Pekin drama department begins fundraising for ‘Cinderella’

PACKWOOD – The Pekin High School musical might be three months away, but its drama department is already fundraising for the undertaking.

Pekin Drama Director Staci Wright sent out fundraising letters a few weeks ago, and the topic even made it onto the agenda of the Aug. 11 meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors. In the letter, Wright notes that the drama department will perform the musical “Cinderella” three times in mid-November, and she needs $3,850 in the coming months to afford all the expenses such as script rental, background tapes, sets, costumes, props and more. She estimated the total cost would run to $6,350, and even after spending the $2,500 in its coffers from previous ticket sales and fundraisers, the department would still be several thousand dollars short.

The supervisors discussed the prospect of funding the musical, but ultimately decided not to take action, since the board had not funded such a thing before, and the supervisors argued that other schools in the county would want the same financial assistance for their productions.

In a follow-up interview with The Union, Wright clarified that she sent out a mass mailing of the fundraising letter, and the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors was just one of many entities to receive the letter.

Wright said the cost of putting on a musical like Cinderella would be even greater than $6,350 if not for her husband Roger Wright of Wright Construction donating his time to build the sets. Plus, he’s a “material hoarder” Staci said, always looking for opportunities to recycle items in his storage that he can repurpose into furniture.

Wright said drama coaches and parents have been carrying the load of paying for play expenses, because the school does not yet have a Drama Booster Club. Despite the financial strain of putting on either a play or a musical in alternating years, Wright said she believes strongly in the mission of the drama department, and that’s why she’s beginning her fourth year as director.

“Theater is a mirror of society, and I’m not sure we’ve ever needed a mirror more than we do now,” she said.

Pekin’s Drama Department will perform Cinderella three times from Nov. 14-16. On the first night, Friday, the show will begin at 7 p.m. in the high school commons, and the second night, Saturday, will be a dinner theatre beginning at 5 p.m. The final performance, on Sunday, will be a matinee beginning at 2 p.m.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com