What Does “Give to the Max Day” mean for Black Dirt Theater?

Give to the Max day serves as a tremendous day where the state of Minnesota comes together in the spirit of giving and community to raise funds for the non-profits that mean the most to us.

The donations MAKE A DIFFERENCE for us in what we are able to do with our shows, and in what we are able to do within our community with our classes and workshops. Your donations also provide more than just building materials for our sets and costumes for our performers. Your donations help grow our community. Your donations give an individual a stage to perform on. And, in some cases, your donations give someone a chance at a career in the performing arts!

To give you an idea of just how far your donations can go for us, here is where your donations make an immediate difference in our shows:

A $10 donation would:  

  • Buy 1 pack of batteries for microphones during the show. Each battery pack takes about 3 batteries to fill and the microphones must have maintained batteries to be sure you can hear cast members.

  • Buy 1 pan of makeup. For example, Shrek’s makeup will consist of several colors, and just 1 of those colors or shades of green will cost about $10.

  • Buy 1 paint brush or a pack of small paint brushes for painting the set of the show.

  • Buy 2 2x4s when creating the set or building a platform for the cast members.

  • Buy 10 promotional posters to put up around town and spread the word about the show.

  • Buy 1 script for a small show, not a musical.

  • Buy 1 roll of facetape for actors and actresses to tape their microphones to their face.

A $25 donation would: 

  • Buy 1 gallon of paint to help add more color to the set.

  • Buy 1 complete costume from a thrift store for the actors and actresses that don’t already have one.

  • Pay for 1 5-day ad on facebook to promote the show.

  • Rent 1 musical script. This is a script that can be returned, not written in, and is a more complex script than a standard theater performance.

  • Buy 1 theater/stage light bulb if it burns out during the run of a show.

A $50 donation would: 

  • Purchase the props for a character to use in a show for each scene.

  • Pay for an ad on MN Playlist to get new actors and actresses interested in auditioning for the show.

  • Get 1 specialty costume for a character, such as the tinman or the scarecrow in Wizard of Oz.

  • Materials to purchase or build 1 flat or platform for the cast to stand on.

  • Purchase 1 bolt of fabric for the seamstresses to make costumes out of.

A $100 donation would: 

  • Allow us to participate in a local parade.

  • Rent 1 microphone for a cast member to use in a show.

A $250 donation would: 

  • Provide us with enough paint to repaint a stage floor after the musical.

  • Purchase 1 spotlight bulb.

  • Provide us with enough lighting for a small show, such as a dinner theater show at a small venue.

  • Pay for about 1/2 of a musical’s orchestration.

  • Purchase scripts for the cast of a small show, not a musical.

  • Pay for the rental of a rehearsal space.

A $2,000 donation would: 

  • Cover the costs of all costumes for a large production, such as our yearly musical.

  • Construct an entire set for a large production, such as a musical with several moving parts. 

As you can see, we rely on our donations each and every day to be who we are and to support our lovely community in such a fun way. Please consider making a donation to us between November 1st and 21st by clicking the Give MN link here or by choosing one of the options below.

There are several ways that you can participate in give to the max day. You can donate by doing any of the following.

  1. You can donate very simply by clicking the Give MN link here.

  2. You can go to givemn.org and search for "Black Dirt Theater" under Donate.

  3. You can mail us a check at 213 Sibley Street #101, Hastings, MN 55033.

We’re very grateful for any amount of generosity that you give to us, both monetarily and through your time. We are also thankful for the commitment that the community gives us each and every day, and we truly do take donations to heart as we continue to provide a space for people to be creative through community. Black Dirt Theater is an artistic jewel in Hastings, it brings variety, enjoyment, and quality to our thriving arts scene and gives Hastings residents the chance to participate in theater in many ways without leaving town.