By Rogelio Alvarez
CASA 0101 Theater, located in Boyle Heights, is undergoing a fundraising campaign to raise $30,000 to help fund classes for youth, teens and adults from the surrounding communities.
The deadline to raise $30,000 is April 30.
Former East Los Angeles College student, Josefina Lopez founded the theater in 2000.
The non-profit organization uses money from grants and donations to fund an art education program, theatrical productions and art galleries to the surrounding communities.
The fundraising campaign began February 23. Casa 0101 staff members sent out individual emails to previous donors.
Some of the money goes toward funding CASA 0101’s free classes on acting, dance, playwriting, scriptwriting, voice, filmmaking and art for youth and teens.
The classes are taught by professionals with years of experience in theater arts and film. Classes are held at Casa 0101 theater or at it’s smaller venue down the street, Little Casa.
“If we’re unable to meet the goal, we might have to charge for the classes,” Casa 0101 communications and outreach coordinator Guadalupe Arellanes said.
The small theater provides residents from Boyle Heights and the surrounding communities free writing and acting class all year long. Although students enrolled in the classes are not charged a single cent, donations are welcomed to help support Casa 0101 theater.
The money being raised for the campaign also goes toward funding the adult classes held at the theater.
Adults can choose between beginning, intermediate and advanced acting, introduction to playwriting and singing classes.
Casa 0101 also has seasonal classes on puppetry, filmmaking, scriptwriting, dance, improv
“For the fundraising campaign, we have a multi-pronged approach,” Casa 0101 Executive Director Emmanuel Deleage said. “We use our Facebook page to promote the campaign.”
Deleage says that the fundraising campaign can be very difficult.
CASA 0101 also has an upcoming comedy night fundraiser to help raise funds for the campaign.
The comedy night takes place tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. at Casa 0101 theater. Tickets are $25 dollars with proceeds going towards the fundraising campaign.
“We also have another fundraising event on April 16. The theme is the connection between neighborhood communities in Little Tokyo and Boyle Heights,” Arellanes said.
The upcoming event will have live music from Japanese-American and Mexican artists. Local artists will also be having an art auction. Author Ruben Funkahuatl Guevara will be reading from his short story, “Yuriko and Carlos.”
The money raised helps fund the different theatrical productions CASA 0101 hosts throughout the year. Many former and current ELAC students appeared and volunteered at CASA 0101.
“ELAC is a great partner. Casa benefits from the partnership with ELAC. There’s always been a supportive atmosphere from ELAC,” Deleage said.
Anyone interested in donating toward Casa0101 Theater’s fundraising campaign can donate on through their website casa0101.org