Support

Your Support Makes the Difference

Porchlight counts on the hundreds of individuals who make unrestricted contributions to Porchlight each season in order to produce the highest quality, most exciting music theatre featuring the most talented performers, designers and technicians. Ticket sales only cover about 50% of our nonprofit’s budget. Coming out of this challenging time, our generous supporters make all the difference in our ability to shine, now and in the years ahead. Please consider a gift to Porchlight today.

Donate Today!

Giving & Recognition Levels

Every donation we receive is an affirmation of our work, an affirmation we take very seriously, pushing Porchlight forward to inspire and entertain.

VISIONARY: $25,000+

• Opportunity to sit in on the creation process for one Mainstage production, with invitation for two to general auditions, call backs, first full-company rehearsal with designer presentations, final run-though and opening night, including a cast-signed show poster
• VIP experience for four at one Broadway in your Backyard summer park concert including reserved seating (chairs) and gourmet food & wine basket
• Unlimited complimentary concessions at Mainstage performances
• Plus the combined benefits of all levels below

BENEFACTOR: $10,000-$24,999

• Ten tickets to one Porchlight Mainstage production for your use, or donated to a charity or school of your choice
• Plus the combined benefits of all levels below

PRODUCER: $5,000-$9,999

• Invitation for two to the annual VIP Holiday Party (December)
• “Golden Ticket” privileges to expedite check-in at special events like the ICONS Gala and Chicago Sings (requires full pre-registration)
• Plus the combined benefits of all levels below

PRINCIPAL: $2,500-$4,999

• Invitation for two to each Mainstage production’s “First Rehearsal Meet & Greet”, the first all-company rehearsal at Porchlight’s rehearsal studios at 4200 W. Diversey, with an opportunity to hear the insights and visions of the creative team and experience the cast in the first read-through 
• Coupons for two complimentary concession items at each Mainstage production
• Plus the combined benefits of all levels below

PLAYER: $1,000-$2,499

• Invitation for two to each Mainstage Opening Night performance and celebratory reception, mingling with supporters, press and artists
• Plus the combined benefits of all levels below

ASSOCIATE: $500-$999

• Choice of Porchlight Music Theatre logo merchandise (hat, t-shirt, tumbler, mug or tote bag)
• Plus the combined benefits of all levels below

PATRON: $250

• Priority invitation to the Season Preview concert event
• Plus the combined benefits of all levels below

SUPPORTER: $100

• Listing in Mainstage show programs and on the website

Other Giving Options

Porchlight gratefully accepts gifts of stock, planned gifts and charitable IRA rollovers, in addition to support through corporate and community partnerships. Contact Kellie Buffington at kellie@porchlightmusictheatre.org for specific instructions.

STOCK TRANSFER GIFTS

Porchlight accepts gifts of stock via our account at Charles Schwab. Click here for details: Stock Donation to PMT

MATCHING GIFTS

Does your employer match gifts to 501(c)(3) not-for-profits like Porchlight Music Theatre? If so, please provide us the pertinent forms or link and we’ll pursue the match. When determining giving levels, matches are considered along with the individual’s personal contributions.

CORPORATE GRANTS

If you work for a company with a corporate grant or community giving program, let us know. Employees can help not-for-profits navigate corporate giving programs.

IN-KIND DONATIONS

Porchlight welcomes in-kind donations for gala auction items, office supplies and equipment, printing and graphic design, set-building materials, furniture, props, costumes and a variety of other much-needed items. Please contact us for more information on how to support the theatre in this vital way.

PLANNED GIVING

Planned giving is a way to make a future gift through your financial and estate plans. Your gift may provide tax benefits for you or your loved ones, and it will ensure that the enjoyment and enrichment you’ve experienced at Porchlight is available for generations to come. Click the link in the left-hand menu to learn more.

The Songbook Society

The Songbook Society is dedicated to ensuring the future of music theatre in Chicago. Members of the Songbook Society are music theatre lovers who have a strong appreciation for the excellence of music theatre and enjoy getting to know others who share the same enthusiasm and passion for Porchlight. Members serve as advocates and enjoy special inside access and unique opportunities that deepen their engagement with Porchlight. We hope that you will join this special group of Porchlight supporters who contribute $2,500 or more annually.

