Raising the Curtain
How Debut Theatre is Building a New Regional Hub for Youth Performing Arts
Imagine a 12-year-old stepping onto a stage for the very first time–bright lights, a packed audience, and an incredible story ready to share. For more than 30 years, Debut Theatre Company has been creating these transformative moments for young people in Northern Colorado. Now, we are embarking on our most ambitious act yet: a $3 million capital campaign to create the “Debut Theatre for Youth Arts” – a permanent home where creativity, confidence, and community can thrive.
This campaign isn’t just about walls and seats. It’s about giving every young artist the space to dream, practice, and perform with pride. It’s about building a stage worthy of the voices that will one day lead our community.
Why This Campaign Matters Now
For more than three decades, Debut has nurtured young artists with troupe-based, hands-on theatre education. But the organization’s impact has been limited by its physical space – a theatre of only 4,200 square feet. The campaign comes at a pivotal moment, shaped by a unique gift, urgent needs, and declining arts funding.
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Gift
In 2025, Debut received a generous gift: a former movie theater building in midtown Fort Collins, rent-free, in perpetuity. This unprecedented gift ensures that every campaign dollar goes directly toward transforming the space instead of buying property. It creates a rare opportunity to reimagine youth arts in Northern Colorado.
Outgrowing the Old Space
Consider this: football, basketball, and baseball players all practice on the same type of field or court where they compete. They don’t train in cramped rooms—they practice in the environment where they’ll perform. The same principle applies to actors: they need to rehearse on their "field"—the stage—ideally the very one where they’ll eventually perform.
For years, Debut has made do in a small, 4,200 square foot, aging building—complete with leaky ceilings, buckets catching rainwater, and costumes stored in volunteers’ homes. Students often rehearse for weeks without ever stepping foot on a professional stage until just days before opening night. As one can imagine, these limitations impact the quality of the performances and the long-term sustainability of the program. It’s time for our own “field” – a professional stage and theatre.
The Role of Donors in This Vision
This vision cannot come to life without you. Our donors are the true producers of this next great act—because every gift becomes part of a legacy that shapes lives.
Every Dollar Matters: With public arts funding in decline, Debut relies on people like you who believe that every child deserves a stage to grow.
Major Gifts, Major Impact: Campaigns like this often raise 80% of funds from just 20% of donors. Your leadership gift today sets the stage for countless curtain calls tomorrow.
More Than Money: At Debut, donors are partners. Your wisdom, connections, and advocacy help us build not only a theatre, but a thriving community of young artists.
When you give, you’re not just supporting a building—you’re investing in creativity, courage, and the power of live theatre to transform the future.
The Campaign Goal: $3 Million to Build the Future
The campaign is structured in two acts— each with a clear timeline and vision.
Act One: Raising the Curtain on Our New Home ($1 Million)Target completion: June 2026.
This phase focuses on establishing the essential, year-round learning and production spaces. Completing Act One will allow Debut to fully move into and operate from the new building and includes:
Building improvements to bring the black box theatre to life. This theatre will serve as a dedicated performance space for smaller groups and intimate productions.
Dedicated rooms for classes, costumes, and technical theatre production. Here, students will have the materials and resources they need to build sets, design and make costumes, and learn about theatre and performance techniques.
Act Two: Taking Center Stage ($2 Million)
Target completion: December 2026 to August 2028.
Act Two represents the grand finale of the campaign – a professional space where Act One training comes to life. This phase will see the completion of the main performance theater space, designed to accommodate up to 300 people, and it ensures long-term growth and success for youth arts in Northern Colorado.
Conclusion: Setting the Stage for Generations to Come
Debut Theatre Company has always been more than a stage—it’s a launchpad for confidence, creativity, and community. With this campaign, we have the chance to create a home worthy of the dreams our young artists carry with them. Together, we can build a theatre where students don’t just learn lines, but learn to lead; where they don’t just perform, they discover who they are.
This is our moment and we invite you to take your place in this story—because every gift, every voice, and every act of support helps ensure that the stage will always be waiting for the next generation.