Help Neverbird Take Flight

Neverbird Theater is a nonprofit organization in Southwest Houston which equips artists of all backgrounds to explore physical storytelling and the innate dignity of being human.

We do this by:

  1. Advancing public access to theater education through classes and free workshops

  2. Providing professional training for theater artists

  3. Producing a regular cycle of plays for public participation and performance

Support Neverbird

The Need We Saw

The Houston theater scene has much to offer, but three major gaps exist:

  1. Geography. The southwest quarter of Houston houses notably few theaters. This means that artists and audiences of southwest Houston need to travel 30+ minutes each way, each time they want to participate in theatrical arts and education — a subtle but significant barrier for working adults, students, and families.

  2. Theater Model. Small theaters often feel that they have no other choice than to rely solely on volunteers and produce large-scale, cash-cow productions. This model tends to burn the production team out quickly, emphasize efficiency at the cost of quality, and deprive the artists and students involved of receiving meaningful training, individualized feedback, and personal relationship.

  3. Training & Education Opportunities. Good theater is about more than just the end product of a given play. It’s about real community, formation, and craftsmanship, and those things require real training. Currently, opportunities for training and continuing education are hard to come by if you aren’t a full-time actor or actively enrolled in an arts school.

Why Support Neverbird?

We are committed to creating spaces for both experienced professionals and those just beginning to explore theater-making, because we believe that the intentional, well-guided craft of collaborative storytelling helps all individuals to flourish.

Theater of this kind doesn’t simply entertain; it brings life to whole communities.

Community Enrichment

Free and cost-effective educational programming ensures that everyone can access the life-changing work of physical, collaborative storytelling - whether they consider themselves a theater artist or not.

Equip the next Generation

Our high school program creates an invaluable space for young people to hone their craft, build friendships, play, and make mistakes and learn from them in a respectful environment. Progress is rarely tidy.

Invest in Local Artists

Ongoing opportunities to train with local and visiting experts allow theater artists to continue developing. Production stipends make sure that they are compensated for their work.

Tell Stories that Matter

An encounter with good theater doesn’t simply entertain — it changes you. We are committed to bringing Southwest Houston the kind of stories that you’ll continue thinking about for years to come.

How to Help Neverbird Take Flight

Donate

Donate

Each gift goes toward educational programming, productions, facilities and equipment, and stipends for artistic and technical personnel. Whatever the level of your donation, it makes a huge and practical impact!

See below for some concrete examples of what your donation can supply, and to learn about joining Neverbird’s Founder’s Circle.

Share

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Volunteer

Contact us at info@neverbirdtheater.org to see how you can support Neverbird’s mission through your time and talents.

Join the Founder’s Circle

Now through December, we invite you to join Neverbird’s Founder’s Circle: a community made up of the founding donors who stepped forward to help Neverbird take flight during its first months.

Support Neverbird with a gift of $25/month or more to enjoy fun perks through the season as Neverbird grows!

Founder’s Circle: Perks & Invitations

Why these perks?

In addition to paying for the resources to make Neverbird’s programming possible, this launch campaign is about investing in the physical things that will be a part of our work, season after season. We want this community to be a part of that physical reality.

Anyone donating $25/month or more is giving enough within a season to help us purchase an essential part of Neverbird’s start-up equipment. So we value having your favorite play on our bookshelf. We want your name, or the name of someone you are making the donation in honor of, on our lighting equipment. We want your presence at parties and in the production process, where possible.

So often, it’s these small, intimate, personal reminders of others which contribute to the rich depth of a theater community. We want our work to bear the fingerprints of those who helped to build it.

Join the Founder's Circle

Nonprofit Theaters by the Numbers

Nonprofit theaters typically raise about 70% of their budget through grants and charitable donations.

In Neverbird’s case, the combination of our season budget and initial startup costs leave a whopping 73% to raise. It truly will take a village!

Recurrent (monthly) donations are an incredibly effective way to support the longevity of a nonprofit. Here are a few examples of varying levels of gifts that can accomplish amazing things over 12 months:

  • $10/month covers a 50% tuition scholarship for a student who would not otherwise be able to afford a quarterly class

  • $30/month covers Neverbird’s annual website, domain, and Google Workspace subscriptions

  • $50/month covers the rights and scripts for a production

  • $100/month covers half of the materials for a production’s set

  • $200/month covers our average facility rental fee for a production, long-form class, or workshop series

Add to that stipends for teachers, directors, designers, actors, and production crew members, and you can imagine what a monumental group effort this becomes.

Every dollar has a very real impact on everyone involved with Neverbird!

Shareable Resources

Want to help get the word out? Use any of the items below. Remember that personal messages work best.

Thank you!