The Cohen-Rubin Fund for Early Career Artists at Porchlight

Established in 2023 through the generosity of Elaine Cohen and Arlen D. Rubin, this fund supports hiring and mentoring artists who are just starting out in their professional performing careers. A hallmark of Porchlight’s excellence is identifying and supporting the best new talent in Chicago.

The Rachel Rockwell Memorial Fund: Supporting Fierce Women Behind the Table

This fund was established by Porchlight board member Brenda Didier to recognize, employ and support women in artistic leadership positions at Porchlight Music Theatre in memory of theatre director, choreographer and performer, Rachel Rockwell. Inaugural recipients of The Rachel Rockwell Memorial Fund Supporting Fierce Women Behind the Table include Denise Karczewski (lighting designer), Christie Chiles Twillie (music director) and Shanna VanDerwerker (choreographer).

The George K. Sargent III Cash Reserve Fund

Maintaining financial stability and sustainability is the key to expanding programming, innovating, taking artistic risks and weathering economic downturns. With no endowment, building our cash reserves is essential, especially after the effects of the pandemic. A cash reserve fund is an important strategic goal championed by long-time board member Kim Sargent who passed away in June 2019, whose legacy of strong fiscal stewardship continues to inspire all of us at Porchlight. We have established this fund in his memory.

The Christopher N. Tisone Legacy Stage Management Fund

Through the generosity of the Tisone family, this fund established in 2019 supports and celebrates the unsung heroes of any theatre production: stage management. Production stage managers and assistant stage managers coordinate and support the people and processes that bring a show to life. This fund supports a combination of both seasoned stage managers as well as stage managers newer in their careers who are working on Porchlight productions in a given year.

GET IN ON THE ACT!

Support the Award-Winning Work of Porchlight Music Theatre

As the home for music theatre in Chicago, Porchlight Music Theatre is nationally recognized for reimagining classic productions, developing new works and showcasing musical theatre’s noted Chicago veterans and rising stars. Porchlight elevates the genre by providing intimate and powerful theatrical experiences of music theatre through the lens of the “Chicago style.” The 23rd season 2017–2018 marked a milestone for Porchlight as the company became an Artist In-Residence at the historic Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago’s Gold Coast. This move expanded audiences and raised the company’s profile.

Your partnership with Porchlight provides an affiliation with an established Chicago arts leader and brand that is synonymous with excellence and innovation. We will tailor a package to fit your specific philanthropic and promotional priorities. For individual or family sponsors, we offer you exclusive recognition and involvement with the artists.

Contact Pam Klier at pam@porchlightmusictheatre.org for opportunities and more information.

Donate Today!

PLANNED GIVING & PORCHLIGHT’S DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE

Planned giving is a way to make a future gift through your financial and estate plans. Your gift may provide tax benefits for you or your loved ones, and it will ensure that the enjoyment and enrichment you’ve experienced at Porchlight is available for generations to come. Through your future gift, you can continue to support Porchlight’s artistic work and exceptional arts education and outreach programs. When you decide to include Porchlight in your estate plans, you come a member of Porchlight’s Director’s Circle.

If you have included Porchlight Music Theatre in your estate plans, please download The Bequest Notification form and send us a copy (4200 W. Diversey Ave. Chicago, IL 60639).

Bequest Notification Form

Types of Bequests

Check out the various ways by which you can make a bequest to Porchlight Music Theatre.

Specific Bequest. A specific bequest involves making a gift of a specific asset such as real estate, a car, other property or a gift for a specific dollar amount. For example, you may wish to leave your home or $10,000 to Porchlight Music Theatre.

Percentage Bequest. Another kind of specific bequest involves leaving a specific percentage of your overall estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 20% of your estate to Porchlight Music Theatre.

