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Theatre Philadelphia announces new fund with $300 micro grants for struggling theater workers

The grants are first-come, first-served. Applications open Monday.

The Wilma Theater (right) on the Avenue of the Arts South Broad St. in Phila., Pa. on Saturday, April 04, 2020. The lights are on, but the theater is closed, like every theater, because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Wilma Theater (right) on the Avenue of the Arts South Broad St. in Phila., Pa. on Saturday, April 04, 2020. The lights are on, but the theater is closed, like every theater, because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

With theaters dark and virtually every theater artist in and around Philadelphia suddenly out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic, the region’s theater community has created a $145,000 fund to distribute as $300 micro-grants to theater professionals — from those on stage to those answering the box-office telephone.

The Theatre Philadelphia Emergency Relief fund will award grants, on a first-come, first-serve basis, to applicants who live within a 35-mile radius of Philadelphia’s City Hall, organizers announced Friday.

Applications open at noon Monday, April 13. Details are at theatrephiladelphia.org.

The bulk of the initial pool of money has come from donors who support the Barrymore Awards for theater excellence, managed by the industry group Theatre Philadelphia. The public can also contribute.

“Theatre Philadelphia will do our utmost to help fulfill the emergent needs of as many individuals as possible,” said, Jason Lindner, the group’s board president.

» FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

Early supporters of the fund include CHG Charitable Trust, the June and Steve Wolfson Family Foundation, and the Victory Foundation.