Managing Director's Blog
January, 2009
Happy New Year! January is always a busy month here at the Rep but this January seems to be particularly active.
We are currently in rehearsal for our next production, “A Picasso”, which will preview January 24th and open on the 30th. We are delighted to be presenting the Regional Premiere of “A Picasso” written by Jeffrey Hatcher who also wrote last season’s “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. Director Jonathan Moscone and his exquisite cast are crafting an exceptional production of this provocative and witty cat-and-mouse game set against the backdrop of occupied Paris.
We are also busily preparing for our “True Stars” event which will be held on Wednesday, January 7. “True Stars” is the Rep’s annual donor acknowledgement celebration for major donors at the $1,000 level and above. The event takes place on the stage of the Sobrato Auditorium so these many “stars and angels” can truly take a bow. It features wonderful food and deserts from our many downtown restaurant partners and, this year, will feature a bit of a sneak peek of this spring’s “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”. If you are not already a major donor and want to be included in this unique opportunity, please contact Development Director Sheri Frumkin at 408-367-7293.
We are also hard at work on San Jose Rep’s 1st Annual Gala – In the Limelight – which will take place on Saturday, March 14 at La Rinconada Country Club in Los Gatos. This wonderful gala will celebrate the world premiere of “The Kite Runner”, presented by Hitachi Data Systems and based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini. The evening will feature elements of Afghanistan’s cuisine, culture and entertainment. Guests will also get a preview look at the set and costume designs for “The Kite Runner”. The evening will include a no-host cocktail reception, dinner, silent and live auctions and a presentation featuring author Khaled Hosseini, playwright Matthew Spangler and director David Ira Goldstein. The event is made possible by Event Chairs Chris Anders and Kim Worrall and ACT Too, the San Jose Rep’s volunteer organization, chaired by Nicki Nicol Huber.
Tickets are $250 and are available by contacting Sarah Parker, in our Development Department at 408-367-7210. We hope to see you there.
While this happened in December, I want to congratulate education and outreach Director Karen Altree-Piemme and our Red Ladder Theatre Company for a very successful corporate training event they put together for the accounting firm, KPMG. The Mercury News did a wonderful article on the workshop. Our corporate training program uses the tools of improvisational theatre to teach teamwork, communication, listening skills, empathy and leadership – all critical traits for corporate executives and their teams. If you might be interested in finding out more about this great program for your company, please call Karen at 408-367-7211.
I also want to thank you, our loyal donors, for the many gifts you gave to the Rep in December during our annual fund drive. While this recession is extremely difficult for all facets of our community, it is particularly challenging for non-profit theatres like the Rep. While we have seen a drop off in giving by some donors, many others are actually giving more, realizing that donations are needed now more than ever. Thank you!
Finally, I’m pleased to announce that Artistic Director Rick Lombardo is putting the finishing touches on his inaugural 2009-2010 season which will be announced in early March. I have been sworn to secrecy but watch for this announcement. Rick is going to be taking us in some very exciting directions.
There is, indeed, a great deal going on at the Rep and we hope you will join in the excitement!
See you at the Theatre!
-Nick
December, 2008
Normally, my December Blog is very festive and cheery but I’m afraid that the sad news we received this week about the demise of the American Musical Theatre of San Jose has dampened spirits.
In the event you haven’t heard, this past week, The American Musical Theatre of San Jose filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and closed its doors. This brought to an end a nationally recognized musical theatre that had served this community well for 74 years. The loss of AMT is, indeed, a gut-wrenching loss for our community and our hearts go out to Michael Miller, our friends and colleagues at AMT, their Board that had to take this difficult step and to all the community of AMT supporters.
The arts and cultural community is a delicate eco-system and this loss will reverberate throughout our community for some time. Like all the larger performing arts organizations in San Jose – The Rep, Opera San Jose, Ballet San Jose – AMT provided many services for smaller institutions. Many groups rehearsed at the AMT studios, and their costume and scene shops built a lot of shows for stages other than the CPA. I can only hope that, after some time, a new musical theatre company with roots in this community will rise to take the place of this grand institution. AMT, you will be missed.
Meanwhile, here at the Rep, we have a glorious production of “Around the World in 80 Days” gracing our stage. Audiences love this fast-paced romp which is suitable for the entire family. It is particularly fun to see how delighted kids, age 8 and up, get over this production.
This month we are also in the midst of our annual fundraising drive. At this time each year the Rep goes out with our annual fundraising appeal. Perhaps some of you have received our card in the mail.
It costs a good deal to produce the top-flight professional productions you see on our stage and the numerous education and outreach programs we provide. Ticket revenue covers only a portion of these costs. The rest comes from donations from people like you who believe that it’s vital to have live theatre and arts education in our community.
Now, we know that this recession is difficult for everybody but it is particularly tough for non-profit theatre like the Rep. With this in mind, our Board of Trustees has put up a $10,000 matching grant for donations that come in during this drive. This means any gift you give now, is not only going to earn you a tax deduction but have twice the benefit for San Jose Rep.
In past years, you have been extremely generous and we hope you will continue to support us and the work we do.
Thank you for all your support and patronage and, all of us here at the Rep, wish you and your family a joyous holiday season.
See you at the theatre.
- Nick
November, 2008
November saw the arrival in San Jose of our new Artistic Director, Rick Lombardo. I cannot begin to tell you how exciting it is to have Rick in the building with us! Rick and I have been making numerous fundraising calls and meeting with patrons, foundations and other Rep stakeholders. Rick has been introducing himself to you through curtain speeches before performances of “Splitting Infinity” and moderating our post-show discussions. He has also been hard at work selecting plays for our 2009-10 season. I have been sworn to secrecy but I can tell you his inaugural season will be bold and very exciting!
In late October, our Director of Finance, Christa Stiner and I attended the LORT conference in Minneapolis. LORT stands for the League of Resident Theatres and is our collective bargaining agency to which we belong. 75 member theatres from all across the US attended and, clearly, the major topic of discussion was the global economic crisis and strategies theatres and non-profits will need to employ to survive what may be a long storm.
