Kresge grant to help Detroit Repertory Theatre fundraising

DETROIT – The Kresge Foundation has given $50,000 to a $500,000 fundraising campaign in support of the Detroit Repertory Theatre’s operations.

Theater officials hope to complete the fundraising campaign over the next three years as Bruce Millan prepares to step down after 61 years as artistic director. The 194-seat theatre is in a west side neighbourhood.

Marketing and Development Director Leah Smith says the fundraising “is intended to stabilize finances over the next three years and ramp up staffing to sustain the theatre well into the future.”

The fundraising campaign would expand staffing to seven paid positions.

Smith is in training to take over the artistic director position. She says Millan will step down “once the funds come in to replace key staff.”

The Troy-based Kresge Foundation is a private, national foundation.