Arts DuPage (AD), a countywide arts council under the umbrella of DuPage Foundation, celebrated December’s National Giving Month in a big way. For the first time since its inception in 2016, AD assumed the Arts and Culture category from the Foundation’s grant program and awarded $159,900 to 23 nonprofits in DuPage County.

Naperville was well represented with six organizations, including BrightSide Theatre, Chhobighar Film Society, DuPage Symphony Orchestra, Naperville Men’s Glee Club, and NaperVoice, receiving funding for general operating support, programming and special events.

Grantee Fair Lady Productions (FLP) had an unusual request, and with a little persuasion, the decision-makers realized the importance of the need and approved the funding.

Here is the story: FLP is home to Kidz Kabaret, an accessible and cost-effective program that welcomes children and teens of all levels to the theater experience. More than 200 performances take place at FLP’s 156-seat Center Stage Theater at 1665 Quincy Avenue, Naperville each year.

In 2009, when Founder and Executive Director Kandiss Hernandez was building out the empty warehouse that would soon become the beautiful space it is today, she secured a donation of theater seating from the Nova 8 Cinema.

“With help from family and friends, we scrubbed those seats until they looked brand new,” Hernandez said. “The pride we all had as our seats were installed can’t be described. Now, 15 years later, the metal base on those chairs keeps breaking—it usually happens during a performance, which can be disruptive and dangerous for the audience and performers.”

Grant funding will offset the cost of hiring professionals to weld each chair for more security.

“Center Stage Theater serves nearly 30,000 community members annually and has become a destination for events ranging from stand-up comedy shows and Indian dance groups to orchestral concerts and Chinese Opera,” Hernandez said. “Our rental program works as an outreach tool to introduce new people to the theater every week. Safety is a concern, and thanks to the support from the AD grant, we can permanently fix our seats so our patrons will be comfortably enjoying performances for years to come.”

Learn more about KidzKabaret at kidzkabaret.com. Learn more about Arts DuPage at artsdupage.org.

Arts DuPage’s Arts and Culture Grant Program is supported in part by a Regional Arts Partnership Grant from the Illinois Arts Council through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.