CBC Community Profile

Capitol Broadcasting Company believes one of our greatest responsibilities is supporting our community. CBC’s Community Profile is a new monthly feature on the Web – a way to inform our employees and the public about the work of area non-profits, and their volunteer opportunities and needs.

March is Youth Arts Month nationwide. So for March 2008, take closer look at the Burning Coal Theatre.

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Burning Coal Theatre
www.burningcoal.org

Location:
224 Polk Street
Raleigh, NC 27604

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 90904
Raleigh, NC 27675-0904

Phone: (919) 834-4002

Burning Coal


About Burning Coal:
Burning Coal, a theatre company in Raleigh, extols its mission as to produce literate visceral, affecting theatre that is experienced, not simply seen. The company emphasizes works that are unlike more traditional, linear plays where audiences are most often asked to observe without participating.

Burning CoalBesides producing plays, Burning Coal works in the community, providing a trained professional for one-day school residencies, sponsoring a kids playwriting contest, a summer theatre conservatory for teens and other educational opportunities.

Recently Burning Coal undertook the renovation of the Murphey School Theatre, raising funds from private donors, various arts organizations and fund-raising events.

About the Restoration of the Murphey School Theatre:
Murphey TheatreOriginally built in 1908 and then rebuilt after a fire in 1913, the Murphey School served as an elementary school in Raleigh until 1977. The historic property hosted the 1960 Raleigh City School Board meeting at which Willie York raised the motion, which passed, to begin the desegregation of Raleigh's schools. The first African-American student enrolled that fall. The school has been vacant since closing in 1977. Recently Burning Coal raised the funds to renovate and turn the building into a permanent theatre for their company as well as other arts organizations in the community.

Capitol Broadcasting Company, the A.J. Fletcher Foundation and the WRAL Community Fund all contributed to the project.

Murphey TheatreVIDEO:

 

How To Help Burning Coal:
Burning CoalSUBCRIBE to Burning Coal. By subscribing, you'll be guaranteed a seat and will also be providing them with valuable funding needed to make each season happen.
MAKE A CONTRIBUTION. Either contribute to the Burning Coal's general fund or to the Murphy School Restoration Project.
VOLUNTEER. Help Burning Coal build a set, house an out-of-town artist, fulfill the Burning Coal's wish list, or simply spread the word.
For more information on these ways to help, click here.
"It was a thrill and an honor to be invited to join the amazing cast of Burning Coal's production of Inherit the Wind. I learned so much from the many seasoned actors there, made some lifelong friends, and thoroughly enjoyed being a part of opening the Murphey School Auditorium. The new theatre space is very cool in its design, allowing the actors to really play among the audience. I look forward to working there again in the future, and to watching many other performances there.”
– Debbie Strange, WRAL-TV Associate Producer & actor in "Inherit the Wind" (the inaugural production in the Murphey School Theatre)

POSTED: March 1, 2008