3255 Old Shell Road
Mobile, Alabama 36607
August 28, 2008
Dear Phillips Preparatory School Parents and Friends,
What an exciting time we had last year in our choral and dramatic arts program! Support from sponsors like you helped fund our purchase of new formalwear to add to our performance collection, and we bought lots of new music! We purchased paint, brushes, and mask forms, and materials for making props and costumes. We also were able to purchase some fabulous high-tech sound equipment which we will be using for the first time this year!
We presented a multi-cultural holiday show in December in recognition of the work of the Mobile Area Food Bank and collected over 1000 cans and $250 which we donated to them. We participated in the MCPSS Honor Choir and took our Drama Players “on the road” to perform at Council Elementary! We also presented several other well-prepared and colorful programs, performing with pride and skill, often in the show choir style! We took a number of field trips to see and hear “professional” theatrical and musical performances in Mobile. 2007-2008 was great, and this year looks to be even bigger and better!
Our choral and dramatic arts enrichment classes at PPS include two chorus/drama classes and three classes for “drama players,” devoted strictly to the dramatic arts. The “drama players” students self-select this 8th grade elective, whereas students audition each spring for the chorus/drama classes. Fifty students have elected to be Drama Players this year, and last May over 100 students “tried out” for chorus; seventy-two 7th and 8th graders were selected for this year’s group.
The PPS tradition has been that each year several school programs and big winter and spring shows are devoted to the performing arts. This year will be no different. The chorus will be singing for our PPS Anniversary Celebration in October and for our Veterans’ Day Recognition program in November. Our December holiday show will focus on winter weather and holiday customs and traditions, and will be presented collaboratively by both chorus/drama and the drama players. Our spring chorus show in 2009 will highlight familiar songs from movie and television favorites. In addition, the drama players will be working on readers theater, scenes, improvisations, making masks, and the presentation of folktales for nearby elementary school classes.
We are excited about our future in the performing arts and want to do great things. The students in these classes love to sing and act, want to have fun, and want to learn more about music and performing on stage.
Unfortunately, lack of funding is always an issue classes in the arts face. Our chorus/drama program is no different. Music and scripts are costly and copying them on a copying machine is unethical, not to mention illegal; just one of these items may run anywhere from $1.00 to $10.00 per student! In addition, we would like to begin work on a lighting system for our stage. Costumes and props are always needed. And we would like to continue to add to our formalwear collection.
After consideration of various ways to “raise money” for these purchases, the students and I felt that rather than trying to sell something to you that you may not want or need such as more popcorn, candy, wrapping paper, or candles, we would just come right out and “tell it like it is” and ask for your help as a CHORUS/DRAMA SPONSOR. That is why I am writing this letter and a Phillips chorus/drama student has contacted you. Music and performing are so important to me and to these students. And we want our program to be the best it can be. With your help, we will be on our way to that goal!
On the attached page are sponsorship levels of giving. We will post the names of our sponsors in our classroom, in the hallway outside our room, on our webpage and in the news section of our school’s website, and in our printed programs for the events in which we participate. We hope that you will thoughtfully consider supporting us in our endeavors this year, knowing that we will be grateful to you for your gift.
Sincerely yours,
Vera Lynn Sheets
Phillips Preparatory School
Chorus/Drama teacher
LANGUAGE ARTS through WORD and SONG
(251) 221-2287,
Phillips Preparatory School
Chorus/Drama Sponsorship Levels
2008-2009
Thank you for considering a sponsorship for our choral/dramatic arts program. No gift is too small or too large! And in appreciation of your generosity, we will not only publicize your name and/or company, we would like to invite you to all of our performances; particularly our December winter holiday program and our spring chorus show in April. The number of complimentary spring show tickets that you will receive is noted by each level of giving.
To assist you in thinking of an appropriate amount that you might donate as a CHORUS/ DRAMA SPONSOR, we have developed the following levels. We hope they’ll bring a smile to your face and offer you a picture of giving that’s a bit different from the usual:
Level I – $10 Thank you. (1 complimentary ticket)
Level II - $25 THANK YOU VERY MUCH! (2 complimentary tickets)
Level III - $50 You are an ANGEL!
We appreciate your gift so much! (4 complimentary tickets)
Level IV - $75 WOW! We are overwhelmed by your generosity!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! (6 complimentary tickets)
Level V - $100 YOU ARE AMAZING! Truly, we couldn’t do
without friends like you! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! (8 complimentary tickets)
Level VI - $150-300 OMG! (Oh, my gosh!) We can’t believe it! We’re
not worthy of such a gift! YOU ARE THE BEST! WLY! (We Love You!) (10 complimentary tickets)
Level VII - $350+ This is such a big gift we may just have to do backflips and cartwheels! We are stunned! We are thrilled! We can’t say “thank you” enough! You’ll get a SPECIAL thank you at our show!
(12 complimentary tickets)
In order to recognize your generosity appropriately,
please provide the requested information on the back of this page.
Phillips Preparatory School
Chorus/Drama Sponsor Information
2008-2009
So that we may publicize your donation appropriately and correctly (and also send you invitations to our shows and complimentary tickets for our spring production), please provide the following information.
***********************
Sponsor’s Name (as you wish it to be publicized & printed in our programs) ______
______
Sponsorship Donation Amount: $______
Address ______
Phone(s) ______Email ______
***********************
(If you wish to donate in honor of a CHORUS/DRAMA student or in honor or memory of someone else, please provide that information as well.
Gift of HONOR or MEMORY (circle one).
Name of person to be honored or remembered: ______
We will accept cash, or checks made out to Phillips Preparatory School. If giving by check, please include both phone & driver’s license numbers, and write CHORUS/DRAMA SPONSORSHIP on the “for” line in the lower left corner. THANK YOU.