your credit card to donate HERE, call us at 805-381-2747, or come into the office or box office with your credit card to make a donation.
If you choose to donate you will be listed in our YAE show programs as a contributor for the following year and you will receive a letter that acts as a receipt with the tax information for your donation.
What can your money do to support us? Funds can sponsor scholarships for the youth to be able to participate in our theatre performances. You can help make sure that all who audition are not worried about paying for their participation fee. We have offered scholarships to families in need for over 43 years and look forward to continuing to support them moving forward. Funds can be used to ensure the longevity of the incredible Conejo Theatre for Everyone program, teaming up talented teens with incredible performers with special needs of all ages! Funds can support the Elementary Music Program by giving towards a scholarship to any child that desires to take music at their elementary school in the Conejo Valley Unified School District through a choral, strings, or band program. Funds can support the Hillcrest Players program for younger performers to help introduce generations of Conejo Valley youth to the performing arts in an inspiring, accessible, and wholesome format. Funds can provide more educational opportunities for master classes, one-day workshops, and specialty support that can allow students young and old to learn from professionals in the music, theatre, visual arts, and dance world.
Your support is an important piece of how we have been able to be a part of your lives and this community for over 43 years. We look forward to seeing how we can increase our interactions with the community, expand our educational and theatrical outreach, continue to connect with community groups to offer a place for programming and performances, and offering your favorites and new programs each session to keep you active and engaged in both art and culture. One of the programs we have been able to bring back with your support is the popular Teen Drama program. We were also able to produce one of our biggest musicals ever with the successful Teen Summer Musical The Phantom of the Opera which provided performance opportunities for 34 teen performers, 23 teen orchestra members, and 13 teen tech crew in front of five sold-out audiences for 2,000 people. We cannot wait to interact with each of you during 2024 and are looking forward to sharing more fundraising event opportunities with you in the next year! Thank you for thinking of us and making HCFA a part of your Giving Tuesday and Thanksgiving Season.
With grateful hearts and with positive wishes for the future!
Your Hillcrest Center for the Arts Staff,
Brianne Anderson Megan McDonough Mark Reyes Natalie De Savia Ian Kelley Lauren Alexander Nick Bronaugh Evan Smith Esther Kwon Matt Huffschmidt Aubrey McGowan Natalie Granucci Christi Reusch