BCF's Impact: Western Reserve Playhouse

By August Scarpelli, artistic director of Western Reserve Playhouse

It's no secret or surprise that the nonprofit arts world can be difficult to sustain an organization in, not to mention one in a smaller and mostly rural community. There are those of us that carry a deep belief that the arts, and the performance arts specifically, are intrinsic and even critical to the health of the larger society. It can be easy for the average person to forget on a normal Tuesday afternoon, but when a loved one is lost, a heart is broken, a great feat is accomplished, or we are faced with one of those inevitable things in life that just doesn't make sense, it is the performance arts that allow us to bring these things into focus, consider them, learn from them, or even celebrate them. There is no more natural release than the entertainment from a live event of any kind.

Now more than ever, in-person interaction between human beings is a scarce commodity. It has become all too easy for us to forget how to deeply or even appropriately interact constructively with our fellow human beings. Ask the greatest minds the world has seen for the past 2,000 years, and they will tell you the same: It is through the arts that we re-learn these things. In our vast and global community, it is imperative that we have organizations in each of our communities to provide this art for us. For our Bath community specifically, this is one of our chief goals. Western Reserve Playhouse could not exist without the continued support of Bath Community Fund.

Over the years, Bath Community Fund has been integral to WRP and its mission to engage, inspire, challenge and educate all members, young and old, in our community. BCF has awarded grants for countless youth educational programs and productions that allow the young artists in our community to not only learn the most elemental skills and confidences, but to become the next generation of leaders and thinkers who will create the good in the world that we all long for.

There is nothing more incredible or special than watching a young performer step out on stage for the first time and watching them shine with all the love and passion that permeate the most important moments of our lives. Bath Community Fund has made this possible for hundreds of students at WRP. Furthermore, as some of you probably know, our theater is in an old barn, and an old building comes with some challenges that can be difficult to fix on a nonprofit's budget. Without hesitation, Bath Community Fund has been there for us every time: when WRP needed an HVAC system so that we could be open year-round, when we needed to refurbish our basement to accommodate groups of students to learn and rehearse and create and discover, and when we desperately needed to keep our doors open when many arts organizations folded during the COVID-19 pandemic – Bath Community Fund was there for us. We are eternally grateful.

From all of us at WRP, a million thank yous. If it wasn't for Bath Community Fund, this beautiful little corner in northern Summit County would cease to be as rich, vibrant and full of love as it is today.