News

Mad Cow Theatre receives $250,000 grant

ORLANDO, Fla. — Mad Cow Theatre is pleased to announce the award of a $250,000 grant as part of the Orange County Arts and Culutral Affairs Cultural Facilities program, to be used for the build-out of our new facility at 54 West Church Street.  This grant is matched with $250,000 in gifts from many donors across Central Florida.

With this award, Orange County joins the City of Orlando, 55 West, and Harriett Lake as a major donor on this project, investing in the future of Mad Cow Theatre and other organizations in Central Florida.

Mad Cow currently hosts 12,000 – 15,000 patrons at over 200 performances and events annually.  With an estimated economic impact of $1.2 Million each year in direct and event-related spending, Mad Cow and our patrons support an estimated 35.2 FTE jobs in Central Florida.  Increased capacity in the new facility will foster a greater artistic and economic impact on the community.

The Grant Request is part of a larger project, which is ongoing and has raised over $1.7M in cash and cash pledges, including $329,000 in in-kind professional services from L2 Studios and Holland & Knight.

This new theatre becomes a symbol of our community’s investment in Mad Cow Theatre’s mission. It says that the conversations that we initiate in our county and the significant art that is being created here are meaningful to our citizens. It also says we value Orlando artists who create unique work that inspires us and we want to keep them gainfully employed in Central Florida.

The new theatre complex includes facilities to provide Central Floridians and visitors to our region with nationally recognized theatre experiences that ignite the imagination, lift the spirit and engage our community. There’s nothing like it in Central Florida.

Mad Cow Theatre would like to thank Orange County, the City of Orlando, the Orlando Downtown Development Board, Harriett Lake, and our current real estate partners both at the current and future space in this dynamic transition.   Mad Cow Theatre has been Downtown Orlando’s resident professional theatre company for the past twelve years and we look forward to many more at 54 West Church Street.  Mad Cow is committed to bringing our audience and community the best possible selection of plays that entertains and enriches the Central Florida community.