Reuschel Report

Posted on December 8, 2020

As one year ends and a new is set to begin, it’s a time for reflection and anticipation. After a year like 2020, it would be only natural for us to simply want to kiss it goodbye and happily move on. But, in doing so, we would miss the opportunity to recognize the good that comes from the ashes. In the case of QCT, I’m reminded of a quote by one of Brandon’s favorites, Mr. Rogers.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

For many businesses and non-profits, this year posed the greatest challenges and financial hardships ever faced. In a year where some have made the tough decision to close, QCT continues to thrive because of you, our helpers. While the list is much longer, here are just a few of the ways you have made 2020 a year we won’t soon forget.

1. Participation in our #QCTatHome activities has been incredible with more than 14,000 views of our activity videos, dance tutorials from Cheryl, and productions like The Mountaintop and She Kills Monsters.
2. The response to our request for financial support through the Ghost Light Campaign far exceeded our expectations. Nearly 1,200 season tickets were donated as was an additional $20,000.
3. Local businesses continued to sponsor our efforts – WGEM with their involvement in the Ghost Light Concert as well as their media sponsorship, KHQA, TownSquare Media, STARadio, State Street Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, and Hauk & Owens, LLC.
4. Parents and students trusted us to keep their safety as our top priority and returned to classes at the theatre this summer and fall.
5. Many volunteer actors joined us on our journey into virtual productions. From the Virtual Playwright’s Festival to The Mountaintop and She Kills Monsters to the upcoming production of A Christmas Carol, our volunteers have been flexible, adaptable, and incredibly supportive as we’ve navigated the virtual world.

Thank you for making 2020 one we can look back on with fond memories. As we look ahead with anticipation, our greatest excitement is knowing we will join together once again to share in the wonderfully unique experience that only live theatre can provide. We look forward to the opportunity to thank you in person, to celebrate the successes of our past year, and to gather as a community.

As you celebrate the holiday season, I would encourage you to take a moment to look at 2020 and remember your helpers. For our family, it has been our daughters’ incredible teachers, our families who have lent helping hands more times that we can count, our employers who have blessed us with flexibility when we’ve needed it, and our friends who have supported us during difficult times. It’s an incredible feeling to head into 2021 reflecting on the good and focused on the positive.

I wish you all very happy holidays, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you for being our helpers in 2020.