The Gift of Creative Freedom
The Black Box Floor
Thanks to previous donations, we’re nearing the first goal to upgrade The John Swayze Black Box Theatre. Replacing the stage floor will cost around $49,000. Because of your generous support and pledges for future donations, this goal is only a little over $11,000 away from being reached.
A generous match of $5,000 from an anonymous donor will double the impact of your donation!
The New School gives students the freedom to be who we truly are and enjoy our passions.
We can be as artistic as we want to be and explore so many different opportunities with the creative freedom we’re given.
The New School places major emphasis not just on creativity, but also on the importance of self-confidence in everything we create. This has been beneficial to so many students.
Our school’s theatre program is one of the most important parts of learning to be creative and self confident.
It’s hard to find a person at The New School that has been untouched by the theatre department.
The 2024-2025 school year marks the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking of the John Swayze Black Box Theatre, and all of the opportunities it has provided New School students.
The Black Box is deeply beloved, and we’re looking to modernize and upgrade the space so that future students can have these same important experiences.
For many students and alumni, the Black Box Theatre is where we first learned how to be confident in ourselves and just have fun while being creative.
Donations will positively impact the students of today and tomorrow.
Upgrading the Theatre
These are some of the upgrades the theatre could use.
- A new stage floor and a portable dance floor
- New sound equipment, including speakers, microphones, and a soundboard
- New Drapes to block light and sound from entering the theatre
- Adding more seating
- Adding designated storage for larger set pieces
- New scaffolding and safety equipment to work on the lighting rigs
- New carpet
- New electrics
Work will be done in stages focusing on the higher priority upgrades first. Since the price of materials changes rapidly, we don’t have a complete estimate of what all of the upgrades will cost. This means that we don’t have a full picture of what our final donation goal will be. With the information we have, we can estimate that the final cost will be over $200,000.
The Theatre’s Beginnings
The school broke ground for The John Swayze Black Box Theatre at a ceremony during the 2004-2005 school year. The theatre opened in 2006.
Merlin Payne Swayze, an alum from the class of 1999 and a former New School teacher, made a significant contribution to the theatre.
This generous gift was made in memory of her father, John Swayze, a committed parent volunteer, and the theatre was named for him.
How to Make Your Impact
Please make checks payable to The New School and mail to:
The New School
Development Office
9431 Silver King Ct.
Fairfax, VA 22031
The New School accepts American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa. We also accept PayPal, Venmo, Google Pay, and Apple Pay. Give online using our secure website or contact our Director of Development & Community Engagement, Noelle Andreano, at nandreano@newschoolva.org.
The New School Gift Plan provides a convenient and effortless method for spreading payment of your gift over the course of a year. You can set up a monthly recurring gift by visiting our donation page and selecting “Make this gift recurring” when filling out the donation form.
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In-kind donations are gifts of tangible goods, including gift cards. If you have items you think could benefit our programs, contact our Director of Development & Community Engagement, Noelle Andreano at nandreano@newschoolva.org.
When you include a bequest to The New School in your long-term estate or financial plans, you can change the lives of future generations of students. Speak with your financial advisor today about how to make The New School a part of your estate planning. Please read through this document for sample bequest language: The New School – Sample Bequest Language.
Giving FAQ
The New School of Northern Virginia is a registered 501(c)3 organization. Gifts are tax deductible to the full extent allowable by law. Our Tax ID is #82-1288652.
Gifts may be paid over the course of the school year. You may elect to make a pledge and pay in installments or opt for a recurring payment through The New School Gift Plan.
We greatly appreciate gifts of all sizes and hope that you will give at a level where you are comfortable. All gifts, regardless of size, make a difference in the lives of New School students and teachers every day and are greatly appreciated. Every gift counts!
Donors may be recognized on multiple platforms, including in the Annual Report, in newsletters, and on The New School’s website.
The New School is committed to respecting the privacy of donors. All donations are held in the strictest confidence. Individual donor information is limited to a very small group of individuals at The New School and is only shared on a “need-to-know” basis. We may provide aggregate donor information on multiple platforms, including in the Annual Report, in newsletters, and on The New School’s website. We provide information on donation amounts as required by auditors, government agencies, and courts.