With its founding rooted in The Community Theatre, MPAC exemplifies community-building. The young and the young-at-heart gather here to feel, to be inspired and enlightened by and to celebrate the arts. From a humble rebirth over thirty years ago, MPAC has grown beyond its walls and is ready to level up. What an exciting expansion – physical, programmatic and operational – this is, setting the stage for our next thirty years at the heart of the community.

I am honored to be serving as a co-chair of this important capital campaign along side co-chair, Jeff Kirby, honorary co-chairs, Ilene and Bruce Jacobs, and our wonderful capital campaign cabinet.

The groundbreaking on May 6 has been a long time in the making and the MPAC team has been working tirelessly to reach this important milestone. We can now begin to see the fruits of this project become a reality: expanded capacity for the arts & education programs and the performing arts school, modifications to the back of house that allow us to better accommodate large set shows, parking for patrons and volunteers, improved green room and dressing rooms for the talent, and more. I am so grateful to the MPAC team, our donors, the town of Morristown, and the architectural/construction folks for their extraordinary efforts and support.

We’re tremendously excited to embark on this historic expansion and restoration of Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC). The groundbreaking and initiation of the public phase of our capital campaign are the culmination of more than eight years of planning and design. I extend deep thanks and appreciation to Allison Larena and the entire MPAC team, our Board of Trustees and the Build Our Future campaign cabinet chaired by Jeff Kirby and Mary Jane Robertson.

I offer special thanks to Ilene and Bruce Jacobs for their generous lead gift to the campaign. Their gift ensures that thousands of children, who might otherwise not had the opportunity, will be able to participate in arts education programs for years to come at the new Ilene and Bruce Jacobs Arts & Education Center.

MPAC is more than just a theater to us. It’s a place where people come together through the arts, creating connection, sparking creativity, and where everyone feels welcome. What we love most is how its impact reaches many communities and brings people together across the region. This campaign represents an exciting opportunity to grow that impact in a meaningful and lasting way, creating more opportunities for people to experience the arts through performances, education, and the visual arts. We’re truly excited about what this next chapter makes possible and proud to support a vision that will continue to inspire and bring people together across this region of New Jersey for generations to come!