Drama in Motion Performance Works (DMPW) received a $6,000 grant from First Federal Charitable Foundation that it will use to pay royalties on its planned productions and provide dance and theater scholarships to under-privileged and low-income children.
DMPW usually funds its theater through community support and holding performances. However, the theatre has been closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 and the organization’s president, Phyllis Colombo, said they have not been able to give back to the community as they usually do.
“We used our short-term community support to complete a much-needed remodeling of the building without realizing that these (pandemic) restrictions would reach into 2021. Heating sources have been exhausted and are needed to maintain the building to prevent winter damage and pipes freezing. Our mortgage and electric must be met,” she said. “Once open, the theatre can return to normal operations and resume financial independence, giving back to the community. We look forward to announcing monthly productions.”
DMPW plans to use $5,000 of the grant to pay royalties on the planned productions, which will allow show profits to be used to cover those monthly expenses. The remaining $1,000 will be used to fill the depleted scholarship fund. Despite not bringing in any revenue during the pandemic, DMPW still provided more than $5,000 in dance scholarships last year to students in need.
Colombo and her daughter, DMPW Artistic Director and Founder Joelle Witner, previously founded the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts together. Following a split in 2004, Witner sought a new venue and began DMPW in Nuremberg in a building that is referred to as the DM Performance Works Factory Theatre.
Colombo said future plans to fund the theatre include a widespread membership campaign and sourcing through corporate donations. For more information on the organization, visit https://www.performanceworksfactorytheatre.com/.
The First Federal Charitable Foundation was established to support worthwhile community causes. It strives to nurture nonprofit institutions and programs that will effectively serve those in need from the community, empower nonprofit institutions and programs that will expand their presence in and services to the area, and promote opportunities for new nonprofit institutions and programs that will serve the unserved.
Nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) IRS designation that are located in Luzerne, Schuylkill, Carbon and Columbia counties are eligible to apply. Any organization whose headquarters is in another county but services either Luzerne, Schuylkill, Carbon or Columbia counties may apply for a grant to be used in one of those counties.
For more information on the foundation or to obtain a grant application, email