Enterprise in Your Community
Cause to celebrate: Enterprise sponsors The Black Rep's 30th Anniversary Season
St. Louis is famous for the Gateway Arch, the World Champion baseball Cardinals and hot summers. It also proudly claims the country's largest professional African-American repertory theater company. The Black Rep begins its 30th season of theatrical productions in January. To help celebrate, Enterprise will be the official corporate sponsor for the entire season with CEO and Chairman Andy Taylor serving as Honorary Chair of the 30th Anniversary Celebration Committee.
Financial support for Season 30 comes from the St. Louis Group, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation and the Enterprise Corporate Community Relations department. All publicity materials announcing the season will include the introduction, "Enterprise Rent-A-Car presents the 30th season of The Black Repertory Company." The season opens Jan. 3 with the musical Ain't Misbehavin'.
Enterprise began its partnership with The Black Rep in 2002 by underwriting the theater's production of Damn Yankees. Since then, Enterprise has underwritten one show per season including Caroline or Change and Intimate Apparel. The company decided to underwrite the 30th season to honor and celebrate The Black Rep's significant cultural contribution.
"The Black Rep is a local community institution that has national relevance," says Assistant Vice President of Corporate Relations Alonzo Byrd, who also serves on The Black Rep's board of directors. "The theater has the capacity to reach many people. Enterprise is proud to communicate to audiences our involvement in this worthwhile community partnership."
The Black Rep was founded 30 years ago at Washington University by then-student Ron Himes. Himes, now the theater's Producing Director and the Henry E. Hampton Artist in Residence at the university, has enlisted the help of Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton and his wife Risa to co-chair the anniversary celebration. Chancellor Wrighton invited Andy to serve as Honorary Chairman of the committee in part due to Enterprise's long-standing partnership with The Black Rep and Andy's position as board trustee at Washington University.
"This is a great year for employees who have not yet had the chance to see a show at the Black Rep to take their families, Enterprise colleagues or business partners to an evening at the theater," says Alonzo. "We hope employees will support what we view as a great investment in a local organization with national significance."
For more information, visit www.theblackrep.org.