Residual Bequest. A residual bequest is made from the balance of an estate after the will or trust has given away each of the specific bequests. A common residual bequest involves leaving a percentage of the residue of the estate to charity. For example, you may wish to leave 25% of the residue of your estate to Porchlight Music Theatre.

Contingent Bequest. A contingent bequest is made to charity only if the purpose of the primary bequest cannot be met. For example, you could leave specific property, such as a vacation home, to a relative, but the bequest language could provide that if the relative is not alive at the time of your death, the vacation home will go to Porchlight Music Theatre.

Bequest Benefits

A bequest is generally a revocable gift, which means it can be changed or modified at any time. You can choose to designate that a bequest be used for a general or specific purpose so you have the peace of mind knowing that your gift will be used as intended. Bequests are exempt from federal estate taxes. If you have a taxable estate, the estate tax charitable deduction may offset or eliminate estate taxes, resulting in a larger inheritance for your heirs.

Donate Today!

Annual ICONS Gala

The ICONS Gala is Porchlight’s signature fundraising event and annually celebrates a notable artist who has made an indelible contribution to American entertainment through our art form. Past ICONS have included Hal Prince, Elaine Stritch, Joel Grey and in 2021 the incomparable Chita Rivera.

Porchlight’s Luminary Award is bestowed annually at the Gala. This honor recognizes an outstanding individual, family or family foundation with a history of philanthropic and volunteer leadership on behalf of Porchlight and music theatre in Chicago, and whose generosity inspires others to philanthropic action. 

ICONS In-Kind Sponsors
In-kind sponsors are critical to the success of the event. We regularly seek sponsors for the following items, and offer a variety of promotional recognition depending on the scope of services or items being donated.

• Wine Sponsor – red, white and sparkling
• Printing Sponsor – of invitation and other event materials
• Floral Sponsor – floral arrangements for the dining tables and the registration/welcome table
• Swag-Bag Sponsor – provide one or more items for the thank-you gift bag given to each attendee

Donate Today! More On The ICONS Gala

HONOR ROLL OF DONORS

Please see below

Donate Today!

Our Donors

Matching Gift Corporate Partners

Government Support

Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by a Grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency

Donations received between April 15, 2024 – April 15, 2025 (as of 4.24.25)

$50,000+

Anonymous (2)
Arlen and Elaine Cohen Rubin Charitable Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater
Kansas City
Arthur Garwin
James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation

$25,000-49,999

Chicago Free For All Fund
Michelle and Steve Cucchiaro
James Jensen
Chuck and Diane Laff

$10,000-24,999

Ann and Richard Carr
Bob and Emily Carroll
Comcast / Xfinity
Julie Hamos
Scott Hoesman and Joe Higgins
Susan Klingenstein
The Pritzker Traubert Foundation
David Shapiro and Mark Losher
The Shubert Foundation, Inc
Tamara and Jay Sims
Carl and Karen Tisone

$5,000-9,999

Rick and Deann Bayless
William Bergfalk and Roland Hansen
Shaun and Andrew Block
Broadway In Chicago
Bruce B. Boyd Foundation
Brian Donlan and Todd Arp
Rhona and Julian Frazin
Tom and Marcia Fritz
William Gilmer and John Blackburn
Diane Graham-Henry and Tom Hall
Bob and Mardee Gramen
Dixie Johnson
Jonathan D. Klein and Susan E. Cohn
Lou Raizin
Daniel and Genevieve Ratner
Dr. Scholl Foundation
Shulman-Rochambeau Charitable Foundation
Gretchen Upholt

$2,500-4,999

Anonymous
Catherine Barbaro
Brenda Didier and Mike Seiler
Deanna Dunagan
Judith Freeman
Virginia and C. Gary Gerst
Eldon Ham and Nan Weiss-Ham
Lori and Steve Kaufman
Donna and Del Kolacki
The Kolar Family Charitable Fund
Michael and Amy Lowenthal
Steve McDonagh and Dan Smith / Hearty Boys
Marcelle McVay and Dennis Zacek
Mesirow Financial
Schultzinger-Frankel Family Foundation
Stolen Blanket Fund at Chicago Community Foundation
Brian Troy

