Unlock the Stage is raising money to help renovate an abandoned theatre in the village of Tatarevo, Bulgaria with the goal of revitalizing the community through the arts. www.unlockthestage.com
Unlock the Stage is a creative project focused on the renovation of an abandoned theatre in the village of Tatarevo, Bulgaria. During the summer of 2015 a team of young Hollywood filmmakers will document the theatre, its history, and the community which it once served.
While a documentary will give us the chance to commemorate the theatre before it is too late, it will also provide us with a much larger platform for spreading awareness about this project in the future. After all, our mission extends beyond the time constraints of a single summer.
Additionally, in this initial stage we will be taking the first steps toward renovating the theatre. This includes cleaning and repainting its interior; supplying the space with new curtains and windows; and purchasing a film projector for the balcony booth. While we understand that rebuilding a fully-functional theatre would require an enormous amount of time, effort and funds, not to mention people, there is no reason why Tatarevo cannot have its own basic movie theatre by the end of this summer. This will also help temporarily sustain the building at least for the near future.
However, perhaps our most significant goal for this summer is to host and film the official reopening of The Tatarevo Theatre. We will organize a weekend of performances by local choirs and music groups as well as any artists willing to participate in the festivities.
By bringing life back to the stage we will establish our clear message of bringing life back to the entire community.
ALSO…
We would like to share the basic outline of our budget for this summer’s project. You should all know what your donations will achieve!
Transportation: $ 7,500
This estimate covers the costs of our team travelling from the United States to Bulgaria and back. As soon as we have the funds, we will naturally look for the best possible plane fares. Every dollar saved will immediately be transferred to our ‘Give Back Fund”.
Accommodation: $ 2,500
This estimate covers the living expenses for the stay of the entire team. We will be honorable guests in my grandparents’ house, which means that paying any sort of rent is completely out of the question. As stubborn as my family is, however, the team would still like to at least cover the increase of the water and electricity bills during our stay. We would also supply the groceries for our meals, which my grandmother would probably never let us cook ourselves. Naturally, every dollar saved will immediately be transferred to our ‘Give Back Fund”.
Equipment: $ 1,000
This estimate covers the equipment expenses for our documentary. You know that every dollar saved will go to our Give Back Fund, right?
Give Back Fund: $ 9,000
This is it – the Give Back Fund! It is the most comprehensive of all, and the most fun. This estimate is a compilation of several areas our project aims to tackle this summer:
1. Initial Renovation: cleaning supplies, new windows, new paint, etc.
2. Cinema: projector, white screen, speakers, etc.
3. Official Reopening: transportation of local musicians to and from Tatarevo, food and beverages for the festival, advertising, etc.
4. Gifts for You!
If we somehow end up with more funds than we know what to do with, don’t worry! They will all be transferred to the upcoming endeavors of our project. We have a long but incredibly exciting way to go until we reach the dream we all share about The Tatarevo Theatre and its bright new future.
I deeply thank all of you for your interest and support of this wonderful cause!
Sincerely yours,
Nasko Atanasov
Founder of ‘Unlock the Stage’