We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Cope and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Well, I was living in Orlando at the time and I had just decided to move back to Fort Worth. On my long drive back, the Lord had put it on my heart to give back. I had no idea what that meant or what that may look like, but I kept it in the back of my mind as I started my new life back in Texas. Shortly after moving back, I auditioned for a production of Oklahoma and was cast with these incredible people. I knew at that moment that I had found people who would be able to help me achieve this calling. The thought popped in my mind, “Why not use what I am passionate about to give back to others? Why not use my gifts to help those in need?” It just clicked and make perfect sense. Giving my passion a purpose seemed like something I should’ve been doing all along. Thankfully, the people I assembled agreed to help me test out this idea for a theatre company and it took off quicker than we expected!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The Hopeful Theatre Project is very different from most theatre companies. We operate in a unique way wherein 100% of our ticket proceeds actually go to a charity we select to benefit for that specific production. In our 2 years of existence, we have managed to raise over $20,000 for various beneficiaries through our productions. Of course none of that would be possible without our incredible teams, actors, and patrons.

It is different when you come to or are a part of a Hopeful production. You can see the difference on stage. The actors are there for a mutual purpose and something that is greater than themselves. I think actors somethings get a bad rep for being selfish, but here at Hopeful, it’s not like that. These actors are giving up their time, sweat, and talent for others in need and that is such a beautiful thing. We’ve become a big family and it is so fun watching our performers love one another no matter what background they come from.

But, of course, this does not come without it’s challenges. It is not easy running a theatre company, especially in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. Because we give 100% of our ticket proceeds to charity, we have to raise all of the money to put on our productions through donations or sponsors ourselves. Since COVID-19 hit, donations and sponsors are very few and far between, but we have hope it won’t stay like this forever. We have hope that we are here for a reason and, like always, we will find our way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I was to show someone the best places in DFW, I would take them to the following places: *Plaza Theatre Company in Cleburne
*Granbury Theatre Company in Granbury
*Uncle Julio’s Mexican restaurant
*Bourbon and Banter, speakeasy bar in Dallas
*Fort Worth Zoo
*Dallas World Aquarium

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The Hopeful Theatre Project team deserves a shoutout, absolutely. Without them, none of this would be possible. They are the most supportive, passionate, and dedicated team. They give so much of their time, heart, and talent to this company so selflessly. I am so proud of them and thankful for them every day. They make running a theatre company in the middle of a pandemic fun – even when it can be stressful!

Website: www.thehopefultheatreproject.com

Instagram: @thehopefultheatreproject

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jessicamcope

Twitter: @hopefultheatre

Facebook: The Hopeful Theatre Project

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCU3Vc9N8U0het0O6Td_mi4g

Image Credits
Photography by Delaney Gebhart, Stacy Horton, and Hannah Midkiff Marroquin.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.