The Paramount Theater’s most recently completed fiscal year was another one filled with success and community impact. With 299 events, there was rarely a quiet moment in the Theater.
The Paramount hosted more than 111,000 patrons, which included a record-breaking Arts Education season with 18,667 students and teachers. Furthermore, only 62% of generated revenue came from Theater operations, while the remaining 38% came from our generous donors. For more of this year’s exceptional statistics, and for the latest news about what’s happening this fall at The Paramount, check out our 2018-2019 Annual Report and Fall 2019 Newsletter.
This season, we were thrilled to welcome a record-breaking 18,667 students and teachers from around Central Virginia and make great memories with artists from all over North America. On average, our Arts Education Program serves over 16,000 students and teachers annually – and in total, more than 195,160 since 2004! We were also pleased to have assisted nearly 4,800 students with financial assistance beyond the subsidized ticket price of $8.50. Read more below for a breakdown of this season’s highlights – and stay tuned for 2019-20 Education Season programming details!
By The Numbers:
18,667 students and teachers attended performances in 2018-19
Attendees were from 60 public schools, 25 private schools, and 56 home school groups
Nearly 4,800 students were impacted by financial assistance
10 productions and 23 performances in total on The Paramount’s stage, including:
Theatre Heroes’ Call of the Wild: Illustrated Edition; Black Violin; Theaterworks USA’s Dragons Love Tacos & Other Stories!; National Players’ The Crucible; Childsplay’s Tomás and the Library Lady; Enchantment Theatre Company’s The Phantom Tollbooth; Mad River Theater Works’ Freedom Bound; Theater Unspeakable’s The American Revolution; Bay Area Children’s Theatre’s Peg + Cat Live; and Dallas Children’s Theater’s Diary of a Worm, A Spider, and A Fly.
Our Favorite Moments:
Based on the Emmy-winning PBS Kids show, Peg + Cat Live! was chock full of lessons about math, problem solving, and caring for others. Clark Elementary students say THANK YOU!
Theatre Heroes actor/storyteller, Noel Gaulin conducted a post-show workshop titled “Bringing the Words Alive” with 25 Walton Middle School 7th graders who attended the show and were reading the novel.
This exhilarating violin/viola hip-hop duo, along with DJ & drummer, had students singing and dancing, while learning about contemporary and traditional music. The musicians’ personal stories were shared with inspirational messages about breaking stereotypes and pursuing dreams.
An original theatrical work created and produced by Chicago’s award-winning Theater Unspeakable. Students from Agnor Hurt Elementary surprised us with dozens of handwritten thank you letters sharing favorite parts of the performance and thanking us and our sponsor.
Over 235 teachers responded to post-performance surveys, and dozens of students shared their reactions through letters and art work – here’s what they had to say!
“The performance [Call of the Wild] was exceptional, and our students were blown away by the ability of a single actor to play so many roles!” – Walton Middle School, 7th Grade Teacher
“This performance exceeded expectations. We want our students to see themselves as artists and performers. Having Black Violin members talk directly about their experiences in school and their choice to study violin in spite of criticism and stereotypes is exactly the kind of examples that help broaden the student imagination for what is possible.” – Aaron Eichorst, Fine & Performing Arts Coordinator, Charlottesville City Schools
“Our class loved that the performance [Tomás and the Library Lady] was bilingual and how they explained things as they went along. We wrote letters to “our library lady” (our librarian) to share our gratitude for sharing the love of reading with us. We believe in sharing with our children to be accepting of all people, share a love for all people, and create relationships. What a great way this performance did that for our students… all through the love of reading.” – Agnor Hurt Elementary School, K-2 Teacher
“Our kids were enthralled with the performance [Dragons Love Tacos]. They wrote about their experience in the theater and compared the play to the books. Literacy standards were met in abundance and the experience of being in the theater was one of the most valuable parts of our day!” – Woodbrook Elementary School, 1st Grade Teacher
“Actors are masters of inferencing, and they showed our students how many meanings lie behind the words. This was incredibly valuable and helped our students from all levels better access difficult reading material. We would do it again in a heartbeat.” – Monticello High School, 11th Grade Teacher
“We found the choice of The Crucible a strong complement to our curriculum, and we especially enjoyed the discussion of the technical aspects during the “talk-back”. From the informative study-guide, to the timely choice of show, to the wonderfully executed performance by the National Players, this show exceeded our expectations.” – Home school Group
“The value of coming to The Paramount Theater goes beyond the SOLs we teach. The students get to see a story come alive in a beautiful theater. They are captivated during the play, and then as a teacher we get to use this excitement to review and dig deeper into the SOLs. Our students also were mesmerized by Charlottesville and the downtown mall. What a great experience for our students!” – Churchville Elementary School, 2nd Grade Teacher
“We absolutely love Mad River Theater Works and their performances are a highlight for our students each year. The original music was terrific and provided a strong connection for our students. My students were able to connect and follow the story line more closely because we made real-world connections to the true history that inspired the play before going to see the performance. The educational value of this performance was great for my students.” – Peabody School, 3rd Grade Teacher
“This was one of our favorite plays [Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly] to go see! We loved how diverse the characters were and the language they used. It really reflected where our kids come from.” – Johnson Elementary School, Kindergarten Teacher
4th & 5th grade students from Agnor Hurt Elementary react to Freedom Bound:
“Thank you for having us come to see the play Freedom Bound at The Paramount. My favorite parts of the play were dramatics. I also loved the singing and lighting. It was very nice that the play was sponsored by: UVA Office of the Vice President & Chief Officer for Diversity & Equity.”
