The St. Joe Community Foundation awards Seaside Rep a total of up to $60,000 over 3 years to assist in the company’s development

Santa Rosa Beach, FL –March 22, 2005 – Seaside Repertory Theatre, the premier professional theatre company of Northwest Florida, announced today that The St. Joe Community Foundation (STJCF) approved a grant proposal that will aid Seaside Rep’s ongoing efforts to increase its prominence as a Southeastern regional theatre. STJCF is committed to enhancing the quality of life within the region, which includes support for proven cultural arts initiatives.

As the sole professional theatre company on the Emerald Coast, Seaside Rep strives to bring theatrical excellence and exposure to the residents and guests of Northwest Florida. The STJCF grant consists of 3 phases, beginning with a first year grant of $15,000.  Subsequent grants will be awarded during the next two years contingent on Seaside Rep achieving specific goals established with STJCF. Planned efforts include touring children’s shows to schools in Northwest Florida, extending programming months beyond Seaside Rep’s current 6 month season, expanding support staff within the organization, and increasing the audience base. The intent of the STJCF grant is to provide Seaside Rep with the ability to become a sustainable, self-sufficient organization.

“We are thrilled with the opportunities that the grant will provide,” stated Jennifer Steele, Managing Director of Seaside Repertory Theatre. “The additional support will allow Seaside Rep to continue to grow and expand its reach far beyond our current capacity. The St. Joe Community Foundation’s commitment to providing a positive impact on our community is in line with Seaside Rep’s own goals and we are extremely excited about this joint venture.”

“Our region’s already benefited from the exceptional theatrical performances of the Rep,” said Pamela Selton, Executive Director of The St. Joe Community Foundation.   “We welcome this opportunity to help them strengthen their capacity; to increase their audience throughout the region. We applaud their efforts and look forward to more compelling theater during the next three years.”

About Seaside Repertory Theatre

Dedicated to providing unique entertainment in conjunction with cultural exposure to residents and guests, Seaside Repertory Theatre has been a mainstay of Seaside and the surrounding South Walton community for five years. Seaside Rep produces an annual summer stock season consisting of two main stage productions, an outdoor family production, and a nightly improv comedy show with SPF 7 (www.spf7.org), the theatre’s resident improv troupe. Founded by Artistic Director Craige Hoover, Seaside Rep is also the producer of the Gulf Coast Comedy Festival, an event that brings together the comedic forms of stand-up comedy, improv comedy, and sketch with performers from across the country and the Autumn Playwright Festival, which celebrates a unique playwright each year with productions, staged readings, panel discussions, and more.  Additional information regarding show schedules, tickets, and performance locations can be obtained by visiting www.seasiderep.org or by calling 1 (850) 231-3033. 

About The St. Joe Community Foundation

The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) created The St. Joe Community Foundation (STJCF) in 1999 to invest in community initiatives that pay long-term returns on the quality of life in Bay, Franklin, Gulf, and Walton counties.

Since its inception, STJCF has granted more than $4,000,000 to the region; $2,000,000 of which was granted in 2004. STJCF’s unique funding structure is based on payments from JOE that are a percentage of the proceeds from new sales in specific JOE communities.  Payments continue each time the properties are resold through deed covenants requiring a transfer fee to be paid to STJCF each time a property is subsequently sold.  In this way, JOE, and the property owners who live in our neighborhoods are partnering with the community for the betterment of the entire region.

Focused primarily on education, regional health care delivery, art and culture, parks and recreation, and community spirit, STJCF investments are based on building civic infrastructure and providing on-going improvements in the region through grants and initiatives that promote teaching and learning and create healthier communities.  To learn more about STJCF log on to www.stjcf. com

Press & Company Contact:

Jennifer Steele

Seaside Repertory Theatre

1 (850) 231-3033

jsteele@seasiderep.org

Pamela Selton

The St. Joe Community Foundation

(850) 231-6558

pselton@stjcf.com