Cape Fear Regional Theatre has announced their 2023-24 activities, which will include live, professional theatre productions and a suite of educational and outreach initiatives with the help of a $250,000.00 Community Organization Resource grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County.

“While the theatre industry faces a wave of closures, reductions, and losses, CFRT is a rare story of successful return to pre-pandemic attendance.

"We are deeply grateful for the support of The Arts Council and the community for their trust and love and we look forward to an incredible line up of shows, education programs, and community outreach in the upcoming season.” says Managing Director Ella Wrenn.

“We are grateful to live in a place that values the experience of live arts!” says Artistic Director Mary Catherine Burke.

CFRT’s 2022/23 mainstage season has something for everyone. The season kicks off with The Play That Goes Wrong – a non-stop hilarious comedy in the tone of Monty Python (Sept 2023); The Addams Family Musical (Oct/Nov 2023) will be directed by CFRT’s Artistic Director Mary Catherine Burke, choreographed by Emmy Award winner Tyce Diorio, and featuring CFRT’s Director of Education Marc de la Concha as Gomez; the year comes to a close with the annual community production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Dec 2023).

In Jan. 2024, family favorite Cinderella comes to the stage, directed by Broadway’s Tom Caruso; King Liz (March/April 2024) will feature onstage seating for this play about a female basketball agent that will coincide with March Madness.

Finally, the season comes to a close with Sister Act, directed by West Hyler (Broadway’s Jersey Boys). Additionally, CFRT will continue its popular education programs, including Spring and Summer Theatre Camps, Drama Day Camps, Passport Series, Studio classes, and CFRTeen Tours.

Ticket sales account for less than 40% of CFRT’s funding. “We are deeply grateful to the Arts Council for its incredible financial support. This funding is essential to our operations and enables us to produce high-quality productions and education programs that support our community’s creative and emotional needs,” says Wrenn.

The Arts Council’s Community Organization Resource Grants  may be awarded to local arts agencies in Cumberland County whose programs are vital to the cultural life of the community and whose organizations have reached a size and maturity that assure their long-term viability. The purpose of CORE Grants is to strengthen and stabilize major arts institutions and help them to deliver high quality arts services to the citizens of Cumberland County.