Hennepin Theatre Trust, PNC Bank, Kids In Need Foundation (KINF) and YMCA are teaming up in the spirit of Wicked to do “good” for students in need across Minnesota. This collaboration kicks off the 2022-2023 Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin season, July 27 to Aug. 28, 2022, at the historic Orpheum Theatre.

The initiative, named the “For Good Project,” brings together hundreds of YMCA youth campers this summer from across the Twin Cities metro area to stuff over 1,000 backpacks with school supplies for students in need of support, teaching lessons of goodness and friendship along the way. On Thursday, July 28, more than 500 YMCA campers will arrive at the historic Orpheum Theatre to attend the matinee performance of Wicked.

“At Hennepin Theatre Trust, we know that together, we’re unlimited,” said Mark Nerenhausen, president and CEO of Hennepin Theatre Trust. “We were proud to bring together our partners under the central themes of Wicked—friendship, inclusion and doing good deeds—to give back to our community and bring these young campers to the theatre to experience the magic of doing good.”

“PNC’s support of the ‘For Good Project’ reflects our Main Street values and commitment to the communities where we live and work,” said Kate Kelly, PNC regional president for Minnesota. “Our continued collaboration with the Kids in Need Foundation and Hennepin Theatre Trust expands access to the performing arts and helps ensure that every child can put their best foot forward on the first day of school.”

Kids In Need Foundation (KINF) believes every child in America deserves equal opportunity and access to a quality education. KINF partners with teachers in underserved schools to ensure students are prepared to learn in the classroom, providing essential school supplies and other much-needed resources.

“Kids in Need Foundation is committed to the timeless principle of Wicked that everyone deserves the chance to fly,” said Paul Wilson, VP of Development. “We are grateful to our long-time partner, PNC Bank, for their leadership in this initiative as these 1,000 backpacks, thoughtfully packed by YMCA youth campers, will be distributed across the state so that every student is prepared for success this upcoming school year.”

The Broadway sensation Wicked looks at what happened in the Land of Oz, but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin, who is smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possesses an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde-haired woman who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good” and the other “wicked.”

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