in Support of The Toledo Repertoire Theatre
Exciting things are happening at The Rep — and they are not just great shows!
In the last year, the Toledo Repertoire Theatre made major improvements to our home at 16 10th Street:
- Installed assistive listening devices for our patrons
- Purchased and installed a modern digital sound board
- Purchased wireless microphones for performers
- Purchased and installed streaming equipment to allow productions to be live streamed
- Completed substantial brick replacement and repair on two walls of the theatre
- Replaced the roof on the theatre and brown building
- Reconstructed the west wall of the brown building
- Updated all electrical/plumbing in the brown building
And, we look forward to replacing the Rep parking lot in summer 2021.
We could not have completed these important capital projects without support from the State of Ohio, The Andersons Supporting Fund, Rotary of Toledo, Owens Corning, and the Greater Toledo Community Foundation.
Now, thanks to the generosity of Madge Levinson and the Edith Rathbun Estate, The Rep has a unique opportunity to both improve and enhance our corner of the Downtown Toledo Gateway by:
- Renovating the theatre entryway and stairwells
- Installing an interior chairlift to the theatre and lobby areas
- Installing an ADA compliant exterior ramp
- Upgrading the HVAC system
- Installing decorative safety fencing on Washington and 10th Streets
- Refurbishing the classic “Toledo Repertoire Theatre” sign on the south side of the theatre building
Thanks to you, great things can keep happening at The Rep!
Together, these two incredible women have donated $60,000 towards a capital campaign. The Rep’s goal is to raise an additional $60,000 of matching funds for our ambitious yet necessary projects.
So, we turn to you for help in keeping theater alive and viable. Every tax-deductible donation, large or small, makes a difference. Please consider a monetary gift to help us match the mission-affirming appreciation of Madge Levinson and Edith Rathbun.
EDITH RATHBUN
Edith Rathbun was a 1934 Scott High School graduate who worked for the Sun Oil Company as a secretary for 35 years. Edith was very involved in our community and was a lifetime member of the Toledo Animal Shelter, a member for The Ability Center of Greater Toledo, the Toledo Opera Guild, Toledo Museum of Art and the Toledo Zoological Society. Edith was affiliated with the Toledo Rep since 1938 and appeared in various productions throughout the city. When she was no longer performing, Edith was a season subscriber and spent many evenings at the theatre. Edith supported the University of Toledo and endowed a scholarship entitled the “Edith Rathbun Outreach and Engagement Award” that recognizes faculty for
exceptional community outreach and for excellence in community-engaged scholarship, whether in research, teaching or professional service. The Award has recognized 32 faculty members since 2005.
Due to her endowment to the Learning Center at the University of Toledo, the Tutoring Center, was named the “Rathbun Cove” in her honor. Edith gave two objects of art to the Toledo Museum of Art and contributed a chariot on the African Animal Carousel at the Toledo Zoo. Edith passed away in March of 2019 at the age of 103.
MADGE LEVINSON
Madge Levinson was born in 1924 in Pennsylvania and came to Toledo in 1969 when her husband, Al, became the Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Toledo. It did not take her long to find her way onto our stage and she has been known to say The Rep is her first home. She performed her first play with the Toledo Rep in 1969 as Leah in The Cold Wind and the Warm. After retiring from the Sight Center of Northwest Ohio, Madge began performing in commercials and movies. She has performed in over 100 commercials and can be seen in many films including Clint Eastwood’s 2008 film Gran Torino, Sean Penn’s 2009 This Must Be the Place, Drew Barrymore’s 2009 Whip It, Sigourney Weaver’s 2009 Prayers for Bobby and Jason Segel’s 2012 The Five Year Engagement. Madge most recently performed on the Rep stage in 2018 when she performed in Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour as part of our Rainbow Series and again in 2020 in a reading with Paul Causman of The Velocity of Autumn. Her dedication and generosity to The Rep has never waivered. When not onstage, Madge can be seen in Row B seats 8 & 9, enjoying every performance.