Beekeepers Theater was founded in 2022 with the goal of presenting independent and inclusive, downtown-style theater in Sheffield, showcasing top-notch performers, groundbreaking new works, and reimagined classics. Beekeepers’ mission reflects the experience and perspective of its three founders, with LGBQ+, disabled, and women’s voices as core elements.

Your donations, at any level, support us in our mission to create an environment of absolute and welcoming access for artists and audiences alike.

From our very first event, we had in place two important programs to promote equity and access. We proudly support the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program, offering free admission to all WIC, EBT, and ConnectorCare cardholders. And all Beekeepers presentations have captions streamed live to audience members’ personal devices.

The theater we love to present relies on strength of story, actors, and carefully-chosen images to provide spectacle. We are proud to uplift the work of marginalized and underrepresented identities and communities; we are invested in building an arts community that presents and recognizes singular voices and showcases a myriad of perspectives; we prioritize inclusivity, diversity, and access in order to create theater that is truly for everyone.

What are your donations funding?

Though we’ve applied for some grants through the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Beekeepers Theater is currently fully community-funded. We believe in this project, and we know you do, too. Here are some examples of how your donations can support this burgeoning arts community:

A donation of $15 — the standard price of admission to a Beekeepers production — welcomes one person who can benefit from the Card to Culture program.

We bring together artists from around the Berkshires, New York City, and beyond. A donation of $50 buys one of our collaborators a tank of gas for the trip to Sheffield.

For $100, you provide access for an entire audience by covering the costs of captioning for a single performance.

We are constantly workshopping new plays. $500 covers a venue, transportation, and compensation to the artists for an afternoon of reading and rehearsing.

$1000 just about covers our costs for a small reading, including the refreshments we provide, our liability insurance for the evening, and compensating the crew and artists for their time.