Dear Friends,
At the Shelter Island Historical Society (SIHS), our commitment lies in preserving the artifacts, records, and stories that define the unique history of our island. Through exhibits, research, educational programs, and performances, we strive to foster a sense of welcome and connection within our community.
Since 2021, our annual summer musical has played a pivotal role in embodying the essence of Shelter Island’s rich history. These performances breathe life into captivating storylines, evoking cherished moments from various periods in our Island’s past. Crafted by local talent Lisa Shaw, the shows offer a diverse representation of our community, spanning decades and demographics. The dedicated cast and crew, composed entirely of volunteers, return each year to showcase their talents on stage. These musicals serve as both an educational tool for those less familiar with our history and a nostalgic journey for long-time residents.
Past productions include:
– “A Hill of Beans,” a musical rendition of the rise and fall of the Island’s lima bean farming cooperative in the 1950s. (Summer 2021)
– “The Prospect of Summer,” offered us a glimpse into the money-losing venture of running one of the island’s most famous hotels for 75 summer days during prohibition. (Summer 2022)
– “The Lords of Menantic,” featured an eccentric, yet successful shipbuilding family and their sailing vessel, The Paragon, which ran the Continental blockade in 1804. (Summer 2023)
– This year, in “A Deck of Ferry Tales,” we are thrilled to bring you the captivating stories of the “Shelter Island Ferry Company,” focusing on the boats and crew who shuttled us across the waters in the 1960s.
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While our cast and crew generously volunteer their time (we have nearly 40 Shelter Islander volunteers each year!), there are significant costs associated with producing these shows, including costumes, advertising, printing, staging, sound technology, and musicians. To continue to produce the musical each summer, we depend on the support of our community and are incredibly grateful to the many sponsors who have contributed to past productions. This summer, we hope that we can depend on your contribution in order to bring another great show to our stage at the Historical Society!
All contributions are greatly appreciated. We offer several tax deductible sponsorship levels to accommodate your budget and preferences:
$100 – SUBSCRIBER – your name will be listed in our program
$250 – DONOR – your name will be listed in BOLD in our program and you will receive a SIHS cap
$500 – SPONSOR – your name will be listed in BOLD in our promotion materials, social media and posters and you will receive a SIHS cap, plus 2 tickets to the show
$1,000 – PATRON – your name will be listed in BOLD in our promotion materials, social media and posters and you will receive 2 SIHS caps, plus 4 show tickets
$5000 – BENEFACTOR – your name will be listed in BOLD on our promotion materials, social media, posters and program cover panel and you will receive 2 SIHS caps, plus 6 show tickets
Would you like to go above and beyond to support the arts on Shelter Island?
$10,000 would help us create scenery and props, while you’d be recognized in our promotion materials, social media and posters with special thanks, and your name would be visible to our audience.
$20,000 would help us secure our most expensive (and most important) item: our stage! To show our appreciation, your name would be proudly displayed along the front of the stage.
Thank you for supporting the Shelter Island Historical Society’s annual summer musical. Your contribution will directly impact this summer’s show and your generosity will help us continue our mission of bringing the Island’s history to life. We look forward to welcoming you as part of our community of supporters.
Sincerely,
SUPPORT OUR SHOW (SOS) COMMITTEE
Co-Chairs: Christopher Carey, Lenore DiLeo-Berner, Jim Gereghty
Committee Members: Stephen Atkinson, Dan Berner, Allison Binder, Marie Bishko, Catherine Brigham, Janet D’Amato, James Dawson, Donna Emma, Liz Hanley, Tom Hashagen, Marianne Carey Hayes, Christopher Herman, Jennifer Maxson, Martha Pichey, Tim Purtell, Charity Robey, Lisa Shaw, JoAnn Sherman, Charles Stark.
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