Economic downtimes are difficult for all facets of a community but they are particularly challenging for non-profit theatres like the Rep.
As most of you know, ticket sales cover only a portion of what it costs to produce high-caliber professional theatre. The rest must come from donors - individuals, corporations, government and foundations - who value live theatre and arts education in our community. With the soured economy many corporations, government agencies and foundation have cut back or eliminated arts funding. We must then rely, even more, on the generosity of our individual donors and patrons like you.
Individual donors contribute the largest part of our fundraising income. During the holidays, our individual donors have traditionally been extremely generous in their support of the Rep. This holiday season, we know that such generosity will be a little more difficult but we hope you will continue to support us at this crucial time.
Our Board, during this turbulent period, is focusing on our fundraising efforts. In mid-October the Board held a day long retreat at the Dolce Hayes Mansion moderated by Susie Medak, Managing Director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre and President of the League of Resident Theatres. The retreat focused on two major areas: The Artistic Vision for our Future and fundraising strategies to achieve the vision.
Artistic Director, Rick Lombardo, detailed his artistic vision for the theatre and engaged the Board and staff in a lengthy and quite exhilarating discussion of that vision. The discussion ranged from expanding our arts outreach program to the type of artistic work the Rep should be doing moving forward. We discussed ethnic diversity, developing new work and ways to grow the organization.
We then examined ways to bolster our fundraising activities and financially support this future vision. Mark Walker, Managing Director of Global Community Affairs for Applied Materials (a major sponsor of San Jose Rep) gave a presentation on Corporate Philanthropy. I gave a presentation detailing the Rep’s current fundraising efforts and providing some context.
In break-out sessions small groups of Trustees and staff developed strategies for achieving the vision and discussed ways to better focus our fundraising activities.
In light of the current economic environment the Board will be focusing this year on fundraising for both the short term and to realize the organizations long term artistic and financial goals. As always, I want to thank all of our Trustees for all their hard work.
Finally, on November 9 we will close a very successful Splitting Infinity and get ready to open our family fare for the holidays Around the World in 80 Days. Michael Butler, a familiar actor and director for the Rep, and Artistic Director for Center Rep in Walnut Creek, is putting together a wonderful “80 Days” you won’t want to miss.
As always, thank you for you continuing interest in, and support of, San Jose Rep.
See you at the theatre!
- Nick
September, 2008
We had a plethora of big news as San Jose Rep entered September and kicked off our 2008-09 season. The first major news flash was the announcement by our Board of Trustees that, after a 9 month national search, Mr. Rick Lombardo has been hired to be the Rep’s new Artistic Director. Rick comes to us from Boston’s New Repertory Theatre and brings an extremely impressive national reputation to San Jose. (Click on the button “Announcing our New Artistic Director” on our website to see Ricks full bio and picture.)
Throughout his career, Rick has produced entertaining and thought provoking theatre that is topical and speaks deeply to his audience. Rick is the perfect combination of a consummate artistic leader, exciting director and seasoned administrator. His entrepreneurial spirit will fit in well with San Jose and Silicon Valley. Rick will build beautifully upon what we already have at the Rep while imparting his distinctive artistic brand. I am thrilled to have Rick as a partner and cannot wait to get started! Rick will be transitioning from his current position to San Jose during the fall and he and his family (actress-wife Rachel Harker and their lovely daughter Claudia) will move to San Jose to stay the end of January.
Amid this exciting news, we also had a glorious opening of our 2008-09 season with “The Foreigner”. Director Andy Barnicle has put together a hilarious, mad-cap and poignant evening of theatre that our audiences love! Single tickets for the remaining performances are going fast so, if you are not a subscriber, get yours today.
For opening night of this season and “The Foreigner”, ACT TOO our new group dedicated to putting on events to support the Rep, hosted a marvelous dinner for 70 in our rehearsal hall prior to the show. Chairperson Nicki Nicol Huber with the help of her committee, led by Chris Anders and Holly Walter, transformed the rehearsal hall into an elegant salon and put on a wonderful dinner. Wine was provided by J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines and Byington Vineyard & Winery. The evening kicked off with a welcome by incoming Board President Stan Anders giving thanks to past president Mary Kay Marvin. From there, Associate Artistic Director Kirsten Brandt and Director Andy Barnicle engaged in a pre-show discussion of the play with the dinner guests. The final part of the evening was a taped video message by new Artistic Director Rick Lombardo. It was then time for everyone to finish their desert and go see the show!
ACT TOO will be putting on more events this season and we will keep you posted. If you would like to join ACT TOO contact Nick Nicol Huber at nickinh@aol.com
Exciting times are happening at the Rep. I look forward to seeing you at the theatre!
- Nick
August, 2008
July and August have been a real sprint to the finish of our 2007-08 season and our fiscal year.
In July we closed an incredibly successful run of the Reduced Shakespeare Company’s “All the Great Books (abridged)”. Judging from the full houses and your many e-mails and phone calls, you really enjoyed the bad boys of abridgement and this wonderfully fun take on Western literature. We exceeded our single ticket sales goal for the show and we thank you for your patronage and support.
Hot on the heels of “All the Great Books (abridged), Carrie Fisher took command of the Sobrato Auditorium with her one-woman show “Wishful Drinking”. Again, we had packed houses, exceeded sales goals and received both critical and popular acclaim for this hilarious and moving autobiographical piece.
During the run of “Wishful Drinking”, we held a donor dinner at The 88, the new condominium next door to the Rep. One of the many benefits of being a major donor is that you get to attend special functions as our way of saying thanks. This dinner was held on the Resort/Pool Level of the new tower and donors were given guided tours of the penthouses. The highpoint of the evening was the appearance of Ms. Fisher who went from table to table, talking with the guests, telling stories, answering questions and doling out plenty of hugs. I want to thank all of our donors who attended the dinner and a special thanks to Ms. Fisher for making it such a special evening.
