STARTING AUGUST 10, 2020

Hosted by Melissa Peterman

#UnUSualCreateAThon

YOU ARE INVITED TO

VIRTUALLY UNUSUAL CREATE-A-THON

OUR MISSION “I come here becuase it makes me feel better about myself

becuase usually I don’t have enough self-confidence.”Participant and Middle School Student

The mission of The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company is to mentor, educate, and enrich underserved youth through the creation of collaborative, original theatre.

The vision of The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company is a world where all youth are given the opportunities and support they need to succeed.

WHO

We are a group of dedicated educators, writers, actors, directors, mentors and volunteers who transform hearts, minds, lives and communities by empowering young people to own and share their stories.

WHY

In collaborative workshop settings, we mentor youth to write and per form their stories, using theater to champion those most desperate to be heard and toughest to reach. We teach confidence, choice, hope, and empathy.

WHAT

Every child from every neighborhood deserves a place to belong, the freedom to safely express themselves, an opportunity to be seen, heard, and known, and the chance to dream and achieve beyond their circumstance.

LIGHTS UPDave and Pamela Peterman

STAR PERFORMER DONORS Argyros Family Foundation

Bruce Greenwood & Susan Devlin The Lynch Foundation Annie & Scott Lukowski

THANK YOU

SPONSORS+DONORS

2020TO OUR

VIRTUALLY UNUSUSAL

CREATE-A-THON

ENCORENancy and Steve Carell

CENTER STAGE

IN-KIND SPONSORS

HISTORYIn 1992, called to action by theLA Uprising, founder Laura LeighHughes created The UnusualSuspects Theatre Company (US)to give strength to vulnerableyouth, and provide them a safe outlet and platform for self-expression. To doso, she and a groupof volunteer film/theatre professionalsprovideddisadvantaged teensin foster care andjuvenile detentionwith a powerful toolfor communicationvia the creation& per formance oftheir own originalplays. US has since grown from that small youth-intervention program into a leader in the fields of arts education, youth development, mentorship, and community building, with a presence in underserved schools, community centers, and juvenile detention camps throughout LA County. Our participant-driven theatre-arts programs go beyond

the reach of typical arts education workshops to empower vulnerable youth with lifelong skills, hope, and confidence to overcome their difficult surroundings.

Decades later, US has developed 7 complementary, place-based

programs that provide well-rounded benefits for approximately 1,600 underserved individuals each year all through the theatre stage— including underper forming students, students with special needs, foster youth, English Language Learners, adolescents suffering from

PTSD, incarcerated minors, and members of rival gangs. US has received several accolades for our work, including The National Youth Arts and Humanities Program Award (our nation’s highest honor for after-school arts and humanities programs), The National Juvenile Justice Award, and more.

“Honestly, it’s been a really fun program. The program has helped me improve my mood, and it has given me a place to express myself during

quarantine. It’s helped me with my confidence… let’s say I’m in class and the teacher asks a question. Before I was in the program, I wouldn’t answer it, even though I had the answer. After joining, I’m usually the first one to

raise my hand and answer the question. It’s helped me a lot...”

Adrian, age 16, San Fernando High School

As we, once again, provide an artistic lifeline to those feeling injustice, our team at The Unusual Suspects is more committed to our mission than ever before.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, staff made it their number one

priority to continue reaching and serving our youth and families by any means necessary. We quickly pivoted to offering programming virtually to help mitigate the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on our under-resourced communities. In the midst of the global crisis, US successfully developed and launched distance learning alternatives, which now include live and pre-recorded lessons that are delivered via

services such as ZOOM, Google Classroom, and various other means. This year alone we have already served close to 500 participants, offering over 100 remote sessions to our most vulnerable youth. Now more than ever, we need your help to continue this vital work with Los Angeles’ most vulnerable youth and families helping to reconcile historyand re-envision futures full of joy,opportunity, and expectation.

PROGRAMS

BUILDING PLAYS, BUILDING CHARACTER.

YOUTH THEATRE RESIDENCY PROGRAM (YTRP)

YTRP’s experiential theatre-arts education and mentoring improves the well-being of disadvantaged and incarcerated youth via a series of two sequential 10-week after-school workshops, where youth collaborate to create and per form an original play. The YTRP’s ultimate goal is to empower underserved youth with the skills to maintain a healthy mental outlook and pursue a positive path forward, making them more likely

to decrease truant behavior, stayin school, complete community service hours, and avoid gang involvement.

