For more than a century, Woodstown High School has fostered a rich history of creativity and talent through its Drama Club (WHSDC), showcasing outstanding performances in annual fall plays and spring musicals. To ensure the continued success of these productions, we propose the establishment of The Curtain Call Club of Woodstown (CCCW). This booster club will consist of parents of current high school students, community leaders, and alumni who once graced the Woodstown High School stage during their high school years. The inspiration for this initiative stems from the original Curtain Call Club, a group formed in 1934 by Salem County performers who raised funds during the Great Depression for a scholarship for Woodstown High School students. The original group went on to become a successful theatre company that owned the Woodstown Opera House until the 1960s.

Financial Support

• Raise funds to support the annual fall play and spring musical.

• Ensure the Drama Club has the necessary resources for costumes, sets, props, technical equipment, and its professional live orchestra.

Community Engagement

• Foster a sense of community among current parents and alumni who share a passion for the arts.

• Encourage active involvement in school events and productions.

Legacy Preservation:

• Pay homage to the original Curtain Call Club's legacy by continuing the tradition of parents, community members, and alumni supporting the Drama Club.

• Create a sustainable model for future generations to follow.

Parents of Current High School Students

• Active involvement in fundraising events, committees, executive board.

• Collaborate with school administrators to ensure the needs of the WHS Drama Club are met.

Alumni

• Participation in fundraising initiatives.

• Mentorship opportunities for current Drama Club members.

• Support in organizing events and sharing experiences.

Fundraising Events

• Annual gala or dinner to generate funds.

• Collaborate with local businesses for sponsorships.

• Crowdfunding campaigns and donation drives.

Legacy Events

• Organize annual reunions for alumni to connect and share experiences.

• Feature special performances or showcases by alumni and current students.

Community Outreach

• Engage with the local community through workshops and outreach programs.

• Collaborate with local media to promote events and productions.

The goal is to serve as the primary funding source of the WHS Drama Club. This will eliminate challenges and blockades the Drama Club currently faces when accessing its own earned funds.

Income Sources

• Ticket sales (from Fall Play & Spring Musical)

• Concessions (sold during play & musical)

• Benefactors: Maestro ($10,000+), Director’s Circle ($5,000+), Drama Visionary ($1,000+), Showstopper ($500+), Spotlighter ($250+), Patron ($100+), Stagehand ($50-99)

• Fundraising events: Bake Sale, Car wash, Concessions, Meet-The-Cast breakfast, Annual Student & Alumni Gala

• Sponsorships from Salem County businesses.

• Grants from local, regional, state, and national-level organizations.

• Crowdfunding Campaign

• Donation Drives

The total budget of the WHSDC is approximately $18,000. Currently, the WHSDC makes income from ticket sales and concessions. In the future, the Curtain Call Club will own these funds so the Drama Club is able to access them without the threat of lost time, red tape, restrictions on refunds, etc.

Here’s what those funds pay for:

Production Licenses: Unless a show is in the public domain, it is subject to licensing fees. Royalties for musicals, especially, are expensive. Typically, to keep costs down, schools will only perform their show for one weekend. At Woodstown, however, we are continually astounded year-after-year by our abundance of talented students, so we perform our musicals for two weekends with most roles double-cast. No one misses out.

Live Orchestra: The WHSDC employs a full live orchestra with professional musicians from the South Jersey & Philadelphia region. We do not use pre-recorded tracks (as has been the trend in recent years, eliminating jobs for musicians). These musicians are paid.

We also use student musicians in our orchestra, providing mentorship opportunities and the ability to perform alongside peers and professionals.

The music you hear in a Woodstown musical is created in the moment — just like the performances on stage.

Sets, Costumes, Lights, Sound: Lumber is never cheap and its cost continues to grow. That’s why, in the future, the Curtain Call Club will be meeting with school administrators and instructors to transform the production of theatre at Woodstown as an All-Of-School approach. While we rely greatly on volunteers and parents to help build sets, sew costumes, run lights, run our sound board/microphones — Woodstown students are already learning these skills in the classroom. We want to incorporate their skills so they can showcase their talents. Not everyone is a singer or dancer or actor — but there’s something for every student in our Drama Club.

Special Events: We look forward, in addition to our fundraisers, to hosting opportunities for students and alumni to perform together. In the future, we plan to host an annual gala, theatre workshops, and partnerships with theatre education centers around the South Jersey region.

Advertising (playbills, posters, flyers)

Administrative expenses

Woodstown is rich in history. So is our Drama Club. The WHSDC is one of the oldest and most storied performance groups in New Jersey. In addition, the Curtain Call Club was a beloved institution in the Woodstown-Pilesgrove community from 1934-1964 and we look forward to reviving that legacy.

Understanding our history informs a sustainable future.

The Curtain Call Club, as part of its legacy mission, is compiling a comprehensive list of every play and musical performed at Woodstown High School dating back to 1915.

We are also seeking any records, photos, documents, news articles, or personal stories about the original Curtain Call Club.

High School Yearbooks are often the best sources of this type of information. Anyone with access to Woodstown High School yearbooks dating back prior to 1990 should contact Jim Cook at jim.cook@curtaincallclub.org