We had even more excitement at the theatre on the night of July 31. Attending Ms. Fisher’s performance that night was her father, Eddie Fisher.
As we close this season with a real flourish, we are already hard at work on “The Foreigner”, that uproarious comedy that kicks off our 2008-09 season. “The Foreigner” previews August 30 and opens September 5. Also, in September, our Board of Trustees will introduce our new Artistic Director to you and the Bay Area communities. It promises to be quite a month!
We have had a marvelous ride this season and we hope you have found the plays at the Rep inspiring, entertaining and engaging. If sales for next season are any indication, you are as excited about our 2008-09 line up as are we. I want to thank you all for your patronage and give special thanks and recognition to the thousands of you who donate at any level to the Rep. In these tough economic times, corporate sponsorship and individual donations are the lifeblood of the organization and enable us to provide the quality professional theatre and education and outreach programs our community so values.
Thank you for a wonderful season. I’m going to take a short vacation the middle of this month and I look forward to seeing you for the start of 2008-09 season.
See you at the theatre,
- Nick
June, 2008
I’m sorry that I did not get a Blog out in May but there were many things going on at the Rep and I’m afraid the month was gone before I realized I hadn’t written one. Let me try to catch up.
At the beginning of May, Christa Stiner, our Director of Finance, and I attended the LORT Conference in Berkeley. As I have mentioned before, LORT stands for the League of Resident Theatres and is the collective bargaining unit for resident professional theatres throughout the United States. The focus of this conference was management and leadership training for the arts. The topics covered the challenges of managing multi-generational staff, how to train and retain arts leaders and mentoring arts leaders of the future. In addition to LORT theatres, representatives from many of the major graduate training programs in arts management, such as Yale, SMU and North Carolina School of the Arts attended.
We rushed home from the LORT conference to kick off rehearsals for Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. At the end of the first week of rehearsal, Board Trustee, and past president, Jay Hoey and his wife Susan, hosted a wonderful party for the cast at their beautiful home in Los Altos. This was a wonderful evening where the Board, cast and the artistic team got to mingle and know one another. I would like to thank Jay and Susan for their gracious hospitality.
We also spent a great deal of time in May on our Artistic Director search. The search committee held extensive interviews with the first round finalists and will be announcing the search finalist shortly. The selection of our next artistic leader, to carry on the high artistic standards set by Timothy Near, is perhaps one of the most important tasks any Board undertakes. I would like to applaud the members of the Search Committee, under the able leadership of Board Vice President, Stan Anders for the many hours of work and effort that they are putting into this process.
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde opened to great critical acclaim the middle of May and runs through June 8. If you haven’t seen it yet, move fast, as of this writing, the last week is almost sold out.
As we move into June, we will welcome those bad boys of abridgment, the Reduced Shakespeare Company performing All the Great Books (abridged). You won’t want to miss that. Also, tickets for the limited run of Carrie Fisher in Wishful Drinking are now on sale. These last two shows, and next season, are selling well. We thank you for your continued patronage and look forward to seeing you at the theatre.
- Nick
April, 2008
April came in with a bang or, perhaps more accurately a screech, as we opened SOUVENIR to the delight of our audiences. Patti Cohenour is pitch perfect as Florence Foster Jenkins and gives a performance that is genuine, hilarious and that will pull at your heartstrings. In the role of Cosme McMoon, Mark Anders gives a consummate performance featuring his concert pianist talents alongside his considerable acting abilities. Audience and critics have been roaring with delight and approval. SOUVENIR runs through April 20.
After SOUVENIR we will bring you Dr. JEKYLL & Mr, HYDE May 10 through June 8 and close this season with the ambassadors of abridgment, The Reduced Shakespeare Company presenting ALL THE GREAT BOOKS June 21 through July 20.
We also rolled out our 2008-09 Season and it is nothing short of fantastic. We kick off next season with a winner of two Obie Awards, the uproarious comedy THE FOREIGNER. If you liked Noises Off, you’ll love this big broad comedy.
Next we bring you the West Coast Premiere of SPLITTING INFINITY. This new work, by award-winning playwright Jamie Pachino tackles the fascinating intersection of zealous ambition, science, religion and faith.
We have heard from many of you that you enjoy a family fare during the holidays … so, in December we bring you AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, adapted from the Jules Verne novel.
In late January we will produce the play A PICASSO. Set in occupied Paris, this play is a spellbinding cat-and-mouse game, between Pablo Picasso and a beautiful art historian working for the SS.
Following A Picasso, we are extremely proud to bring you, presented by Hitachi Data Systems, the World Premiere of THE KITE RUNNER. We are honored to bring to the stage this adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s international best-selling novel.
Our season finale is the Tony© award-winning Broadway hit musical, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. This hit musical, which just closed on Broadway, is a hilarious take on the foibles of adolescence seen through the prism of a spelling bee.
If you renew by May 2 you will guarantee your same seats at the best prices and renewing, or becoming a subscriber is the only way you’ll have guaranteed tickets for The Kite Runner and Spelling Bee.
We have also just announced that we will be presenting for a limited engagement July 23 through August 2, Carrie Fisher in her one-woman show “Wishful Drinking”. Tickets for this special event will be offered – first - to our subscribers then, if - any are left - to the general public so renew or subscribe today.
There is a great deal going on at the Rep including our Professional Women’s Night on Tuesday, April 29 featuring Cokie Roberts. For tickets to that event, please contact our friends at the Commonwealth Club Silicon Valley at 1-800-847-7730 or on the web at Common Wealth Club.
See you at the theatre!
- Nick
March, 2008
On Monday, March 3, 2008, outside our theatre in the Paseo, an audience of approximately 300 people gathered to celebrate and pay tribute to Susan and Phil Hammer. The audience included dignitaries such as Mayor Chuck Reed, Council members Williams, Chirco, Liccardo, Nguyen, Oliverio, head of the Redevelopment Agency - Harry Mavrogenes , District Attorney Delores Carr, Rep founder Jim Reber and many others.