“I liked the part where Amanda helped the person of color to write his name and then he came back to read it. I did not like the Marshall. He did not know the suffering they were going through. Thank you very much for the theater and Freedom Bound.”
“Thank you for having us come to see the play. I had lots of fun. I liked when the actors were singing songs. I can’t wait for the next show. I hope I will be coming to a lot of your shows because your shows are really fun to watch!”
“One of the things I liked was the singing and my second favorite part was the acting. It showed me to be good to people. Thank you and the UVA Office of the Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity for sponsoring Freedom Bound.”
Experience the best of Charlottesville on the Downtown Mall at Tomtoberfest from Friday, September 22 through Saturday, September 23! Over 45 participating restaurants and retailers will feature special sales and street food-inspired dishes at pop-up shops, including The Paramount.
Stop by our “Sidewalk Sale” outside the Theater for your chance to purchase posters from past events such as live performances, movies, broadcasts, and more! Also available for purchase is Paramount gear including heat activated mugs, water bottles, and ornaments.
On Sunday, September 17, The Paramount Theater presents two special screenings of Disney’s animated classic 101 Dalmatians [G] including a sensory-friendly presentation at 11:30AM!
The sensory-friendly screening will provide a positive viewing experience that is welcoming to all individuals, including those with sensory sensitivities. A few special accommodations patrons may notice during the screening include:
Sound levels reduced
House lights will remain on at a low level
Ear plugs will be available upon request
Audience members will be welcome to enter and exit the theater as needed. There will also be a space to walk and move around easily in the lobby.
When possible, there will be a quiet room on located on the fourth floor for those who need to take a break from the film.
For more information, please call the Box Office at 434.979.1333.
The historic Paramount Theater of Charlottesville is thrilled to be named the 2017 Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres!
“We could not be more honored to receive this very distinguished award from The League of Historic American Theatres. Our pride for our Theater being recognized with this honor shines through every seat in the auditorium, every smile on a patron’s face, and every glimmer of excitement in a child’s eye when they see an event on stage. None of this would be possible without the foresight of those who saved and restored our beautiful Theater. To be recognized nationally as The Outstanding Historic Theatre for 2017 by such a prestigious organization, is an honor we share with our community and we plan to celebrate this honor with you all this season!” -Chris Eure, Executive Director
Founded in 1976 by 42 theaters across the country,which has grown to more than 350 historic theaters with more than 1,000 individual members, the League of Historic American Theaters (LHAT) is a non-profit organization with the mission to champion the preservation, restoration, and operation of historic theaters across North America for the benefit of their communities and future generations.
The Outstanding Historic Theatre Award recognizes a theater that demonstrates excellence through its community impact, quality of program and services, and quality of the restoration or rehabilitation of its historic structure. Former winners of this prestigious award include the distinguished Fabulous Fox in Atlanta, the New York City Center, the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, New Jersey, and Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio to name a few. CLICK HERE to view a full list of Outstanding Historic Theatre Award winners.
The award was presented to the Executive Director of The Paramount Theater, Chris Eure, at the League’s 41st Annual Conference which took place in Los Angeles, California, July 16 – 19. The honor of the award received carries significant respect and excitement from colleagues in the arts world.
