Unlock the Stage

Unlock the Stage

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$14,870

Raised (USD)

Days Left: 0
Goal: $20,000

From Nasko Atanasov

Unlock the Stage is raising money to help renovate an abandoned theatre in the village of Tatarevo, Bulgaria with the goal of revitalizing the community through the arts. 501(c)(3) Tax Deductible www.unlockthestage.com

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Recent Updates

Update #13

over 8 years ago

After a truly successful reopening festival in July, we are finally on the verge of reopening the Tatarevo stage as a fully-functional movie theatre! This Saturday, October 3rd, will mark the first movie projection of the revived Tatarevo Cincema of the 21-st century! The film is still being kept a secret but to give you a hint, it will be a Bulgarian classic. The event will also feature live music and fresh human souls! What more does one need?! :)

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More Info

All donations to our project are Tax Deductible and go through Creative Visions Foundation which is acting as our 501(c)(3) Fiscal Sponsor.  

If you wish to send a donation by mail, please make checks payable to Creative Visions Foundation, and mail it to the foundation using the following address:  18820 Pacific Coast Highway  Malibu, CA 90265

Unlock the Stage is a creative project focused on the renovation of an abandoned theatre in the village of Tatarevo, Bulgaria.  During the summer of 2015 a team of young Hollywood filmmakers will document the theatre, its history, and the community which it once served.  

While a documentary will give us the chance to commemorate the theatre before it is too late, it will also provide us with a much larger platform for spreading awareness about this project in the future. After all, our mission extends beyond the time constraints of a single summer. 

Additionally, in this initial stage we will be taking the first steps toward renovating the theatre. This includes cleaning and repainting its interior; supplying the space with new curtains and windows; and purchasing a film projector for the balcony booth. While we understand that rebuilding a fully-functional theatre would require an enormous amount of time, effort and funds, not to mention people, there is no reason why Tatarevo cannot have its own basic movie theatre by the end of this summer. This will also help temporarily sustain the building at least for the near future.

However, perhaps our most significant goal for this summer is to host and film the official reopening of The Tatarevo Theatre. We will organize a weekend of performances by local choirs and music groups as well as any artists willing to participate in the festivities.

By bringing life back to the stage we will establish our clear message of bringing life back to the entire community.   

ALSO...

You should all know what your donations will achieve! 

We would like to share the basic outline of our budget for this summer's project: 

Transportation: $ 7,500

This estimate covers the costs of our team travelling from the United States to Bulgaria and back. As soon as we have the funds, we will naturally look for the best possible plane fares. Every dollar saved will immediately be transferred to our ‘Give Back Fund”.

Accommodation: $ 2,500

This estimate covers the living expenses for the stay of the entire team. We will be honorable guests in my grandparents’ house, which means that paying any sort of rent is completely out of the question. As stubborn as my family is, however, the team would still like to at least cover the increase of the water and electricity bills during our stay. We would also supply the groceries for our meals, which my grandmother would probably never let us cook ourselves. Naturally, every dollar saved will immediately be transferred to our ‘Give Back Fund”.

Equipment: $ 1,000

This estimate covers the equipment expenses for our documentary. You know that every dollar saved will go to our Give Back Fund, right?

Give Back Fund: $ 9,000

This is it – the Give Back Fund! It is the most comprehensive of all, and the most fun. This estimate is a compilation of several areas our project aims to tackle this summer:

1.        Initial Renovation: cleaning supplies, new windows, new paint, etc.

  • Basically anything our team can achieve this summer to transform the ghostly space into a living theatre!

2.        Cinema: projector, white screen, speakers, etc.

  • Setting up a temporary cinema will help bring business to the community and sustain the building until it becomes a fully-functional theatre.

3.       Official Reopening: transportation of local musicians to and from Tatarevo, food and beverages for the festival, advertising, etc.

  • This will be a key event for our mission as we hope to jumpstart the performing life of the theatre. It will literally Unlock the Stage!

4.       Gifts for You!

  • We will make sure that you receive the corresponding gift to your invaluable donation.

If we somehow end up with more funds than we know what to do with, don’t worry! They will all be used for our project's upcoming endeavors. We have a long but exciting way to go until we reach the dream we all share about The Tatarevo Theatre and its bright new future.

I deeply thank all of you for your interest and support of this wonderful cause!

 

Sincerely yours,

Nasko Atanasov

Founder of ‘Unlock the Stage’

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
over 8 years ago

Update #14

After a truly successful reopening festival in July, we are finally on the verge of reopening the Tatarevo stage as a fully-functional movie theatre! This Saturday, October 3rd, will mark the first movie projection of the revived Tatarevo Cincema of the 21-st century! The film is still being kept a secret but to give you a hint, it will be a Bulgarian classic. The event will also feature live music and fresh human souls! What more does one need?! :)

FREE ADMISSIONS.

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
over 8 years ago

Update #13

Greetings everyone! We have been extremely busy cleaning and fixing the theatre as well as organizing performances, exhibits, and refreshments for our July 18 performing arts festival, UNLOCKED. We have spent the past few days sanding bird art (poop) and dust off of the stage and the seats, as well as washing them and applying wood primer. We have had about 5-15 volunteers working each day. They range in age from around 10-60 years old, and they have been absolutely essential to the progress we have made. We are so excited by all the people who have been helping out! The theatre already seems to have become a community hub, and that is what we were hoping for, so we could not be happier, except we cannot wait to host some performances. None of this could have been possible without your amazing support. Thank you so much. Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram if you would like to see some more pictures and stay up to date on our efforts. Also, we have recently started a blog on our website (unlockthestage.com) which we plan to update regularly. We hope you follow along. Once again, thank you!

