$236,000! Without it, there will be no free park shows this summer. With it, we can finance a months' worth of performances. Cutting our season in half was our first step towards saving expenses. Even still, we can not currently meet the production costs of a shorter tour. With many folks tapped out after the election contributions, our donations have dropped dramatically. Also with the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) and other resources now crushed under the orange thumb, any suggestion of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is an automatic disqualifier. These are our core values and performing in “underserved” communities is our mission! 2 + months into Mango Mussolini Redux, people are angry and scared at the swiftness of his draconian mandates and cuts. Their anger is fueling large protests around the country, lighting a fire of resistance not seen in a long time. SFMT needs to be in the parks this summer to rally the outcry as we have for every one of our 66 years.

2013 was the only other time we came this close to cancelling a season. To raise the necessary $40,000 we introduced you to the “Cost of Free” by sharing the hidden expenses of producing free shows. The reaction was immediate when people learned how much we must pay for insurance, permits, union benefits, truck fuel, portapotties…the list goes on. Now 12 years and a global pandemic later, the Cost of Free has gotten much costlier! Check it out-