An in-depth look at our mission-driven work in arts, education and accessibility. Vision-driven work for becoming a national model. Ways to pledge year-end support including our holiday gift match!
The Play That Goes Wrong
January 2025 SEE PAGE 15
OUR MISSION
To build community through exceptional access to the power of theatre.
OUR VISION
We envision TNP as a cultural hub that leads a shift in the national perception of how theatres can impact their communities .
The audience of a relaxed sensory show in the Kizzie Theater
A MESSAGE FROM Bryce & Phillip
2025 has been a landmark year for The Naples Players — one defined by purpose, people, and possibility.
From a spotlight on national television to the opening of the Baker Day School of TNP Academy of Dramatic Arts; from the launch of innovative Arts Access partnerships to the most popular productions in our history, every step we’ve taken has been guided by our mission to build community through exceptional access to the power of theatre.
This “Mission Report Card” celebrates the measurable ways we’ve lived that promise — together with you.
Bryce Alexander CEO & Executive Artistic Director
Phillip Fazio Artistic Director
VOLUNTEERS & PERFORMANCES
A RECORD YEAR OF Volunteerism
By the end of this year, more than 800 volunteers will give over 80,000 hours of their time — the most in TNP history. Every usher, actor, technician, and teacher embodies our belief that theatre builds community not just on stage, but through shared purpose and service.
Volunteers at the Red Carpet Opening of The Hallelujah Girls , April 2025
UNPRECEDENTED SEASON Participation
More than 2,000 households are active season ticket holders in our 72nd Season — our largest audience base ever. Each subscriber represents a family committed to keeping the arts accessible, sustainable, and thriving in Naples.
Sweeney Todd opening night, July 2025
TNP provides access and affordability to incredible theatre that spotlights our local talent.
- VAUGHN & AUDREY PENGELLY
A RECORD SEASON OF GROWTH, SERVICE & SEASON TICKETS
RECORD-BREAKING Productions
The Play That Goes Wrong and Man of La Mancha each welcomed over 10,000 attendees , setting new TNP records.
With more than 70,000 tickets sold this year, our impact is growing more than ever before!
Man of La Mancha , May 2025
NATIONAL AWARDS & Recognition
TNP was featured on the national television series America By Design: Architecture , showcasing our award-winning renovation and highlighting TNP as Florida’s only LEED-certified theater. Meanwhile, TNP won the Grand Aurora Award , recognizing our renovation as a standout across twelve states and in more than sixty categories!
The collaboration between The Naples Players and NCH is actively saving thousands of lives in our community.
– HOPE GOODWIN, NCH
ACCESSIBILITY
ACCESSIBILITY & COMMUNITY
NATIONAL INNOVATION Through ARTrx
Together with NCH, TNP launched a national pilot program — ARTrx — bringing the healing benefits of art to every NCH campus. This groundbreaking partnership turns hospital spaces into creative sanctuaries for patients and employees alike, demonstrating how the arts can build healthier, more connected communities through higher patient and employee satisfaction and outcomes.
EXPANDING Unique Partnerships
Our Arts Access Program now serves more than 45 partner organizations, including The Baker Senior Center, Grace Place, and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. Through these collaborations, TNP is impacting the daily lives of everyone who lives and visits here, most of whom will never know the ways that TNP has improved the safety and wellbeing of our community.
TNP actors and NCH medical staff work through a simulation
BUILDING CONNECTIONS & REMOVING BARRIERS
CREATIVE COMMUNICATION for Care Partners
INCLUSIVE Theatre Programs
This unique training program teaches caregivers how to use improvisation to communicate with empathy, flexibility, and compassion — bringing TNP’s educational mission deeper into healthcare, eldercare, and family settings.
Communication for Caretakers course at The Arlington
Inclusive classes invite students of all abilities, including those on the autism spectrum or with sensory processing differences, to sing, act, and dance in a supportive group setting. TNP also launched a unique Apprentice Program , a six-month inclusive training experience designed for adults with developmental disabilities to gain practical hands-on experience through the theatre industry!
Inclusive Musical Theatre at TNP
ACCESSIBILITY & COMMUNITY
SHARING OUR MODEL Nationwide
Craig Price, our Director of Community Engagement, represented TNP across the U.S. and Canada , teaching other organizations how to develop inclusive theatre programs. His work extends our mission far beyond Naples — empowering others to use theatre as a tool for empathy and connection and directly impacting our vision: leading a shift in the national perception of how theatres can impact their communities.
