Help Us Keep Musical Theatre Accessible in Berlin!

At Encore! Musicals Berlin e.V., we’re passionate about creating high-quality, live musical theatre that brings people together and showcases the incredible talent of Berlin’s international community. We are a registered non-profit group founded on the belief that live music is an important part of the theatre experience, and we are committed to keeping our performances true to that vision. We want everyone to experience the magic of live theatre, and strive to keep our ticket prices affordable so that our shows remain accessible to all, especially in a year in which Berlin's arts and culture budget is set to be significantly reduced.

However, performing this way comes at a cost. The expenses involved in paying musicians, securing performance spaces, paying licensing fees, and maintaining the high production values which make our shows stand out quickly add up. In a city where the arts are increasingly undervalued, it’s becoming harder and harder to cover these costs without compromising the integrity of our work. Encore would love to offer community tickets to make our productions accessible to even more people. Our goal is to connect with youth groups, international arts foundations and supporters of the less advantaged community as well as offering a broader spectrum of affordable ticket prices, but we cannot do so without you!

Why We Need Your Support

We’re reaching out to our friends, families, and loyal supporters to help us raise the funds we need to cover our next full musical’s production expenses. Your donation will help us continue to create high-quality musical theatre that delights, challenges, and inspires — and ensures we can keep paying our talented musicians who bring our performances to life.

The holiday season is a time for giving, and your support will make a huge difference. Whether you’re a musical theatre fan, a local Berlin supporter, or someone who loves the idea of keeping the arts alive, any contribution will help us continue our work of keeping the joy of Musical Theatre “centre-stage” in Berlin.

A Breakdown of Our Main Costs

Producing high-quality Musical Theatre isn’t cheap — here’s a look at where the money goes, based on budgets from previous shows, including Next to Normal (June ’24), The Wedding Singer (October ’23) and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Feb ’23):

Musicians' Fees: €9,600

We believe in paying our musicians fairly for their time and talent. With live music, our musicians are at the heart of every performance, bringing the energy and emotion that tracks just can’t capture.

Rehearsal Space: €1,450 and Performance Space: €10,500

Renting a rehearsal space for our cast and musicians, as well as a performance venue for the week of the show, is one of our biggest expenses. In Berlin, rehearsal space is at capacity and performance spaces which accommodate the band and our large cast are very limited. Now more than ever, available and appropriate space comes at a premium.

Rights and Licensing Fees: €2,000

Licensing ensures we can legally perform and share beloved pieces of theatre with our audiences, but securing the rights to perform well-known musicals comes at a significant cost. Usually, we pay a one-off fee, a rental charge for the scores and librettos, and between 15-18% of ticket sales to the rights holders.

Production Costs (Set, Costumes, Props, etc.): €2,500

From building sets to creating costumes, every show requires investment in design and materials. We strive to create a high-quality visual experience for our audience, and that requires attention to detail. In the past, we have had to keep these budgets much lower than the ideal in order to manage other fixed costs, but we would love to heighten the visual quality of our productions in the future.

Marketing & PR: €750

Getting the word out and filling the seats takes time and resources. We need to run ads, create flyers, and reach out to our community to make sure everyone knows about our performances.

Tech Rental: €3,000

A high quality show needs high quality sound and visuals. It’s essential that everyone in the cast is clearly heard, but with live musicians on stage, each performer needs a headset microphone. Additionally, our professional lighting designer needs extra equipment beyond what is provided by most venues to create the most visually striking effects and atmosphere for the performance.

Total Needed: €29,800

By contributing, you’re directly supporting these key areas and ensuring we can continue to produce shows that inspire, entertain, and bring our community together.

What Your Support Means to Us

Your donation doesn’t just cover the cost of a ticket — it’s an investment in the future of musical theatre in Berlin. It means we can keep our production standards high, offer fair pay to our musicians, and create performances that our audiences will remember. We’re so proud of the work we do and we want to keep doing it — but we can’t do it without your help.

Even the smallest contribution makes a difference. Plus, if you donate before we announce our next show, we’ll give you a shout out in our closing night speeches as a special thank you!

Thank You for Your Generosity – Rewarding Your Support

Encore believes that your support deserves to be recognised, and we want to thank you in a meaningful way for helping us keep the magic of live musical theatre alive in Berlin. As a token of our appreciation, we’re offering some special rewards for different levels of donation. Whether you’re contributing to keep our live musicians on stage, helping us light up the stage, or supporting the successful future of our Verein, your generosity means the world to us.

€10 - The Spotlight Shoutout

As thanks for your support, you’ll get a heartfelt shoutout on our social media to show our appreciation!

€25 - The Encore! Enthusiast

For your support, you’ll get:

€50 - The Matinee Magician

For your contribution, you’ll receive:

€100 - The Star of the Show

For your generous support, you’ll get:

€250 - The VIP

For your incredible support, you’ll receive:

€500 - The Musicians’ Patron

Your donation directly supports one of our live musicians for the entire production. In recognition of your support, you’ll receive:

€1,000 - The Producer’s Circle

Join our Producer’s Circle with your exceptional donation! This level includes:

Not Based in Berlin?

We understand that many of our generous supporters live overseas and may not be able to attend in person. If that’s the case, you can still be part of the experience by donating your ticket to someone in need within our community. We’ll ensure your ticket goes to a deserving individual or group, such as students, arts volunteers or a community group who might not otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy live theatre.

Your donation will help us extend the magic of the performance to those who could truly benefit, and we’ll be sure to thank you personally for your incredible generosity.

How it works: If you choose this option, we will handle all the logistics. Your ticket will be given to an individual or group who will appreciate the opportunity to attend the show, and you’ll receive a special thank-you note from us and a mention in the programme for your incredible support. Should there be a particular charity or group about which you feel particularly strongly, feel free to let us know.

In addition, for overseas donors who donate at the €100 tier or higher, we will ship you an Encore! show logo t-shirt.

Other Ways to Help:

If you’re unable to contribute financially, there are still plenty of ways to support Encore! You can help by sharing this campaign with your friends and family, attending one of our performances, or simply spreading the word about our group and the importance of live, original language musical theatre in Berlin.

As we head into the holiday season, we’re reminded of the power of community. We’re so grateful for your support, and can’t wait to see you at our next show. Thank you for helping us keep musical theatre alive in Berlin!

With gratitude,

Encore! Musicals Berlin e.V.

https://www.encoremusicalsberlin.com/