Bringing the Bard to help Main St.
Chesapeake Shakespeare Company donating proceeds from two performances to help victims of Ellicott City flood recover
T he stabilized ruins of the Patapsco Female Institute sit high on a hill in historic Ellicott City, overlooking the areas ravaged by flash flooding May 27 —the second time in less than two years.
The historic park off Church Road that dates to 1837 also serves as the summer home of the Baltimore-based Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, which has shared a tight bond with Main Street merchants and residents since it staged its first summer season in 2003.
After the raging river of muddy stormwater once again descended upon the quaint mill town, members of the theater company knew immediately what they must do: Donate proceeds from their two summer preview performances of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to flood relief efforts.
Funds raised by the benefit shows on June 20 and 21 will be donated to the Community Foundation of Howard County, which established its Howard County Community Relief Fund in 2016.
The recent flood upended Main Street, invading shops, ripping up roads and sidewalks and claiming the life of Maryland National Guard Sgt. Eddison Hermond.
As news of the catastrophe spread that Sunday evening across social media, “people in our company were anxious to know what we were going to do to help,” said Lesley Malin, the theater company’s managing director. “It feels like members of our family are the victims,” Malin said.
When Ellicott City was struck with a deadly flood on July 30, 2016, the Shakespeare company had just closed its summer season. Members decided at that time to hold an internal donation drive for the town and assist with cleanup efforts. The recent disaster occurred about a month before the company was set to open its summer season. That made the decision to donate net proceeds from ticket sales and to encourage additional donations from patrons an easy one, Malin said.
Howard County government officials are referring those who want to donate to Ellicott City to the website of the Community Foundation of Howard County, said the foundation’s president and CEO, Beverly White-Seals.
A combination of cash donations and pledges totaling $126,000 had been collected by the foundation as of last Wednesday, she said, adding that the nonprofit Ellicott City Partnership has also raised approximately $100,000.
While this outstrips the $80,000 the foundation tallied in 2016, fewer entities are collecting funds this time, White-Seals said.
Many people are saying they are hesitant to give this time because they’re not convinced donations will make a real difference to flood mitigation efforts, she observed.
“We need to rememberthat we are raising money to help people,” not just to fund flood prevention measures, White-Seals said.
She pointed out that displaced persons are staying in hotel rooms and receiving See SHAKESPEARE, page 7
The historic park off Church Road that dates to 1837 also serves as the summer home of the Baltimore-based Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, which has shared a tight bond with Main Street merchants and residents since it staged its first summer season in 2003.
After the raging river of muddy stormwater once again descended upon the quaint mill town, members of the theater company knew immediately what they must do: Donate proceeds from their two summer preview performances of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to flood relief efforts.
Funds raised by the benefit shows on June 20 and 21 will be donated to the Community Foundation of Howard County, which established its Howard County Community Relief Fund in 2016.
The recent flood upended Main Street, invading shops, ripping up roads and sidewalks and claiming the life of Maryland National Guard Sgt. Eddison Hermond.
As news of the catastrophe spread that Sunday evening across social media, “people in our company were anxious to know what we were going to do to help,” said Lesley Malin, the theater company’s managing director. “It feels like members of our family are the victims,” Malin said.
When Ellicott City was struck with a deadly flood on July 30, 2016, the Shakespeare company had just closed its summer season. Members decided at that time to hold an internal donation drive for the town and assist with cleanup efforts. The recent disaster occurred about a month before the company was set to open its summer season. That made the decision to donate net proceeds from ticket sales and to encourage additional donations from patrons an easy one, Malin said.
Howard County government officials are referring those who want to donate to Ellicott City to the website of the Community Foundation of Howard County, said the foundation’s president and CEO, Beverly White-Seals.
A combination of cash donations and pledges totaling $126,000 had been collected by the foundation as of last Wednesday, she said, adding that the nonprofit Ellicott City Partnership has also raised approximately $100,000.
While this outstrips the $80,000 the foundation tallied in 2016, fewer entities are collecting funds this time, White-Seals said.
Many people are saying they are hesitant to give this time because they’re not convinced donations will make a real difference to flood mitigation efforts, she observed.
“We need to rememberthat we are raising money to help people,” not just to fund flood prevention measures, White-Seals said.
She pointed out that displaced persons are staying in hotel rooms and receiving See SHAKESPEARE, page 7
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