VOICES FROM INSIDE PROGRAM (VIP)

VIP is an outgrowth of our 20+ years of experience working with incarcerated & system-engaged youth. Through in-class and/or after-school workshops, VIP combines standards-based theatre-arts education with trauma-informed healing practices to deeply reach incarcerated, system-engaged, and high-risk minors. While guiding participants in the collaborative creation of original, socially relevant, uncensored theatrical material, the cutting-edge program works to stem minors’ harmful tendencies and provides a positive, safe environment where high-risk youth can learn to trust others, which becomes a gateway to other accomplishments.

VOICES FOR ARTS & SOCIAL THEATRE PROGRAM (VAST)

VAST adapts our successful after-school curriculum to provide in-class arts education to improve students’ language, communication and teamwork skills.

BUILDING COMMUNITIES

THEATRE & CULTURE ACCESS PROGRAM (TCAP)

TCAP reduces disparities in arts access by introducing low-income youth and adults to professional theatre for free.

NEIGHBORHOOD VOICES PROGRAM (NV)

Designed to decrease social isolation and increase protective factors for reducing child maltreatment, NV engages intergenerational community residents (ages 11-65+) in creating and per forming an original modernized fable/morality play through an intensive 12-week workshop.

PARENT PRACTICA PROGRAM (PPP)

This parenting-focused program tailors our core curriculum to a series of therapeutic workshops designed to enhance communication skills and strengthen the bond between struggling parents and their children.

ALUMNI PROGRAM

Our new multi-week playwriting & per formance-based residency for opportunity youth (ages 16-26) is open to alumni from allUS programs — including youthreturning from incarceration — andwill incorporate our unique, coretheatre-arts curriculum to youngadults, with continued engagementand mentorship as they considerthe next stage of their lives.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sara ScottBoard Chair, Senior Vice President Production Development Universal Pictures

David BorsariAttorney, Law Offices of David S. Borsari

Russ CashdanBoard Treasurer, AttorneyCashdan Law

Albert G. ChouWealth Manager, Goldman Sachs

Annie DengRealtor, COMPASS Realty

Ryan JonesVP of Development & ProductionAllspark Pictures, Hasbro Studios

Melissa PetermanActor

Julio QuijadaUnusual Suspects Alumni, Post-Production Coordinator, NBCUniversal

Karine RosenthalWriter / Producer

Decker SadowskiActor

Kristina SegesvaryPrivate Wealth Management

Goldman Sachs

Alison SternbergVice President, Investor Relations,

SmileDirectClub

Joe WeilPresident & Founder, Psycho Films

Charlotte WhiteBoard Vice Chair, Program Manager for Economic Development, Accelerator for

America

VIRTUALLY UNUSUALCREATE-A-THONHOST COMMITTEEShawn AmosBradford BancroftRachel BloomNancy & Steve CarellStephen & Sherie CarrollTameka CarterKaren ChouEd CoghlanMo Collins & Alex SkubyVictoria DummerSally FairmanMaile FlanaganMarkese FreemanAnnabeth GishRachel GoldbergLaura Leigh HughesDavid Henry HwangSydney Kamlager-DoveDeborah Lintz Annie LukowskiLara MagnusenReba McEntireJohnny OrtizMary Ramos & Murray OdenLuis J. RodriguezElizabeth SilverJulie TugendKirsten VangsnessWayne Wilderson

Supporters of The Unusual Suspects include: The Annenberg Foundation, The Arygros Family Foundation, California Arts Council, Carl and Roberta Deutsch Foundation, Dwight Stuart Youth Foundation, Green Foundation, Herb Alpert Foundation, Johnny Carson Foundation, The Lynch Family Foundation, NationalEndowment for the Arts, RalphM. Parsons Foundation, S. MarkTaper Foundation, WeingartFoundation, Will & Jada SmithFamily Foundation Bank ofAmerica, FX Networks, HBO,Mark Gordon Company, MichaelDe Luca Productions, Netflix,Paramount Pictures, SonyPictures Entertainment, TrueCar,Universal Pictures, VanishingPoint Media, Walt DisneyCompany, Warner BrothersStudios, Steve and NancyCarrell, Viola Davis, HectorElizondo, Tiffany Haddish,Sandra Oh, Wanda Sykes, AlfreWoodard and many more.

