Duke Energy Foundation Grant Supports Family Saturday Series

The Carolina Theatre has received a $5,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation to support its 2019-20 Family Saturday Series, a family-friendly series of affordable performances that attracted hundreds of guests to downtown Durham in 2018-19. The 2019-20 Family Saturday Series season begins on October 12 with an interactive magic show from The Amazing Max.

“We’re proud to support the Carolina Theatre and help expand opportunities for more children and families to attend the Family Saturday Series,” Duke Energy District Manager Indira Everett said. She presented Carolina Theatre President and CEO Rebecca Newton with a check for $5,000 (see image). Also in attendance were Carolina Theatre Senior Director of Development Ellen Stone (far right) and Carolina Theatre Senior Director of Education & Community Engagement Noel James (far left).

“We so appreciate Duke Energy’s support! It has enabled us to expand our community partnerships and allow more children and families to attend these highly interactive, fun-filled, quality one-hour live performances,” James said. “We offer families an opportunity to spend time together that is affordable and fun. Attending a performance, or any shared positive experience, strengthens the family unit.”

After launching in 2017-18 with a small pilot program, the Carolina Theatre of Durham presented 10 Family Saturday Series events in 2018-19. From the high-energy Afro-Brazilian music of Caique Vidal to the captivating storytelling of Donna Washington to the spectacular Indian dance of Usha Rajagopalan, engaged audiences were wowed by the high-quality art presented for an affordable admission cost of $5 per ticket, or free through Family Saturday Series passes distributed via partnerships with East Durham Children’s Initiative, the City of Durham’s Neighborhood Improvement Services, El Centro Hispano, the Emily K Center, Families Moving Forward and Partners for Youth Opportunity.

“Our goal for children’s services at Families Moving Forward is to support school, encourage health, and strengthen parent-child relationships. Opportunities like the Family Saturday Series encompasses all of this through interactive performances they can enjoy as a family,” Corrine Taylor, children’s programming associate of Families Moving Forward, said. “We’re lucky to be partners with the Carolina Theater and are overjoyed that our families have an opportunity like this to get away and enjoy themselves.”

Carolina Theatre of Durham, Inc., the nonprofit that operates the city-owned historic venue, has programmed the 2019-20 Family Saturday Series to reflect the cultural diversity of the Triangle. With nine diverse shows, ranging from the Latin folk harp music of Pavelid Castañeda to the ChamberSoul of Shana Tucker, the morning performances are designed to provide cultural enrichment, as well as memorable entertainment with a focus on attracting families from all communities across the region.

Tickets to the Carolina Theatre’s 2019-20 Family Saturday Series will go on sale Thursday, Sept. 5 at 10 a.m. Limited additional tickets for each presentation will be available at the door for guests without resources who have not obtained free passes through the partner agencies mentioned above. Paid admission to all Family Saturday Series events is $5.

Thanks to funding from Duke Energy Foundation and other program supporters, the Carolina Theatre’s 2019-20 Family Saturday Series will build on the success of last season and extend its historic venue’s 93-year-old reputation as a beacon for the arts in its community. Families have always formed the core of that community, and the Carolina Theatre of Durham is proud to provide a home where artistic disciplines can grow and flourish.

 (Photo: Duke Energy District Manager Indira Everett, second from left, presents Carolina Theatre President and CEO Rebecca Newton with a check for $5,000  Also present: Carolina Theatre Senior Director of Education & Community Engagement Noel James, far left and Carolina Theatre Senior Director of Development Ellen Stone, far right. L-R: James, Everett, Newton and Stone.)