$1,000-2,499

Anonymous (2)
Geoffrey Anderson
Gustavo Bamberger
Tom Bell
John Belom
Alan Briskin and Blair Hoffman
Michael and Dawn Brooks
Marilyn Cahill
Michael Camp and Mark David Kaplan
Gerald Cholewa and Ronald Klimek
Carolyn Collier
Ellen Dalton
Julie Danis and Paul Donahue
Danielle and Harel Deutsch
James Draudt
Diana DuPont
Google
Nate Groonwald
Susan M. Grosch
Merle and Barry Gross
Robert and Jane Grover
Brandon Harrington
Judy Howard
Mark D. Hudson and Russell N. Johnson
Jill Hurwitz and Harvey Popolow
Kathleen Kavanagh
Carolyn and Gordon Kirk
Suzanne Krohn and John Edelman
Diane Lederer
Dr. Paul Lisnek
Dr. Mary Lee Morrison
Bennett Neuman and Richard Cohn
David New
Thomas and Sandy Reece
Jeri and Joel Rothman
Kim Shambrook
Robin Simon
Richard Straub
Linda Teplin
Peter Vale
Scott Vandermyde
Joe Vanyo
Tina and Dennis Vaughn
Lisa Villani-Gale
Amy Wielunski

$500-999

Jennifer Aguilar
Susann Ball
Martin Balogh and Carl Stimson
Judith Barnard and Michael Fain
Lanie Bayless
Deborah Blumenthal
Brian Case
Katharine Chua
Virginia Cudecki
Cody Czmyr
David Danish
Jeffrey Davis
Wynne Delacoma and Steve Nidetz
Lee Dickson
Benjamin and Renee Docktor
Michael Elkow
Karen Epton
Maria Elena Esparza and Raul Esparza, Sr.
Robert Fabbri
Richard and Andrea Ginsburg
Candice Goldstein
Joan and Guy Gunzberg
Steve Hayward
Deborah and Rob Heinrich-Kramer
John Hern and Ed Jeske
Kyle Hustedt
Carol and Mark Jaffe
Cathy Jain
Leah Kaiser
Daniel and Gloria Kearney
Electra Kontalonis
Tom Lengacher and Kathy Marusarz
Linda Levine and Mark Heyrman
Mary Mavrogenes
Jerry Meites
Bill Melamed and Jamey Lundblad
Erica C. Meyer
Bill Morey
Sarah Forbes Orwig
Jerry Proffit
Enid Rieser
Lorra Rudman
Jessica Schneider
Scott Schneider
Dariel Stack
Joan Stinton
Joseph and Sylvia Stone Fund at the Chicago Community Foundation
Caryl H. and Bernard M. Susman Family Foundation
Richard B. Turner
Barbara Waxman
Gia Wunar
Ron and Judie Zoromski

$250-499

Deb and Tom Abrahamson
Bill and Diane Anderson
Thomas Armistead
Eileen and Stephen Baime
Katherine Bendix
Helen Boris
Roberta Borst
Richard Boyum and Louie Chua
Wm. Eric and Kristi Bramlett
Anna Mitran Brennan
John Brill and Martin Yee
Steven Brint
Lynn Buhl
Daniel Cohn
Karen Coleman
Mary Kay Conley
Clark Costen
Jeremy Curtiss
Ruth DePaoli
Carol Eastin
Dick and Jane Ellingsworth
Thea Flaum and Robert A. Hill
Geoffrey Flick
Bernadette Foley
Ellen Forgue
Adrian Foster
David Friedman
Patricia Gentry
Charles and Alison Giglio
John Glover
Dr. Bruce Gober
Robert and Julie Gordon
Margaret Grabowski
Sarah Grossman
Jay Harris
Eric Hassel
Chad Henemyer
Julie Isaacson
Paulette Jacobsmeier
John Jendras and Judith Paice
Philip Keck
Louis Kersten and Todd Smith
Pamela Klier
James Lannen
Barbara LaSpesa
Jonah Levi-Paesky
Holli Long
Andi Miller
Fran Moeckler
Karin Mullins
Nitha Fiona Nagubadi
Subbayamma Nagubadi
Brooke and Tom Nelson
Rodney and Dorothy Patterson
Dorothy Pirovano
Nancy Ray
Rhoda Reeling
Scott Reep
Daniel Reich
Kathryn Rosenbaum
Katherine Schulman
Rosie Schultz
Carol Seelig
Karen Shankman and James Fruehling
Sandy Shinner
Susan Williger Sidell
Sara Siegall and Taron Tachman
Leslie and Jordan Sigale
John Slawson
Judith Stromberg
Gail Swerdlik
Barry Taylor
Vivian Teng
Jan Tynan
Katy Walsh
Emily Werner
Alexis Willard
Susan Schaalman Youdovin and Charlie Shulkin
Laura and Bruce Zimmerman
Karen Zupko