ONE-OF-A-KIND Sensory-Friendly Booth
Our sensory-friendly viewing booth provides families and individuals with sensory sensitivities the ability to enjoy live performances in a welcoming, supported environment. This innovative space has become a national and international model for arts inclusion.
LEFT: Craig Price and his Inclusive Improv for Communication class strike a pose at the end of a session.
RIGHT: The Patti Hepburn Sensory Viewing Booth in the Kizzie Theater
Helping kids and adults with challenges from autism to Alzheimer’s communicate more effectively with their loved ones and care partners is impactful work. Getting to teach others across the country how to do it is changing the conversation about what is possible because of theatre.
- CRAIG PRICE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Craig Price guides a touch tour for sight-impaired children before a performance of Man of La Mancha
EDUCATION & OPPORTUNITY
EDUCATION
OPENING OF THE Baker Day School of TNPA
This fall, The Baker Day School opened its doors to 29 exceptional students, each selected for their talent, discipline, and potential to shape the future of storytelling. Supported by more than $250,000 in financial aid , these students are pursuing both artistic and academic excellence within a program that combines rigorous training, individualized mentorship, and compassionate leadership — a model of education found nowhere else in Southwest Florida.
Baker Day School high school students in an afternoon dance intensive
Baker Day School middle school students dive into a Stage Management assignment
No one compares to TNP. I have been a part since age 4, and when I tell you it has not only changed me as a performer but as a person as well, I mean that with my whole heart.
- MADDY BENNER
TNPA STUDENT, GRADE 8
INSPIRING GENERATIONS OF ARTISTS
AFTER SCHOOL & Youth Engagement
By the end of 2025, more than 1,000 young people — ages 4 to 18 — will have stepped away from their screens and into the spotlight through our after-school theatre programs. From the youngest performers learning to share the stage for the very first time, to teens producing full-scale shows like Ride the Cyclone and SIX: Teen Edition , these programs give young people a place to look up from their phones, speak out, and connect face-toface. They’re discovering confidence, empathy, and leadership; lessons that reach far beyond the theatre and into the kind of adults they’re becoming.
Maddy Benner performs in the TNPA production of Beetlejuice, Jr., July 2025
The Baker Day School at TNPA has been such an incredible opportunity for Matias. He is so happy there and it’s amazing to see that happiness is directly reflected in his grades.
– ANYA LASTIRI TNPA PARENT
Baker Day School student
Matias Piscoya in Sweeney Todd.
EDUCATION & OPPORTUNITY
EDUCATION
EXPANDING Learning Pathways
In addition to our formal programs, more than 20 students traveled to New York City to experience Broadway productions, meet industry professionals, and take invaluable performance workshops in the heart of the theatre industry.
TNP Academy students in New York City
LIFELONG LEARNING Adult Programs
Our adult education classes are proof that learning and creativity don’t end with age, they evolve. From first-time actors finding their confidence to professionals rediscovering play, these programs invite adults of all backgrounds to grow, connect, and challenge themselves in a supportive, joyfilled environment.
PLEASE GIVE TODAY
Your continued belief in this mission makes everything possible.
Please consider making a year-end gift today to ensure that our story — and the stories we tell together — continue to thrive.
SMART WAYS TO GIVE
IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)
If you’re 70½ or older, you can give directly from your IRA to The Naples Players — tax-free — and count it toward your required minimum distribution (RMD). Your gift must go directly from your IRA custodian to TNP and may total up to $100,000 annually.
Gifts of Stock
TNP gratefully accepts appreciated stock.
Legacy Gifts
Including TNP in your will or estate plan ensures your love of theatre lives on for generations.
Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)
You can recommend a grant to TNP through your DAF. If your sponsoring organization doesn’t share your contact details, please let us know so we can thank you properly.
Join the Patty & Jay Baker Performing Arts Circle
Join our exclusive group of supporters by making an annual gift totaling $10,000 or more & receive exclusive benefits!
Changes and outlooks for tax-deductible gifts to be aware of. Please consult with your tax professional for more details and guidance.
New Above-the-Line Deduction:
Individuals may deduct up to $1,000 (or $2,000 for couples) for charitable gifts — even without itemizing.
Permanent 60% AGI Deduction Limit:
Cash gifts to qualified charities like TNP remain deductible up to 60% of adjusted gross income. (Consult your financial advisor for personal tax implications.)