SUPPORTERS

FPO Cant seem to see a photo

named SARA SCOTT

in the shared folder unless i am missing it?

DESCRIPTION

A multi-week, marathon-inspired digital fundraising campaign driven by our mission to mentor, educate and enrich underserved youth through the creation of collaborative, original theatre. Every dollar raised goes towards our vital programs that reveal the power of our theatre-based programs to heal, educate and

Melissa Peterman

Join US as we raise money to continue our 27 year legacy of bringing theatre arts education to underserved and incarcerated youth, and communities, throughout Los Angeles.

VIRTUALLY UNUSUALCREATE-A-THON

TAKE PART IN THE

FUNDRAISER

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Melissa Peterman

enrich those we serve. Join US and fellow supporters as we tap our creativity while raising funds towards our critical work! A VIP roster of celebrity, entertainment, corporate and sports figures will embark on a unique, virtual marathon in support of our crucial theatre-arts programming – a marathon that doesn’t involve running, jogging

or any physical ING but involves an activity just as challenging and fulfilling...creating! This marathon brings our supporters together in the name of the arts and asks our supporters to write something original or record a per formance that they can share with their friends and family, raising funds along the way.

WHEN Starting August 10th, 2020

WHERE Anywhere in the world, this is a virtual campaign!

ress

Actr2019 Gala

Former Baby Daddy castmates Melissa Peterman and Chelsea Kane reunite for a hug on the red carpet at a past Gala event

Reba McEntire in US Shirt

Nancy Carell performing in Blood Over Water, an original production written by our youth

“Everything from writing the play to actually putting

it on, we’re doing from scratch... So it’s not like

everything is fixed... You can just have any idea and

it will end up in some way in the final product. And,

everyone treats you literally like family. Like we’re just

all one big family. We accept you no matter what. “

Adrian, age 16, San Fernando High School, Spring 2020

Actress Toni Trucks and Actor Cedric Yarbrough meet as they enjoy their evening

Previous Gala honoree and supporter/actress Tiffany Haddish

The Unusual Suspects program participant being interviewed by ABC 7

“Feels good because I never thought I could talk about these

kind of things before, like feelings. I learned that everybody

can work together. Like everybody’s got good ideas, good

questions. And it felt cool to complete something. It’s like

once you start trying, you want to never give up.”

Dorothy Kirby Center Participant, Spring 2020

Tassler & Jerr

Longtime supporter Annie Lukowski enjoying a past Gala event

The Unusual Suspects participants pose with supporters and staff at a past Gala event

Supporter/actress Annabeth Gish with students at Joyner Elementary.

Longtime supporter/actress Viola Davis

Longtime supporter/actress Rachel Bloom showing off her US T-shirt

Supporter, actor Jaime Camil presenting an award to previous Gala Honorees, TV Executive Nina Tassler and Actor/Director Jerry Levine

Advisory Council member/actor Johnny Ortiz at an US event

US participants onstage during a performance

“I learned to never give up. Working

with a group of people made me

feel like I got somebody who has my

back, whatever I’m struggling with.”

The Unusual Suspects’Incarcerated Youth Participant

Supporter/actress Aisha Tyler with supporter/actress Wanda Sykes

rv

fr

t

PROPOSED SPONSORSHIP

OPPORTUNITIES

2020

BROADWAY

ENCORE

CENTER STAGE

LIGHTS UP

CREATIVE SPARK

$25,000

$10,000

$5,000

$2,500

$1,000

y, w.

BROADWAY $25,000Your commitment of $25,000 will provide thirteen (13) disadvantaged youth with high-quality, transformative theatre arts education helping them to increase academic, coping and social skills.

· As a Broadway sponsor, your company will receive prominent large logoplacement and mentions during the entire campaign and on all TheUnusual Suspects communication beginning August 10, 2020 throughDecember 31, 2020, being seen by thousands of Los Angeles supportersto potentially represent over 4.87M digital marketing/media impressions.Logo placement to include the following:

o Logo on all e-blasts.o Large logo and name on all US material, including playbills, fliers

and more beginning August 3, 2020 to December 31, 2020.o Large logo placement on The Unusual Suspects webpage with a

URL link back to the website of choice. Large logo placement onthe Virtually UnUSuall Create-A-Thon fundraising campaign eventpages and various e-communication to be seen by all participantsand donors.

o Large logo on the final e-book presentation of the finished work withthe ability to write/record a thank you to all participants involved inthe campaign.