Why they were gathered on the Paseo, rather than in the theatre, was so that they could witness the unveiling of the new sign officially naming the building “The Susan and Phil Hammer Theatre Center”. This sign is a proud testament to Susan and Phil Hammer who were so instrumental in the building of this beautiful theatre and have given, and continue to give so much to our community and San Jose Rep.
Susan and Phil Hammer’s contributions to the arts do not begin nor end with San Jose Repertory Theatre, however. Their enduring commitment to the arts transcends many years and is evidenced today in the cultural vitality of the region and the many permanent homes that arts organizations inhabit today.
Elected Mayor in 1990, Susan Hammer made history in her first State of the City speech by placing the arts center stage in her agenda. During this speech, she announced that she would lead the effort to build a new home for San Jose Repertory Theatre. This agenda fostered a renaissance in the city’s arts and cultural institutions that continues today. This theatre in which you now sit is a product of Susan’s vision and leadership.
Phil Hammer supported these efforts by working directly as a member - and President - of the San Jose Rep Board of Trustees. Phil was a driving force, focusing the board on a 10-year vision, bringing in new donor support from local business and increasing the size and fundraising muscle of the board. He successfully championed various Rep efforts, supporting the construction of the theatre and continues today as an active and important Trustee.
At this ceremony, the Hammers also had some unveiling of their own to do. As if they have not already given enough, they announced the establishment of “The Mark Hammer Memorial Artists Fund”.
Many of you may not know, but Phil’s late brother, Mark Hammer, was a professional actor and teacher whose work spanned theatre, film and television. His theatre career took him to stages across the nation, to Broadway and throughout the world. He is remembered by many as “One of the most remarkable…people they have ever known,” and “A wonderful, wonderful performer.”
“The Mark Hammer Memorial Artistic Fund.” will support actors, directors, designers and production artist’s work at the Rep. The Hammer family members, and other generous donors, have pledged $25,000 for the establishment of this fund.
The Hammers have worked tirelessly to keep arts groups alive and thriving, always stressing the importance of a vital arts and cultural community to urban revitalization. The naming of this building in their honor is a testament to their vision, strength of purpose and conviction. Thank you, Susan and Phil, for all you have done - and continue to do - for San Jose.
San Jose Rep is proud to perform in THE SUSAN AND PHIL HAMMER THEATRE CENTER.
- Nick
January, 2008
Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were enjoyable and 2008 has started well for you.
We closed 2007 on a very high note with an extremely successful run of “This Wonderful Life”. This wonderful production, directed by Kirsten Brandt and featuring Dan Hiatt, exceeded our very lofty sales goals, received strong critical acclaim and you all kept telling us you liked what you saw. It was a great close to 2007.
We are now into rehearsal for “Tranced” an exciting new play by playwright Bob Clyman. Throughout the Rep’s 27 year history, an important part of our work has been to produce, and bring to our community, new works by emerging and important American playwrights. Our Mission states that “We produce innovative theatrical performances that…engage, entertain and inspire people.” We have always felt that an important part of doing this is to produce, within our mix of plays, new work that is topical, relevant and explores the human condition; fresh plays that look at issues from diverse contemporary perspectives. We believe “Tranced” does this and more. Deeply human in its nature and, yet, global in its scope, this play asks us to examine the motives of individuals, nations and human nature. Director, Barbara Damashek has assembled an impressive cast and team of designers to craft a superlative production of this thoughtful and challenging script. We hope you will find this play as engaging, entertaining and inspiring as do we.
Later this season, we will continue our commitment to new work by bringing to the stage the World Premiere of Jeffrey Hatcher’s, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. This imaginative new adaptation brings Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale to life in a contemporary and fiendishly clever way. “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” runs May 10 through June 8.
Producing new work requires both the theatre and you to take a risk on something new. Throughout our history you, our audience, have proved, time and again, that you are adventurous and hungry for new theatrical work and ideas. When we produce any play, but especially new work, it is an important part of the creative process for us to hear from you. Your reactions and comments matter. The very best way to join in this discussion is by attending a post-show discussion following every matinee. Here, our Associate Artistic Director Kirsten Brandt and cast members from the show, have an open dialogue with you on the play, our choices and your opinions. I hope you will attend one of these post-show discussions and join the dialogue.
See you at the theatre.
- Nick
December, 2007
Happy Holidays!
As we move into December we are delighted to be presenting “This Wonderful Life”. Dan Hiatt is amazing in this sumptuously produced one-man tour de force. I am delighted to report that ticket sales are quite strong for this show so, get your tickets now.
The holidays always make me reflect on the many blessings we have. One of San Jose Rep’s greatest blessings is our dedicated Board of Trustees. Like most non-profit arts organizations, our Board is comprised of dedicated leaders from our community who recognize how valuable arts and culture are to our city and region and, in our case, share a common passion for live theatre. We look to our Trustees for guidance, perspective and vision. As a non-profit, the Rep exists to serve the community and our Trustees are the voice of our community. Strong, vibrant cities have strong, vibrant arts and cultural institutions. By helping to guide, sustain and build the Rep, our Trustees guide, sustain and build our city.
Our Trustees come from all walks of life, different professions and cultures. It is vital that our Board reflect the richness and diversity of our community. We have accountants, lawyers, teachers, business people, homemakers, retirees and many others on our Board. They all provide unique and vital perspective and contribute to our success.
So how does one become a Trustee of San Jose Rep? The vast majority volunteer or, as we put it, self-identify. They contact me, Timothy Near or a member of our board to express their interest. The candidate then meets with the chair of our governance committee who clearly explains to the candidate the parameters of the job, what they can expect and the time and financial commitment that will be expected of them. Timothy and/or I meet the candidate to give further detail and answer any remaining questions. The governance committee then makes a recommendation to the Board and a vote is taken.
Being a Trustee is a job that requires time and effort but has many rewards and, we hope, is fun. While we rely on our Trustees to help us achieve our goals to be a sustainable business, our business is putting on plays (with due respect to our education and outreach activities) and I have always believed they call it a play for a reason. As a Trustee, you become an “insider” on the workings of this theatre. No experience is necessary. In fact, many of our trustees join the board for the opportunity to explore and better understand the art. Through our standing committees Trustees exercise real power and help guide the company. They help us in their area of expertise and serve as advocates for the theatre and the community.