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
almost 9 years ago

Update #12

Privet everyone! We are deep in the heart of our operation. Nasko has been here since the end of May, Jamey has been here for a week, and all of our Bulgarian crew have been here all along! Things have been really rolling along smoothly. Nasko has been interviewed by reporters, visited his old school to share some words of empowerment, and most importantly, we have been cleaning the theatre and finding the right people and tools for renovation (such as Ivan, the Mayor of Tatarevo, giving directions in the featured picture). We have a skilled carpenter who is going to take a look at fixing the broken windows and teach us how to maintain the wooden seats, and we also have been promised use of microphones, speakers, and other equipment for performances. We have been connected with foundations and performance groups around the Haskovo and Plovdiv Regions, and we are extremely excited for our opening festival on July 18, which we have named: UNLOCKED. We have jazz musicians, folk troupes, and other performers interested in joining the fun. Energy is coursing through our veins, and we are transmitting it into the theatre. Check out our website or Facebook for more pictures and videos, and stay tuned for more action.

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
almost 9 years ago

Update #11

Hello everyone! WE ARE IN BULGARIA! Jamey arrived on Wednesday, and Nasko was interviewed by a large newspaper yesterday in his hometown of Haskovo. Thank you so much for helping get us here! We are currently in Plovdiv (30 minutes from Tatarevo), which is preparing to be the 2019 European Union Capital of Culture. Today we are heading to Tatarevo to officially start cleaning the theatre! It is amazing to look back a few months and realize how far we have come. And none of this would have been possible without all the help and love we have received from you all. If you hadn't seen yet, we were able to raise $14,745! Also, Fundly allows donations to be added to campaigns even after the end date has passed. While our campaign is officially over and we are shifting our focus, people can still donate! If you know or meet anyone interested in donating, please let them know they still can. We are excited to put this money to good use, and we were also ecstatic to hear that the mayor of Tatarevo was able secure roughly $6,000 in public funding in order to repair the roof of the theatre. We feel so supported and motivated, and we are excited to build, clean, act, sing, dance, and enjoy the company of those around us. This is a dream come true. Thank you so much.

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
almost 9 years ago

Update #10

Ready to Roll ! ! !

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
almost 9 years ago

Update #9

Dear Friends,
Our Campaign has officially come to its end, and what a glorious end it is! Almost $ 14,000 raised! We cannot be more thrilled to embark on this journey! So much love, respect, inspiration and motivation! Thank you for everything!!!

Always yours,
The Team

Unlock the Stage

P.S. Nasko visited the Theatre yesterday and this is a picture from the balcony. Everything looks as majestic as ever and ready for an even better change! :)

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
almost 9 years ago

Update #8

A word from Kathy, Jamey and Nasko! :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vLP2BCa_yc

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
almost 9 years ago

Update #6

Hello everyone! Nasko is currently flying over the Atlantic Ocean as we speak. He will be landing in Berlin, spending some time there, and then heading home to Bulgaria to see his family and lay some more groundwork for our adventures this summer. We are only $250 away from raising the money we needed to match Nancy Simon's $2000 challenge. If 25 people give $10, we'll have made it! Or if 50 people give $5, we'll do it! We are so close, and if you help us reach $9000, we will have raised $11,000, thanks to Nancy's amazing generosity! Please help share our story and donate if you can. Thank you so much to everyone for your support! This would not be possible without you. We are extraordinarily excited! So much love! (Here is a picture of Nasko and Steven in Bulgaria).

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
almost 9 years ago

Update #5

Hello Everyone! So far, we have raised $7000! Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far. Even more exciting news: our former Theatre professor Nancy Simon has pledged to match the next $2000 dollars we raise. So if we make it to $9000 by ourselves, she will boost it to $11,000! We are honored by Nancy's incredible generosity, and we hope that you can help us achieve this goal! Please share our story and donate if you are able! Also, we were able to extend our campaign by a week thanks to all the interest the project has been generating, so if you have wanted to support us, but haven't found the time to do so, please take advantage of this extended opportunity. We are so grateful for all of your support, and we'll keep charging ahead!

Endless thanks,
Nasko & Jamey

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
almost 9 years ago

Update #4

Hello Dear Everyone!

We have an exciting new update! Please, check out this interview with Grandpa Nacho and Grandma Petya:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1YWqkQYlx0&feature=youtu.be

It is also on our main campaign page.

This is the history of the Tatarevo Theatre told by the people who
witnessed it all.

Thank you so much for the support! :)

Love and Respect,

Nasko & Jamey
Unlock the Stage

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
almost 9 years ago

Update #3

It is official guys! We reached $5000 - we are 25% there! In just a week you've shown and proven to us all how things can change when people work together. We are beyond speechless and forever grateful for your steady belief in our efforts! Please, stay tuned as a lot of interesting updates are coming your way shortly! :)

THANK YOU!

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
almost 9 years ago

Update #2

Hello Everyone! So far we have raised $3735 and are on the verge of $4000. We appreciate everyone's donations and support and have been awe-struck by people's generosity. Please continue to share our story and lookout for updates and pictures of our efforts and adventures. Thank you all so much! This dream is becoming a reality!

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Nasko Atanasov posted a new update:
almost 9 years ago

Update #1

Our deepest gratitude to everyone who has already so generously contributed to our cause! We truly appreciate your trust and support. Thanks to you our campaign is off to a flying start and we couldn’t have asked for anything better. We would also like to thank all of our future donors. We are thrilled to share our cause with you and want you to know that each and every one of your contributions will be equally and sincerely cherished.

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