S6:E19 - Theatre for Charity with Chrissy Hogue Bartels
What if the arts could support local causes in our small towns? What if your next fundraiser wasn’t a gala or drive, but a play??
That’s exactly the idea behind Theatre for Charity, and the foundation of the mission that our guest, Chrissy Hogue Bartels, is leading.
Twenty years ago, Chrissy turned a $500 benefit production into $30,000 for a local crisis center in two nights. Now she’s built that moment into Theatre for Charity, a model where 70% of proceeds go to local nonprofits. How does it work? Well, she’s here to tell us and we are fascinated. The arts are often the first thing cut from budgets and schools, and Theatre for Charity is a real example of how we can keep the arts in our small towns.
Chrissy and Rebecca talk about working with partners, profit splits, galas, and why good stories move people to give–and how any small town with an empty stage could try it.
About Chrissy:
Chrissy Hogue Bartels, M.F.A., is an actor, producer, and author, and a member of Actors' Equity and SAG-AFTRA. She is the Founding Artistic and Managing Director of Bluff City Stage in Dubuque, Iowa, a professional theatre for charity that pays artists fairly and directs most of each production's net proceeds to a local nonprofit partner. It all started with a 2005 benefit play she produced with her sister that raised $30,000 in two nights, thanks to a three-minute appeal from the stage. Her new book, Theatre for Charity, shows small towns how to do the same, and comes out December 1, 2026.
In this episode, we cover:
How a $500 play raised $30,000 in two nights (way more than ticket sales, btw)
The three partners every Theatre for Charity needs
The 70/15/15 split that makes the model work
Why matching the play to the cause matters
How small towns with an empty stage can get started
Links + Resources Mentioned:
Everything in one place (book, talks, and more): https://linktr.ee/chrissyhoguebartels
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