Giving for Good: Free student ticket lottery

December 4, 2024

Donate to DCCF to help TL create program to give away free show tickets to area students

The cost of a ticket should never be a barrier to experiencing the transformative power of live theatre. Through this program, Theatre Lawrence will establish a student ticket lottery, providing high school students in our community the opportunity to attend regular season productions at no cost. Students can register for a chance to win free tickets, with 15 students selected per production. This initiative will remove financial barriers and foster a deeper connection to the arts, benefiting nearly 100 students annually and enriching their educational and cultural experiences.


Funding for this project is part of the Douglas County Community Foundation's annual "Giving for Good" campaign. Donate by Dec. 31, 2024.


Ways to give:

Donate online at the DCCF Website

Donors may also send checks to DCCF with the following instructions:


Make checks payable to:

Douglas County Community Foundation

Memo line: The name of your project or organization


Mailing address:

Douglas County Community Foundation

900 Massachusetts

Suite 406

Lawrence, KS  66044


Non-cash donations such as appreciated stock or other property transactions: Please have donors contact Chip Blaser, Executive Director, at chipblaser@dccfoundation.org, or call 785-843-8727.


PLEASE DONATE FOR THIS PROJECT VIA DCCF, NOT OUR WEBSITE. 
Donate Now!

Theatre Lawrence News & Announcements

A summer filled with JOY

By Jamie Ulmer • July 20, 2026
Joy. That's the only word I can think of to describe the feeling that has been radiating from the TL stage over the past several weeks. First came the joy of our annual Penguin Project production. Seeing youth with special needs take the stage and experience the audience's warm appreciation each night is nothing short of magical. This year's production of Alice in Wonderland Jr. proved it with time-obsessed rabbits, murderous Queen of Hearts, and ever-growing and shrinking young Alices. That was followed last weekend by our sold-out run of Guys and Dolls SR ., our very first Vintage Players senior musical. The joy was written on the face of every cast member, some of whom were appearing in their very first show (one made her acting debut at 83!). That joy carried over after each performance as friends, children, and grandchildren eagerly waited to congratulate the cast.  There's one more weekend of summer joy on tap as we present two youth productions, Willy Wonka KIDS and The Aristocats KIDS , playing in repertory this Friday and Saturday. Sharing joy like this makes all the schedule juggling, rehearsals, and investment of resources worthwhile. It reminds us why we support community-based, locally produced theatre. There is truly nothing like it, and we're thrilled to have been bringing that joy to our community for 50 years. Our exciting 50th Anniversary Season is about to begin, and we can't wait to share that joy with you! Jamie Ulmer TL Executive Director
Purple poster with a skull-and-crossbones and the title “PIRATES! Penzance the Musical”

CAST LIST: Pirates! The Penzance Musical

July 17, 2026
View the cast list for 'Pirates! The Penzance Musical.' Tickets go on sale August 3. Check it out!

Announcing the first Striving Artists Project recipient

July 1, 2026
Theatre Lawrence is pleased to announce the first recipient of the Louise ImMasche Striving Artists Project is Anj Marie Riffel and her musical Chasing Nirvana . The show will receive a production at Theatre Lawrence Oct. 2 and 3, 2026. Information about auditions and participating in the first staging of this original musical will be available in the coming weeks. Anj Marie Riffel wears a stack of hats professionally and passionately — including writer, editor, designer, and songwriter — with an enduring love of artistic expression. Her short plays have been featured on stage at Theatre Lawrence for New Works Night. When she’s not searching for her missing iPhone or the meaning of life, Anj can be found wading heart-deep in creative pursuits and loving her people. The Striving Artists Project honors the legacy of Louise ImMasche and the art they created by fostering a space and providing resources to small artists with big shows. This project aims to provide an opportunity to kinder those like Louise – unyielding in their dreams, a need to tell their stories, and looking to go big with the chances they are provided. About the show: Travel back to the heyday of Gen X, when twentysomethings were trying to figure out who they were beyond the walls of Shermer High School—and discovering that reality does indeed bite. Presley Martin is an endearingly awkward, hot mess of a musician who’s hoping her band might be the next Nirvana. While reaching on tiptoe for the stars, she loses her balance and winds up flirting with rock bottom instead. With the resurgence of 1990s culture, CHASING NIRVANA feels simultaneously nostalgic and current. Driven by catchy 90’s alt-rock music, the story appeals to a multi-generational audience, as it examines life’s big questions: Who will love me? Why am I here? What really matters? Packed with heart, humor, and a healthy dose of pop-culture wisdom, we follow Presley’s journey as she navigates a Bermuda love triangle and risks losing herself in the void between two very different dreams. Will she find her own sense of nirvana?
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