The Arvest Foundation recently presented Royal Players, Inc., the community theatre group in Benton that manages the city’s historic Royal Theatre, with a donation in the amount of $10,000. The grant will support programming, renovations and maintenance of the theatre.
“We are extremely thankful to the Arvest Foundation for this generous gift and for their appreciation of the impact performing arts has on communities,” said Daphne Shoppach, board member and artistic director of the Royal Players. “This donation will help enhance our upcoming season as we improve both the physical theatre and our programming plans for the future.”
“Arvest realizes that effective support of the communities in which we work requires diversity among the organizations that benefit from our donations, and the arts are an important aspect of our charitable giving,” said Phillip Partain, community bank president of Arvest Bank in Saline County. “This theatre has been a cherished and important centerpiece in this community for almost a century, and we are honored to offer support to contribute to its longevity.”
The original section of the Royal Theatre was built in 1920. It is located at 111 South Market Street in Benton and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.