Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Loudermilk.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jennifer. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
For the founders of From the Top Theatrics, we have all be involved in theatre in some way for the past 20 years or so. We also have given to and participated with different charities personally through the years. We had the idea to merge the two things we are most passionate about, theatre and giving back to the community. In 2015, From the Top Theatrics was founded by myself, Cara Jollie and Jessie Curtis.
We started out with the help of a local church letting us use their fellowship hall for rehearsals and our production.
Our mission was to find a local charity to sponsor for each production that we do. We teach young performers ages 7-18 the arts of acting, singing, dancing and technical theatre. Our goal with the production is to help drive the importance of letting what you love and are passionate about mean something bigger. We aim to donate 10-25% of our ticket sales to the charity we have chosen.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It was a tremendous struggle in the beginning and the true ins and outs of what happened is enough to make a Lifetime Original Movie. Before having Jessie as a founder, Cara and I attempted to go into business with another partner who, as we later found out, did not have the same ultimate mindset. This happened in the beginning stages of our first production of Aladdin Jr.
When we got to the point that we needed to start paying for sets, costumes etc, we learned there was over $5,000 that could not be accounted for by that individual who served as the treasurer. We were heartbroken. The toughest thing we had to do was to get an attorney to support us and our next moves then hold a parent meeting to tell them that the funds were not there. We were careful not to accuse but the truth was the funds could not be produced. The response that the parents had moved us to tears because the one question they all had was “What do you need for us to help you?” Cara and I were overwhelmed with support.
Jessie had donated to get the show going under the old business and her children were apart of the production. We met with our attorney and determined that we would repurchase the rights and start and new corporation with the three of us as the founders and board members. We made all of that happen with the help of the parents and worked hard to keep the students protected from any negativity. I have never in my years of experience seen such a strong and connected group of people working together. They believed in us and what we were trying to do. Thinking back on it is truly humbling.
The other challenge is funding and the fact that we still have is not having a permanent rehearsal or performance space. Many of the expenses have to be paid upfront, therefore, we have to rely on ticket sales to fund our next show and that is also what we donate from.
Unfortunately, it is incredibly expensive to produce a show and many places do not care what you do, they care how much you can pay them. We work hard to get potential performance spaces to understand our mission but we still have to pay sometimes a very high fee to rent the space. But in the end, it makes a difference and we believe in what we are doing. We make personal sacrifices with time and money but again, it’s worth it.
From the Top Theatrics – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
No other theatre company on the east coast, possibly even in the United States, does what we do. We are not in the theatre production business to make money. We are in this to teach young performers AND to give back to our community. That is what we are known for.
Our very first production was Aladdin Jr. and we sponsored the Rally Foundation that does research for children’s cancer. We were able to donate $1,134 with that production. We were floored with the response as the young performers had no idea of the amount that they were able to raise. We overcame an overwhelming amount of obstacles to get the production off the ground and keep everything moving forward. We never lost sight of our ultimate goal.
Our last production of Once on this Island Jr. was this past June. We decided to sponsor the Georgia Chapter of Camp to Belong. They are an organization that holds a summer camp for children in the foster care system that reunites them with their siblings. We were able to donate $575.00 to that organization.
We are very pleased with the fact we have been able to keep pushing forward with virtually no outside financial support other than the parents, students, and patrons that come to participate or to see a production. One area that we are striving to improve upon is getting support from other organizations within our community. We hope to find those that understand our mission and want to help us continue growing and teaching young performers the importance of having a heart of giving and letting what they love make a bigger impact. We hope to grow enough to produce 2-3 productions per year. We also hope that one day we may be able to have our own rehearsal and even performance space.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for me is finding a goal, tangible or intangible, and always seeking to meet that goal. It is to never stop growing and never stop learning. It is finding your success and reaching out to help others find their own.
Being truly successful requires you to accept your faults and failures, pick yourself up and keep pressing forward. Learning to accept and not dwell on constructive criticism is another measure of reaching your success. You have to believe in it and never stop but you have to listen too. You find a way out of no way many times.
Pricing:
- Production fees generally are around $150
- Ticket prices are generally around $10-15 per production with some discounts available at times.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fromthetoptheatrics.org
- Phone: 678-961-3867
- Email: info@fromthetoptheatrics.org
Image Credit:
Lee Burns Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