· Sponsorship mention during press release and media promotional activities.· Announcement of sponsorship commitment on Social Media promoting the

campaign. Ability for followers to learn about your company/ organization.· Opportunity for a representative of your company to speak at the kick-off

Zoom Meeting for campaign participants.· Opportunity for select executives from your company/organization to

participate in our programs as a guest speaker· Exclusive recognition during campaign weekly highlight video by emcee and

digital placement for sponsorship.· Ability to assign a company representative to participate as a Team Captain.· Virtual VIP gift basket containing 10 e-giftcards for our celebratory final

launch day.· 10 entries in the VIP Raffle drawing.

ENCORE $10,000Your commitment of $10,000 will provide approximately one (1) or more weeks of Alumni Program services to our participating youth ages 16-26 as they consider post-secondary opportunities via our core theatre-arts curriculum.

· As an Encore sponsor, your company will receive prominent medium logoplacement and mentions during the entire campaign and on a variety ofThe Unusual Suspects communication beginning August 10, 2020 throughDecember 31, 2020, being seen by thousands of Los Angeles supporters topotentially represent over 4.85M digital marketing/media impressions. Logoplacement to include the following:

o Logo on all e-blasts.o Medium logo placement on The Unusual Suspects webpage with a

URL link back to the website of choice. Medium logo placementon the Virtually UnUSual Create-A-Thonfundraising campaign eventpages and various e-communication to be seen by all participantsand donors.

o Medium logo on the final e-book presentation of the finishedwork with the ability to write/record a thank you to all participantsinvolved in the campaign.

· Sponsorship mention during press release and media promotional activities.· Announcement of sponsorship commitment on Social Media promoting the

campaign. Ability for followers to learn about your company/ organization.· Opportunity for a representative of your company to speak at the kick-off

Zoom Meeting for campaign participants.· Recognition during campaign weekly highlight video by emcee and digital

placement for sponsorship.· Ability to assign a representative to participate as a Team Captain.· 7 entries in the VIP Raffle drawing.

CENTER STAGE $5,000Your commitment of $5,000 will provide five (5) parents/children the cultural experience of attending live, professional theatre, providing lasting long-term benefits and creating a combined passion for the arts.

· As a Center Stage sponsor, your company will receive small logo placementand mentions during the entire campaign and on a variety of The UnusualSuspects communication beginning August 10, 2020 through December31, 2020, being seen by thousands of Los Angeles supporters to potentiallyrepresent over 4.7M digital marketing/media impressions. Logo placementto include the following:

o All campaign-related e-blasts.o Small logo placement on The Unusual Suspects webpage. Small

logo placement on the Virtually UnUSual Create-A-Thon fundraisingcampaign event pages and various e-communication to be seen byall participants and donors.

o Small logo on the final e-book presentation of the finished work withthe ability to write/record a thank you to all participants involved inthe campaign.

· Sponsorship mention during press release and media promotional activities.· Announcement of sponsorship commitment on Social Media promoting the

campaign. Ability for followers to learn about your company/ organization.· Opportunity for a representative of your company to speak at the kick-off

Zoom Meeting for campaign participants.· Digital recognition during campaign weekly highlight video.· Ability to assign a representative to participate as a Team Captain.

Your commitment of $2,500 will provide two (2) parents the chance to perform theatre together with their children, improving parental skills and building tight-knit communities.

· As a Light’s Up sponsor, your company will receive prominent name placementduring the entire campaign and on a variety of The Unusual Suspectscommunication beginning August 10, 2020 through December 31, 2020, beingseen by thousands of Los Angeles supporters to potentially represent over 110,000digital marketing/media impressions. Placement to include the following:

o All campaign-related e-blasts.o Company/Organization name to be listed on the Virtually UnUSual Create-

A-Thon fundraising campaign event pages and various e-communication tobe seen by all participants and donors.

o Company/Organization name on the final e-book presentation of thefinished work with the ability to write/record a thank you to all participantsinvolved in the campaign.

· Announcement of sponsorship commitment on Social Media promoting thecampaign. Ability for followers to learn about your company/ organization.

· Ability to assign a representative to participate as a Team Captain.

LIGHTS UP $2,500

Your commitment of $1,000 will provide approximately fifty (50) hours of dedicated mentorship and arts education to one disadvantaged youth.