If you have a passion for theatre (and you probably do if you are this far into our website), I encourage you to consider serving on the Board of Trustees for San Jose Repertory Theatre.
Again, Happy Holidays!
- Nick
November, 2007
As we start November we move into rehearsals for “This Wonderful Life”, the imaginative re-telling of the holiday movie classic. This one-man tour de force features area favorite Dan Hiatt playing George Bailey, Clarence, the angel and over 50 characters from the movie. This visually stunning production, directed by our Associate Artistic Director, Kirsten Brandt, features multiple sets by Robin Roberts, a new designer to the Rep and lighting, video and projections by David Cuthbert who has lit several productions on our stage and who lit Billy Crystal’s one man Broadway show. This production will be a real Holiday treat for the entire family so get your tickets now.
Outside of the Rep, I spent October 24 through 26 in Portland, Oregon at the winter conference of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) of which San Jose Rep is a member. LORT is an organization and collective bargaining group of professional theatres in the United States. LORT negotiates collectively with the various trade unions with whom we work and this meeting was in anticipation of negotiations with Actor’s Equity Association, the union representing actors and stage managers. The new Executive Director of Equity, John Connolly, gave a very eloquent and insightful speech at the conference and proposed that we postpone renegotiating our contract for one year so that he and his team can get established. The leadership of LORT accepted this proposal so the current contract will run through April of 2009. This should prove beneficial for both the Union and the member theatres of LORT.
Another interesting discussion that came up at the conference concerned “white space”. At first, I thought this might be a new type of projection friendly performance space but I came to find out that it is something different and very important to theatres like the Rep. In between the frequencies used by existing channels, such as radio and TV, there are buffer frequencies that work to separate these established channels. This buffer zone is referred to as white space. Why is this important to theatre? Today, in mounting our shows, we make great use of wireless technology. We have wireless microphones on the performers, we use wireless headsets so our crews can communicate, we have wireless internet so we can access sound libraries in the theatre, our assisted listening system is wireless and the list of uses goes on. The frequencies that these technologies use lie in this white space and we use them free of charge. At the LORT conference we learned that there is now discussion by the FCC and the federal government to start auctioning off these frequencies to the highest bidder. This would be a huge monetary blow to theatres. Joining us in fighting such a move are churches that also use these frequencies for microphones and the like. LORT will be keeping a close eye on developments regarding white space in the months to come.
While in Portland, the host company, Portland Center Stage, toured us through their new theatre. The theatre is a state of the art “green technology” theatre put in the existing armory building in Portland. It is a beautiful facility and, with its green technology, is leading the way for theatres, and future buildings in general, to be designed with a smaller carbon footprint in an environmentally friendly manner; exactly the type of green technology use that Mayor Chuck Reed is proposing for San Jose. In the last year the Rep has dramatically cut our energy use through conservation efforts and aggressive systems maintenance. We continue to look for ways to consume less energy and reduce our carbon footprint. I will keep you posted on our efforts in this area as they are implemented.
Later this month, I look forward to welcoming you back to our beautiful theatre to see “This Wonderful Life” and I hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving season. I know I, and the entire Rep staff, are thankful for your continued patronage, and support.
- Nick
October, 2007
This past weekend we opened the 2007-08 season with Lillian Groag’s lavish production of “The Triumph of Love” by Pierre Maraivaux. Judging from the standing ovations, this hilarious romp through love, deception and gender confusion is hitting the mark with our audiences. We are very proud of this co-production with The California Shakespeare Theatre and hope that you will come back with friends to enjoy this classic. The show runs through October 21.
In September we also announced that our Artistic Director, Timothy Near, will be starting a gradual separation from the Rep over the next two years. For the past 20 years, San Jose has enjoyed the gifts of Timothy Near. For a far shorter amount of time, I have had the gift of working with her as a partner. Twenty years is a long time to work in any job. In the creative world of theatre, where every production takes a part of you, twenty years tenure is reached by few. Creating art is hard enough, but building and running an arts organization can be more taxing in a different way. Now, after 20 years as Artistic Director of San Jose Rep, Timothy has decided to move forward, taking the next step in her career. By giving us the gift of a two year transition, Timi has given the company time to strategize the change in leadership in phases, which will only strengthen the stability and excellence of the theatre.
Over the last 20 years, Timothy has given the South Bay many gifts and the body of work she has amassed is astounding: 11 World Premiers, 3 U.S. Premieres, 27 West Coast Premieres and 25 Bay Area Premieres. She brought brilliant artists to San Jose....not just Holly Hunter and Lynne Redgrave, but James Avery, Joyce Van Patten, Chris Rich, Lucy Liu, Ronnie Gilbert, Sandra Tsing Loh, and Sab Shimono. The Rep, thanks to Timi, produced concerts by The Bacon Brothers, Mandy Patinkin, Kate Clinton, Lunasa, Chris Cain, and Holly Near and hosted events bringing actors such as Robert Redford, David Strathairn, Joan Baez, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Jaimie Leigh Curtis, Ed Harris, Mary McDonnell, and Jeffrey Tambor to our City.
Her efforts to bring the life experience of people of color to our stage brought to San Jose plays such as “Making Tracks” about the Asian American experience, “Sisters Matsumoto” about the Japanese American Internment camps, Legacy about progressive activists who are turning 70 and 80, and other work by playwrights of color such as Lynne Nottage, Octavio Solis, Keith Glover, Eddie Sanchez, Marion McCaffey, and Jon P. Roman. Timothy developed plays by playwrights of color and by women because she wanted our audiences to hear from voices that reflected our diverse community and world.
And of course, our building: Timothy believed that the San Jose Rep deserved a home - and the City of San Jose, a theatre - that would be unique, connecting artist to audience, and the audience to one another. Together with Alexandra Urbanowski, Mayor Susan Hammer, the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Jose and a multitude of local and civic leaders, Timi shepherded the design and construction of the beautiful facility we have today: a cultural landmark, an integral part of our City’s skyline.