Pictured above: Ken Stein, Executive Director for The League of Historic American Theatres; Maran Garland, Director of Marketing for The Paramount Theater; Chris Eure, Executive Director for The Paramount Theater; David Gies, Board Member for The Paramount Theater; Chris Faulkner, Major Gifts Officer for The Paramount Theater; Janna Gies, wife of Board Member David Gies for The Paramount Theater; Jeffrey Gabel, Founding Executive Director for the Majestic Theater, Gettysburg PA, and Chair of the Board for The League of Historic American Theatres.
“Congratulations to The Paramount! The Paramount was named the 2017 Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres in recognition of its excellent programs and services, the quality of the restoration of its historic structure, and its outstanding community service. The Senior Center benefits from the Paramount’s generosity through the Mary Reese Community Access Fund.” – Senior Center
Amazon’s third-annual Prime Day is on Tuesday, July 11 and will feature more than 100,000 deals exclusively for Prime members, making it one of the biggest shopping days of the year! When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible to The Paramount. All you have to do is select The Paramount as your charity of choice, and Amazon will give back to the Theater at no additional cost to you.
Thank you to all who voted for The Paramount in The Daily Progress 2017 Readers’ Choice Awards! We are honored to have won two first place awards:
BEST PLACE TO CATCH THE BIG SHOW – FIRST PLACE
BEST INTIMATE MUSIC VENUE – FIRST PLACE
The Paramount Board of Directors and staff wish to extend our sincere gratitude to all those who have contributed to making The Paramount such a special Charlottesville landmark – including our loyal patrons, dedicated volunteers, and generous donors. The Theater could not be what it is today without you! We invite you to check out our upcoming schedule to experience The Paramount Theater first-hand!
As spring comes to a close, so does the 2016-17 Arts Education season – and what a season it was!
This season, we were thrilled to welcome 16,000 students and teachers from around Central Virginia and make great memories with artists from all over North America. On average, our Arts Education program serves over 15,000 students and teachers annually – and in total, more than 158,000 since 2004! We were also pleased to have assisted approximately 6,000 students with financial assistance beyond the subsidized ticket price of $7.50. Read more below for a breakdown of this season’s highlights – and stay tuned for 2017-18 Education Season programming details!
By The Numbers:
16,000 students and teachers attended performances in 2016-17
Attendees were from 56 public schools, 27 private schools, and 25 home school groups
6,000 students were impacted by financial assistance
9 productions and 18 performances in total on The Paramount’s stage, including:
Black Angels Over Tuskegee | Dallas Children’s Theater’s Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters | National Players’ The Grapes of Wrath | Richmond Symphony The Snowman;What’s Going on Here Beakman? | Mad River Theater Works Everybody’s Hero: The Jackie Robinson Story| Momix: Opus Cactus | Childsplay’s Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat| Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear & Other Treasured Stories.
Our Favorite Moments:
Stone Robinson Bright Stars’ gorgeous thank you letter to The Paramount for the April Brown Bear, Brown Bear performance – a real ray of sunshine!
The reverse side of the note from Stone Robinson which features the butterfly that students saw on stage!
The standing ovation that the Off-Broadway Black Angels Over Tuskegee received from students and the post-show selfie the cast took with the audience!
A very special surprise by Education Committee member Lisa Cogswell, who dressed for the occasion at the The Cat in the Hat performance on March 27!
Over 200 teachers and students submitted post-performance feedback – here’s what they had to say!
“The moments the lights were dimmed, the students were transported to the imaginary world of Dr. Seuss and were captivated by the performance. The students were delighted by the energetic cast that brought to life such a well-loved story. For days after our visit to the theater, the children continued to talk about the ‘silly Cat’ and how much trouble he caused on that wet, wet day! They especially enjoyed recognizing the character’s lines and chiming in with the actors throughout the play.” – Cale Elementary, 1st Grade Teacher
“The children had a wonderful time [at Brown Bear, Brown Bear & Other Treasured Stories] and, as always, recreated the performances in the classroom for days after the performance! It would not have been possible for the Bright Stars to attend without financial assistance from The Paramount….The commitment that The Paramount has to children is an inspiration. We are extremely fortunate to have you in our community. Thank you!” – Stone Robinson Bright Stars Coordinator
Agnor Hurt 5th graders react to Everybody’s Hero – The Jackie Robinson Story:
“I enjoyed the show because it was like Jackie Robinson was really there. I also liked it because of the way that Jackie handled the crowd booing and saying disrespectful things to him.”
