Dear Yellow Tree Theatre Friends and family, 

First, we want to extend a sincere, heartfelt, “Thank you!” Season 17 has been extraordinary, and that’s because of you, our artists, audiences, and donors. Your passion and generosity fuel the stories we tell, the voices we uplift, and the community we cultivate. We have successfully produced two thirds of our mainstage productions so far and our new One-Woman Playwright Festival; amplifying voices of creators not widely heard in our theater landscape.

A Sudden Reality

Yellow Tree Theatre’s mission was born out of a simple truth; theater should reflect the richness of the world around us. That’s why we remain committed to producing bold and inclusive work.

Recently, YTT was presented with an immediate, unprecedented challenge. So, we ask for your support.

Yellow Tree Theatre relies heavily on national and statewide grants to support our mission. You may be aware that the NEA announced a new Assurance of Compliance related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. We have also been informed that other statewide and federal arts funding have dramatically decreased or have been canceled. This drastic decrease is something never experienced before now. The change has made grant funding even more competitive, affecting our immediate cash flow.  

The new guidelines are challenging obstacles, threatening our ability to keep our doors open but also betray our ongoing core mission:

• Providing access to the arts for everyone, including underserved communities in North Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs.

• Championing diverse voices—stories by and for artists of color, women, LGBTQ+ communities, and others historically marginalized in theater.

We Can Persevere Your Help

If you believe in the power to build bridges, spark conversations, and create change, we invite you to stand with us today. Every dollar makes a difference. Every gift guarantees our ability to continue. Donate today to help us sustain our mission, keep our doors open, and continue making Yellow Tree Theatre a home for all.

Giving Avenues:

• May 3rd, is Yellow Tree’s Annual Fundraising Gala. Join us and help support the production of Marie & Rosetta by George Brandt, starring Jamecia Bennett and Chaz Hodges. You can find tickets here: (Link to tickets)

• If you are not able to share in the fun and excitement of our gala, you may visit (Link) to make an early donation of support.

• You can become a Season or Show sponsor for the remainder of this season or our thrilling Season 18.

• If you are not in a position to make a monetary donation, please consider becoming a volunteer, sharing this message, bringing a friend to a show, and/or advocating for the arts in your community.
  

If you would like to learn more about these different avenues of support or if you would like to be the first to hear about our exciting plans for our future, I would love the opportunity to treat you to lunch and share our vision sometime soon.

If you’ve already given, thank you, thank you! Your generosity is already making an impact. 

Together, we will keep telling stories that matter. Together, we will stand.

Yellow Tree Theatre is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization.

Sincerely,

Austene Van

Executive Artistic Director
Yellow Tree Theatre
320 5th Avenue SE
Osseo, MN 55369