As an artist, Timothy is now ready for fresh, new directions in her life. She wants to put more energy toward creating art and less toward the administration of an arts organization. I will miss my friend and partner. I am sure many of you will miss her too. Still, Timothy’s gifts will live on with our company. Her vision, aesthetic and humanity are in San Jose Rep’s artistic DNA.
In the future, you can expect the same exciting, artistic balance of classics, contemporary and new works produced with the same theatrical and innovative approach that are the hallmarks of Timothy Near’s artistry. We are grateful for the gift of Timothy Near’s talent, passion and commitment in making San Jose Rep the benchmark for innovative, relevant and enjoyable theatre for our diverse community.
In the coming weeks you will start to see more of Kirsten Brandt, our gifted Associate Artistic Director. Kirsten will start handling Ghost light Forums, Post show discussions and the like. I hope you will attend one of these events and get to know Kirsten. Between these two women, we are in very good artistic hands as we move forward.
- Nick
September, 2007
Happy September and welcome to the start of our 2007-08 Season! I hope your summer and Labor Day Holiday were enjoyable. August is that month in our year when we take a collective sigh of relief at the conclusion of our season, mark the end of our fiscal year (August 31), take stock of how we performed and put in play our plans for the coming season. Because of all this, and vacation, I skipped a Blog in August.
In regard to our performance this past year we hit nearly every benchmark we set for ourselves and took a very positive first step in our fiscal recovery plan. Some of our goals for this year included running the company operationally in the black, meeting our ticket sales goals and keeping costs in check while maintaining our on stage quality. Judging from our positive ticket sales and critical acclaim, Timothy Near and our artistic and production staff certainly maintained the on stage quality. We finished the season selling 108% of our sales goal and should finish the year around 4% under budget on operational expenses. The only area where we did not meet our rather ambitious goal was in the area of contributed income. We will be focusing on this area in the coming year and rolling out some unique new benefits for donors. We’ll keep you posted.
During August, I got to see a good deal of theatre in which the Rep played a role. Many of you may have enjoyed the offerings by Shakespeare Santa Cruz this summer. The Rep’s Resident Director, Kirsten Brandt, directed a wonderful production of “The Tempest” at SSC. In addition, the stunning productions of “Endgame” and “Playboy of the Western World” had a Rep connection. Our scene shop built and painted the sets for both of these productions. We look forward to collaborating with our friends “over the hill” next summer.
I was also able to see both “Richard III” and, of course “The Triumph of Love” at California Shakespeare Theatre in Orinda. As I hope you know, we partnered with Cal-Shakes on this production of “The Triumph of Love” and are moving the show into the Sobrato Auditorium as we speak. This is a delightful, hilarious and romantic comedy I am sure you will enjoy. Previews start September 22.
I am also happy to report that sales for “This Wonderful Life”, our Christmas offering are quite brisk so, you’ll want to get your tickets soon for this holiday delight which previews November 24. In fact, with “Tranced”, “Souvenir”, “Jekyll & Hyde” and “All the Great Books”, we have a season you won’t want to miss.
I look forward to seeing you at the theatre.
- Nick
July, 2007
This past month has been a very busy time, here at the Rep. We closed the critically acclaimed “Rabbit Hole” and welcomed “Ella” to our stage. We also moved into high gear for our 2007-08 season, contracting actors, directors, designers and making the many arrangements a new season requires.
On opening night of “Ella” we had a wonderful event for our patrons featuring food from the Poor House Bistro and great music by J.P. and the Rhythm Chasers. It was a wonderful event and a great way to welcome the “First Lady of Song” to our stage. I want to specially thank Cecilia Clark, our Director of Marketing and Michelle Hou, our Marketing Associate, for putting on such a wonderful party. I am very happy to report that “Ella” is packing them in so, if you want tickets, buy them soon!
Our Board of Trustees was also extremely busy. The board has been working diligently on instituting new Board structure, rules of governance, and fiscal oversight for our organization. Two very important milestones were achieved in late June. The Board unanimously passed new bylaws for the organization and a revised mission/vision statement. The mission/vision statement can be seen on our web site by clicking the “About the Rep” tab, going to “Media Room” and selecting “Institutional Info”.
A mission/vision statement is critical for a regional theatre as it articulates why we exist, what we bring to the community and the guiding principles that inform all our decisions. I encourage you to read the document.
The board also put in place a revised set of bylaws bringing us into full compliance with non-profit statutes and best-practices. This document lays out the legal structure of the organization, details how we are governed by our Board and states our purposes and objectives.
As we wrap up the 2006-07 season, and look forward to an exciting and though provoking season starting this September, we continue to improve the workings of the company, practice good stewardship and provide the high quality art your Rep has produced for the last 26 years. Thanks for your patronage, your support and for a great year!
See you at the theatre.
- Nick
June, 2007
On the evening of June 4, we held the 15th anniversary celebration for our Red Ladder Theatre Company here in the Sobrato Auditorium. It was a wonderful event. Mayor Chuck Reed spoke on the community benefits the Red Ladder outreach program offers and City Councilmember, Forrest Williams, who serves as Council Liaison to the City’s Art Commission, joined us for the celebration. The evening featured speeches by Artistic Director, Timothy Near, Director of Education and Outreach, Karen Altree Piemme, an original song by students from the Bill Wilson School and a touching testimonial from one of the schools teachers, Joe Izzo. Also speaking was long time Board member Rich Braugh who thanked the many individual, corporate and foundation partners who contribute to Red Ladder and the Rep’s outreach activities.
In addition to the speeches and song, the audience saw a new short video, graciously produced by Roy Avila of channel 36 – KICU, which showed and explained the work Red Ladder does, and has done, for the past 15 years.
At the reception following the hour long presentation, numerous people told me how informative the video was because, as they put it, “I knew about Red Ladder but I didn’t really know what it did.” Clearly, we need to do a better job of getting the word out. Let me start right now.