$100-249

Anonymous (9)
Jonathan Abarbanel
Arrie Ammons
Terry Applebaum and Susan Weis
Ellyn Bank
Joan Berger
Philip Berger
Claire Berman
Paul Bickel
Gina Blouin
Susie Brainin
Michael Brooks and Susan Grace
Crystal and Thomas Bush
Elizabeth Bushell
Tony Calzaretta
Donna and Stephen Cain
David and Regina Cerquone
Cynthia Cheski
Carol Clavadetscher
Howard Clauser
Ann Cole
David Collins
Lori Cuene
Kathy Cunningham
Bradley Daughtry
Bernice Dorig
Nehama Dresner
Kenneth East and Timothy Thurlow
EDCO Recycling
Carly Emer
Robert Evans
Eugene and Karen Finerman
Ronda Franks
Marcia Fritz
Margaret George
Dale and David Ginsburg
William Glick
Bill and Ethel Gofen
Cindy Gold
Gail Golden
Helen and Gunnar Gunnarsson
Elizabeth Haley
Dell Harmsen
Emily Hartung
Martin Hauselman
Angeline Heisler
John Hudson
Sarah Hunter
Sydney Iglitzen
Kenny Ingram
Lindsay Januszewski
Mary Beth Johnson
Ben Jossi
Charles Kadlec
Carol Kempf
Heidi Kettenring
Theodore Krakowski
Eileen LaCario
Jennifer Lansing
Mark Larson
Briana Lee and Eric Wu
Steve and Marsha Levin
Lee Lichamer and William Buchman
Roselind Lindau
Stephen Lu
Jeannie Lukow
Barbara Mallon
Laura Martinez
Bridget McDonough
Beckie Menzie and Irwin Berkowitz
Meredith Manni Meserow
Sarah Meyer
Thomas and Jo-Ann Michalak
Dr. Sam Mikaelian
Carol Mitchel
Jane Adkins Modjeski
Tom Myles
Nancy Natow-Cassidy
Nancy Needles and Arne Rode
Alison Nelson
Robin and Kevin O’Brien
Mairead O’Malley
Carol Overman
Paulette Petretti
Lonny Price
Melissa Pundsack
Vicki Quade
Greg Raub
Tom and Donna Ray
Howard Rosenorn
Dino Ross
The Saints
David and Judy Schiffman
Michael E. Schnur
Donald and Gail Segal
Linda Shakno
Becca Sheehan
Tim Sherck
James Sherman
Fred Siegman
Tori Simms
Jeffrey Slutsky and John Spitzig
Charles Smith
John and Margaret Snow
Joel and Jessie Solomon
Yessenia Sosa
Donald Sprague and Ray Grant
Nikki and Fred Stein
Caryl Steinberg
Martin and Barbara Stern
Dawn Szumski
Roberta Teitelbaum
Martin Till
Michael and Dana Treister
Tyler Tschida
Tiffany Tuck and Joel Lerner
Carol Turner
Madison Wakefield
Roger and Judith Wallenstein
Jim Wann
Matthew Wargin
Paul and Lynne Wellen
Emily Williams
Sherry Woodry
AJ Wright
Dean Yannias
Josh Yomtoob
Mary Youssefi
Adam Zaucha