Ludus

05/19/2026

Performing arts programs lose enrollments for one simple reason.

We’re fixing that this week.

05/03/2026

Meet Megan Callahan!
Based in New York, Megan has been a part of the Ludus team for just under 2.5 years!

04/26/2026

Meet Mike Stender!
Based in West Michigan, Mike has been a part of the Ludus team for just a couple of weeks!

04/19/2026

Meet Jesus Hernandez!
Based in West Michigan, Jesus has been a part of the Ludus team for almost 3 weeks!

04/14/2026

What $71 and a Bad Cold Taught Me About Fundraising.

Year three of directing, my students and I were absolutely certain we had figured out fundraising.
We were wrong. Gloriously, expensively wrong.

After a beautiful community event, handwritten cards, a lit Christmas tree, caroling in the snow, and hot chocolate, we cleared $71. And I had a cold.

A parent stopped me afterward and said something I have not forgotten in 35 years: "Next time, just ask us. We love the kids. We want to help."

That one sentence changed how I thought about fundraising, and how I ran every fundraiser after that.

I wrote about that night, and a few lessons that actually held up. New blog is here: https://ludus.pulse.ly/5soz7asoug

What fundraiser still haunts you? I know I am not the only one with a story like this. Drop yours in the comments.

A hard-earned fundraising lesson from Kevin Schneider’s years as a theatre director. After earning just $71 from a holiday fundraiser, he learned what actually works, direct asks, community connection, better timing, and experiences people want to support. Practical fundraising advice for theatre ...

04/12/2026

Meet Mani Muridi!
Based in West Michigan, Mani has been a part of the Ludus team for just over 9 months!

04/09/2026

You wake up sick. Rehearsal still has to happen.

In this week’s cameo, a retired middle and high school theatre director shares how to keep students productive and rehearsal moving, even when you cannot be in the room.

Read The Rehearsal that Runs Without You:

When illness strikes, directors can still support their students by simplifying rehearsals and delegating leadership roles. Focus on a specific task and enlist capable teachers or students to lead. Utilize technology for accountability, while accepting that progress may be limited. It's crucial to p...

04/04/2026

Meet Tim Bogdanov!
Based in Texas, Tim has been a part of the Ludus team for 10 months!

03/29/2026

Meet Andy Steenstra!
Based in West Michigan, Andy has been a part of the Ludus team for almost one year!

03/25/2026

Theatre teachers do more than direct shows. They help shape people.

This Theatre in Our Schools Month, we are re-sharing a love letter written by our co-founder Kevin Schneider, a theatre educator who spent 34 years in the classroom, to the teachers who stay late, spend their own money, and help students find where they belong.

It is also for the administrators who protect arts programs, the parents who give their time, and the communities who fill those auditoriums and keep these programs going.

If someone did that for you or your child, share this with them.

https://ludus.pulse.ly/wdh7takzpq

03/21/2026

Meet Morgan Vargo!
Based in West Michigan, Morgan has been a part of the Ludus team for two and a half months!