Since its inception in 1992, the award-winning Red Ladder Theatre Company (San Jose Repertory Theatre’s primary social outreach program) has reached out to the most vulnerable residents of the area, individuals outside the mainstream of services, improving their lives through dramatic arts, enhancing their self-esteem and providing participants with the resources to effectively deal with the issues that often derail their lives. Red Ladder focuses primarily on marginalized youth between the ages of 8 and 18 -- young people at risk of dropping out of school, or engaging in destructive, violent behavior, incarcerated youth and adults, pregnant and parenting teens, homeless students, the developmentally disabled, and others struggling with the debilitating effects of poverty and violence at home or in their neighborhoods. Red Ladder achieves phenomenal success with each of these groups partly because of the deep work that the artistic process requires from each participant and partly because Red Ladder is not a one-size-fits-all program. Workshops are tailor-made for each population, each group, and each session. Special needs such as one-on-one interaction for developmentally disabled participants or bilingual instruction for non-English speakers are easily accommodated. Last season Red Ladder served over 1,600 participants through life-skills workshops and in-school arts integration that has received statewide and national recognition.
Red Ladder’s focus on overcoming obstacles through personal resource building helps all participants to break free of self-limiting circumstances and forge their own pathways. Whether in a workshop setting, or in the classroom as part of an arts-integration program, Red Ladder uses the techniques of improvisational theatre, in a non-judgmental and non-threatening environment, to empower its participants to safely explore, test and internalize positive solutions to the problems that hamper their lives and well-being. Each session, participants’ interests and decisions drive the action, and their work is met with resounding praise and encouragement. It is through this method of acknowledging and validating participants’ choices that a safe and creative environment is established. Workshops employ a multi-disciplinary approach where theatre and performance skills are fused with music, dance, writing, and visual art to foster all learning styles and abilities. Most workshops run from two to three hours in length and are held once a week for four to twelve weeks. Throughout the workshop experience, group members are challenged with progressively more difficult interactions to help develop their abilities to the fullest.
Red Ladder has received clear validation of its program’s significance and effectiveness both locally and nationally. Because of Red Ladder’s innovative techniques, the Company has been asked to make presentations and conduct workshops at several conferences including: Making Art Making Change—Arts for Social Justice Youth Conference 2006, National Service Learning, America’s Promise, CYZYGY (the National Conference of Idealism for City Year’s corps members) and TeenWorks 2000-the California State Youth Leadership Summit. Additionally, in its three consecutive nominations, Red Ladder was named a semi-finalist for the Coming Up Taller Awards, sponsored by the NEA, NEH and the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. The program’s inclusion in the California Arts Council’s Demonstration Project from 2001 through 2003 allows for replication of this program statewide by becoming part of the State of California’s Arts in Education framework. Director Karen Altree Piemme has been traveling both nationally and internationally to replicate the program with artists and organizations in Anchorage, Alaska and Santiago, Chile.
This year, we will also launch a pilot program in corporate training through Red Ladder. Using the tools of improvisation, Red Ladder programs develop trust, foster team-building, communication and creativity; all elements critical in the corporate world.
We are very proud of the Red Ladder Theatre Company and all of the Rep’s education and outreach programs in service to our community. To find out more about Red Ladder, or to learn how you can donate to and support these programs, check out the “education & Outreach” and “Donate to the Rep” tabs on our home page.
See you in the theatre.
- Nick
May, 2007
During the last week of April, I attended the L.O.R.T. Spring conference. L.O.R.T. stands for League of Resident Theatres and is an organization comprised of professional resident theatre companies from across the United States. L.O.R.T. serves as a bargaining agent for its members in bargaining collectively with unions, promotes the general welfare of resident theatres in the U.S., and promotes communication and cooperation between resident theatres.
L.O.R.T. holds two conferences each year and they often center on a single topic of common interest to member theatres.
This meeting centered on fundraising and the challenges that all theatres are facing, raising contributed revenue in a very challenging philanthropic environment. This meeting clearly showed that most theatres across the country are finding it more and more difficult to raise the funds necessary to continue their work and provide services for their communities. National and Foundation support for the Arts has dwindled over the past years and individuals, local municipalities and corporations are being relied upon to make up the difference.
A question I am often asked is, “Why do you have to fundraise and why can’t the Rep (or any theatre for that matter) live off the money it earns at the box office?” There are three major factors why we need to fundraise. They are: The type theatre experience we provide, our desire to keep ticket prices reasonable and the services we provide for our community.
The unique theatre experience we offer is intrinsically tied to the number of seats we have. One of the unique and wonderful aspects of seeing a play at the Rep is your relationship to the actor. Because of the size and configuration of our theatre, you feel connected to the actor and fully a part of the creative experience. You are a partner with the actor in the act of creation. If our theatre was twice or three times the size, a larger part of our revenue would come from ticket sales but the experience would be very different.
We also feel it essential to keep ticket prices reasonable and within reach of most people. We could charge ticket price that would allow us to “…live off the box office” if we increased the average price by around 300%. This would put our prices in line with Broadway but quickly price us out of the market and not well serve our community.
Finally, as I have written before, the Rep, through our Red Ladder Theatre Company, outreach efforts and educational programs provides real and tangible services to our community. These services are a core element of who we are and what we do. They also do not generate significant earned revenue.
For these three major reasons, and many more, the Rep, and virtually all resident theatre companies, must fundraise to finance programs the community values. It’s a challenge but we are rising to that challenge.
You may have noticed the “REP RENAISSANCE” banner on our building and on the signs on the lampposts in the Paseo. The “REP RENAISSANCE” is a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $3 for every $1 our trustees have personally given to the Rep this year. Our Trustees value and support, with their time and treasure, what the Rep brings to our community. We are now asking the community to join them in supporting this cultural icon that has so well served our community for the past 26 years.
The Renaissance was a period where communities and benefactors supported the arts and spurred a period of vigorous artistic, intellectual and economic activity. We believe San Jose is entering just such a period and, with your help, the Rep will continue to play a vital role.
