LT2026-016 VALLEY THEATRE COMPANY FINAL

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Response 2.1: Why would tourists travel to Kittitas County to attend your event/activity/facility?* Valley Theatre Company (VTC) is a proven tourism driver. We create destination-worthy theatre experiences that encourage visitors to travel to Kittitas County and extend their stay. Our productions are 2–3 hours long and scheduled on weekends, aligning perfectly with overnight trips. We cross-promote with local restaurants, wineries, and hotels that offer discounts, themed menus, or ticket packages, encouraging audiences from outside the 50-mile radius to stay overnight and spend locally on dining, shopping, and lodging. Tourists are drawn not only by the quality of our productions, but also by the unique experiences we provide: • Summer Musical: Opens over the July 4th holiday with a live orchestra—rare for community theatre. Attendance has grown for the 3rd year in a row with 2386 attending in 2025. Our Independence Day “Pay-What-You-Can” performance drew 513 attendees, with 19% from outside the county, including 4.5% from out of state. Cross-promotion with Ignite the Arts positioned Ellensburg as a cultural holiday destination. • Cabernet Cabaret: Our region’s only dinner theatre offering, staged in the Hotel Windrow ballroom. Sold out for four consecutive years, with nearly 25% of audiences from outside Kittitas County. The pairing of dining, wine, and live music creates a distinctive, immersive experience. • Winter Play: Performed in smaller, intimate venues. In 2026, we expand to three weekends and introduce a new themed pre- show experience, giving tourists another reason to visit during the off-season. • Rising Stars Youth Production: Brings together elementary, middle, and high school students under adult mentorship, creating a family-centered draw that brings relatives and friends from across Washington. VTC productions also generate extended family travel. With casts ranging from 25–100 people, each production invites hundreds of personal connections that translate to 800–1,000 out-of-town tickets annually. Many of these visitors choose to stay overnight or combine the trip with other Ellensburg attractions. Monthly Reader ’s Theatre events hosted in downtown venues add consistent, year-round arts experiences, appealing to tourists already in town for business, recreation, or family visits. Our upcoming closed-captioning initiative, rarely offered outside large urban theatres, will further broaden accessibility and distinguish Ellensburg as an inclusive cultural destination. 2500 character limit