My Nonprofit Reviews

First, I want to commend Christopher McAllister and Meghan Scalise for their drive and commitment to Stage Right. They were the driving force that kept access to quality education by professional performing artists and the dream of so many children alive in Westmoreland County in the past two+ years. They have transformed Stage Right, with the help of dedicated staff, the board of directors, parent volunteers, and generous donors.
Chris and Meghan have ensured that all educators and volunteers have the proper clearances to work with and around children. The provided staff development such as whistleblowing policies, child abuse and mandated reporter training and diversity and inclusion training as part of the newly developed employee handbook. Stage Right has hired a licensed mental health counselor to be available to students and staff at no additional fee to identify and assist with any interpersonal or individual struggles. And they have continued to keep up with the ever changing demands of the COVID epidemic safety protocols, while producing high quality, age appropriate, student and professional performances.

My role has been so much more than volunteer over the years. My children, stepchildren and foster children have all been a part of Stage Right over the past 15 years. I have seen the ups and downs, goods and bads. I have carpooled, painted sets, sewn costumes, sold concessions, stayed up late nights running lines, bought tickets to 3 different nights of the same show, listened to children laugh and cry over parts lost or gained. The hardest part was watching as a place that once felt like a family, turned against each other and people that supported them for years. But as a mother, volunteer, donor, and a professional in the mental health field, I have never been so impressed with the tenacity and professionalism shown by Chris, Meghan, and the staff that stayed and supported Stage Right. They fought and persisted and have built Stage Right into something even better than it started out to be.