“Jackie Robinson was the best play I have seen. The actors did a beautiful job and the words had so much feeling in their faces when they were acting.”
“My favorite part was when the two people in the back sitting on the chairs were touching their guitars because it was really nice hearing the sound and their songs were wonderful!”
“I definitely adored the play and I thought it was fancy too!”
“I liked that it was so realistic and it showed his whole life including his struggles and opportunities. I wouldn’t change any of it because I loved it!”
“I liked the music because it was great for the situation they were in during that time period. I liked that the actors were so realistic when they spoke to each other.”
“My favorite part was when it started and everyone got quiet. I didn’t really like when they made Jackie feel less than others. The music was wonderful, and I loved the way the chorus did the harmony.”
“I loved the actors. They were very creative. I loved the music. It made everyone clap, and some songs were very catchy. It was an awesome way to teach us more about Jackie Robinson.”
Gallery
Momix: Opus Cactus. Photo Courtesy of Rob Garland PhotographersBlack Angels Over Tuskegee. Photo Courtesy of Eze AmosBlack Angels Over Tuskegee. Photo Courtesy of Eze Amos
Everybody’s Hero: The Jackie Robinson Story. Photo Courtesy of Jack Looney Everybody’s Hero – The Jackie Robinson Story. Photo Courtesy of Jack LooneyBlack Angels Over Tuskegee. Photo Courtesy of Eze Amos
Our Spring 2017 Newsletter is now available online!
Read the newsletter below and find out about recent events such as The Paramount’s presentation of Tony Bennett, our 85th Birthday, and 2016 by the numbers including fascinating statistics about the past year at the Theater!
We invite you, our honored patrons, supporters, and friends to The Paramount’s most important fundraiser of the year, which also happens to be one of the biggest parties!
Photo: Rob Garland Photographers
7th Annual Grand Marquee Gala Friday, April 28 Gala 7:00PM | Late Night 9:00PM $250 Individual Supporter | $500 Individual Patron | $100 Late Night
Join us for the 7th Annual Grand Marquee Gala, where there will be incredible food, a silent disco, dancing, and a fabulous silent auction – all in support of our grandest fundraising effort of 2017! We are so thankful to all those who have supported us through the years in ways big and small, and because nonprofit Paramount relies so heavily on donations, your continued investment in the Theater means more than you know. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating the incredible successes we’ve had over the past year, including welcoming legends such as Tony Bennett, providing access to Arts Education programming for more than 16,000 students and teachers, and offering 25 free events to the community! We can think of no better way to honor these achievements than to spend a fun, retro-fresh evening with those who make all of this possible.
We also extend a sincere thank you to Gary and Tana Taylor and their family, who have generously chaired this event to make it an unforgettable evening.
This year, we are excited to offer the “Late Night” ticket again, which includes dancing on the stage, drinks, and food starting at 9:00PM – a great option for the night owls!
For more information about the event, to reserve your ticket, or inquire about exciting event sponsorship opportunities, please click here or contact Rosemary Miller at 434.293.1010 or rosemarymiller@theparamount.net.
Unable to attend the Gala but still want to support The Paramount? CLICK HERE to donate now!
This season, we were thrilled to welcome a record-breaking 18,667 students and teachers from around Central Virginia and make great memories with artists from all over North America. On average, our Arts Education Program serves over 16,000 students and teachers annually – and in total, more than 195,160 since 2004! We were also pleased to have assisted nearly 4,800 students with financial assistance beyond the subsidized ticket price of $8.50. Read more below for a breakdown of this season’s highlights – and stay tuned for 2019-20 Education Season programming details!
Experience the best of Charlottesville on the Downtown Mall at Tomtoberfest from Friday, September 22 through Saturday, September 23! Over 45 participating restaurants and retailers will feature special sales and street food-inspired dishes at pop-up shops, including The Paramount.
Paramount Presents: Pilobolus
“We could not be more honored to receive this very distinguished award from The League of Historic American Theatres. Our pride for our Theater being recognized with this honor shines through every seat in the auditorium, every smile on a patron’s face, and every glimmer of excitement in a child’s eye when they see an event on stage. None of this would be possible without the foresight of those who saved and restored our beautiful Theater. To be recognized nationally as The Outstanding Historic Theatre for 2017 by such a prestigious organization, is an honor we share with our community and we plan to celebrate this honor with you all this season!” -Chris Eure, Executive Director