· As a Creative Spark sponsor, your company will receive prominent name placementduring the entire campaign beginning August 10, 2020 through October 1, 2020being seen by thousands of Los Angeles supporters to potentially represent over42,000 digital marketing/media impressions. Placement to include the following:

o Company/Organization name to be listed on the Virtually UnUSual Create-A-Thon fundraising campaign event pages and various e-communication tobe seen by all participants and donors.

· Announcement of sponsorship commitment on Social Media promoting thecampaign.

· Ability to assign a representative to participate as a Team Captain.

CREATIVE SPARK $1,000

“Feels good because I never thought I could talk

about these kind of things before, like feelings.

I learned that everybody can work together. Like

everybody’s got good ideas, good questions. And it

felt cool to complete something. It’s like once you

start trying, you want to never give up.”

Dorothy Kirby Center Participant, Spring 2020

PROPOSED INDIVIDUAL

CREATE-A-RAISER OR DONOR

OPPORTUNITIES

2020

PRIME SUSPECT RAISE $2,000

CREATIVE SUSPECT RAISE $1,000

SPOTLIGHT SUSPECT RAISE $500

PRIME SUSPECT

$2,000

INDIVIDUALS COMMIT TO RAISE a minimum of $2,000 through an e-mail campaign and establish a creative writing or per formance goal.

*Create-A-Raisers who raise $2,000 will:· Receive US swag· Be featured in campaign highlight videos· Receive 10 complimentary entries to

raffle drawing· Receive opportunity to zoom with our

students· Receive the chance for their finished

work to appear in final e-book of content

DONATE $2,000*Donate $2,000 and you will:· Receive a US swag· Receive the opportunity for Melissa

Peterman to host the zoom session of your choice

· Receive opportunity to zoom with our students

· Be thanked on social media, in campaign highlight videos and in finale-book of contentD

ON

ATE

RA

ISE

OR

DO

NAT

ER

AIS

EO

R

CREATIVE SUSPECT

$1,000

INDIVIDUALS COMMIT TO RAISE a minimum of $1,000 through an e-mail campaign and establish a creative writing or per formance goal.

*Create-A-Raisers who raise $1,000, will:· Receive US Swag· Receive 5 complimentary entries to

raffle drawing· Receive the chance for their finished

work to appear in final e-book ofcontent

DONATE $1,000*Donate $1,000 and you will:· Receive US Swag· Receive 5 complimentary entries to

raffle drawing· Be thanked on social media, in

campaign highlight videos and in finale-book of content

SPOTLIGHT SUSPECT

$500

INDIVIDUALS COMMIT TO RAISE a minimum of $500 through an e-mail campaign and establish a creative writing or per formance goal.

*Create-A-Raisers who raise $500, will:· Receive US Swag· Receive 2 complimentary entries to

raffle drawing· Receive the chance for their finished

work to appear in final e-book ofcontent

DONATE $500*Donate $500 and you will:· Receive US swag· Receive an inspirational message in

your inbox from a surprise notablesupporter

Please make checks payable to: The Unusual Suspects Theatre CompanyMail check and this form to: The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company | 3719 Verdugo Road Los Angeles, CA 90065

Credit card payments & questions? Contact Hedi Jalon at (310) 994-2021 or hedi@theunususualsuspects.orgFor additional information, please visit theunusualsuspects.org/create-a-thon

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Tax ID#: 95-4661312All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please consult your personal tax advisor for details.

VIRTUALLY UNUSUAL SPONSORSHIP FUNDRAISER/DONOR FORM

2020DEADLINE IS JULY13TH, 2020

PLEASE PRINT ALL INFO CLEARLY. PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM AND PAYMENT TO HEDI JALON AT HEDI@THEUNUSUALSUSPECTS.ORG

NAME

COMPANY NAME

ADDRESS

PHONE

EMAIL

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Yes, I would like to become a sponsor at the following level

BROADWAY $25,00ENCORE $10,000CENTER STAGE $5,000LIGHT UP $2,500CREATIVE SPARK $1,000

Yes, I would like to become a Create-A-Raiser at the following level

PRIME SUSPECT $2,000CREATIVE SUSPECT $1,000SPOTLIGHT SUSPECT $500

My logo file is enclosed

Please contact the following for logo (list email/name)

Unfortunately I can’t participate as a sponsor or fundraiser, but would like to make a contribution in the amount of $