Become part of the “REP RENAISSANCE” by clicking the button on our home page and making your gift today. Join us in creating a new kind of support base and organizational philosophy that will usher in not only the “REP RENAISSANCE” but, also, a renaissance for San Jose.
- Nick
April, 2007
With April being tax month, and many peoples’ thought turning to financial matters, I thought this would be an opportune time to report on our financial recovery efforts and the progress we are making with our new business plan. Over the past year, the Rep Board of Trustees and Management have pursued an aggressive path toward financial recovery. There is still much work ahead and attaining our goal of a financially healthy San Jose Rep, which we define in our new business plan as a company consistently operating in the black, continuing to produce high quality professional theatre, debt-free and with a growing endowment, is still a ways off. Nevertheless, we are confident that we have taken the first important steps toward this goal and our efforts are starting to produce results. With the Line of Credit from the City of San Jose, we were given the opportunity to repair our business operation and organizational structure. We are making the most of this opportunity.
Working with the consulting firm of AlbertHall & Associates, LLC, the Rep developed a strategic reorganization plan (business plan) that has provided a clear path to recovery. The bulk of this plan was put in place in January of this year and we are already seeing improvement in our financial and operational position. As we start this eighth month of our fiscal year (our fiscal year ends August 31), revenue is 14% above projections and expenses are 11% under projections. This tells us, among other things, that the systems we have put in place to monitor expenses are working and our plays continue to hit a chord with you, our patrons.
Because of these effective cost controls and strong sales, we have drawn down $200,000 less on the City line of credit than the City Auditor projected and, as recently reported in the San Jose Mercury News; we have reduced our total debt load by almost $400,000.
Subscription sales have met their goal for the current season and we are at 91% of our ticket revenue goal for the year at the half way point in our season.
As part of our new business plan, the Board of Trustees are actively revising our company’s mission and vision to better reflect our commitment to serving our community while strengthening the artistry that you have come to expect. They are also re-drafting our bylaws to comply with non-profit best practices and make sure they reflect the appropriate operational and governance needs of the company. Our Emeritus Council comprised of past Board Presidents and Trustees are receiving monthly updates on our progress and are fully engaged in our efforts.
Our finance department produces comprehensive monthly financials with cash flow projections that are updated on a 30-day cycle and given to our Board, the City and our Foundation Partners. Managers submit monthly projections toward fiscal year-end goals. These projections enable us to accurately, and regularly, access our performance to goal and make necessary adjustments.
Rep Management, working with the Board Finance Committee, which is comprised of CFO’s from some of the Valley’s largest corporations, presented a balanced 2007-08 budget to the full board that will be voted upon next month.
Our Red Ladder Theatre company and outreach and education programs, despite budget cuts, expanded their sphere of influence by 20%, serving nearly 12,000 individuals last year. In June, we will be holding a 15th anniversary celebration for Red Ladder which I will tell you about next month.
Finally, our 2007-08 season of plays (now up on our web-site) reflects not only our artistic mission, but the type of work you have told us you value and want. We have taken an innovative approach to producing classics, which is an important part of our artistic mission, through our “Bridging the Classics Initiative” with the California Shakespeare Theatre. Here, again, both companies save on costs and benefit through collaboration. The first product of this Initiative, “Triumph of Love” will open our 2007-08 season.
We are making good progress thanks to you, our patrons and donors, our committed Board and a community that has supported us for 26 years. We will continue our work, as stewards of your theatre, to earn your support and trust.
- Nick
February, 2007
I certainly hope you will avail yourself of the opportunity to see our current production of Eugene O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey into Night”. It is a production of which we are very proud and beautifully illustrates why performing the classics is such an important part of what we do. We have been able to partner with area schools and it has been wonderful to see the large number of high school and college students coming to see this not-often-produced masterpiece. Through our on-line study guide, prepared by our Director of Educational Outreach, Karen Piemme and her assistant Lauren Ivie, teachers, students and patrons alike have been able to gain real insight into this play and O’Neill’s life and work.
This week we also compiled data on our Outreach and Red Ladder Theatre Company programs and, once again, I must single our Karen Piemme and all of the members of our education and outreach department. Despite very deep budget cuts, our outreach and education programs actually increased, by 20%, the number of people served in our community. In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2006, our education and outreach programs touched the lives of 11,816 people ranging from children to students to seniors.
Our award winning Red Ladder Theatre Company (San Jose Rep’s primary social outreach program) also continues to serve our community. Red Ladder uses the tools of dramatic arts to work with marginalized youth, between the ages of 8 and 18, to teach empathy, negotiating skills and self-esteem. Through Red Ladder, we reach out to some of our community’s most vulnerable residents: young people at risk of dropping out of school, incarcerated youth and adults, pregnant and parenting teens, homeless students, the developmentally disabled and others struggling with the debilitating effects of poverty and violence. This wonderful program provides participants with the resources to effectively deal with the issues that often derail their lives.
Red Ladder, this year, celebrates its 15th year of serving our community. You will be hearing more, in the weeks to come, about our plans for celebrating this milestone.
The Red Ladder Theatre Company, educational outreach and innovative productions of the classics, are a few ways through which we strive to serve and enrich our community in ways you value. With your support, both as patrons and donors, we will continue this work in a fiscally responsible way, ensuring that your theatre continues to reflect and serve our diverse community.
Thank you for making all of this possible.
- Nick
January, 2007
Happy New Year and welcome to the first edition of the San Jose Rep Managing Director’s Blog. Timothy Near and I are always looking for ways to better communicate with our patrons, stakeholders and community and we hope that our blogs will do just that.
I plan to use this space as a regular stewardship report, keeping you informed on business and organizational aspects of your theatre. I will reserve the right, however, to throw in an occasional “personal interest” story or any other happening at the Rep that makes our theatre so vibrant and exciting.
Over the past few months, you’ve read a lot in the newspaper about our serious financial difficulties. While the information in the paper was largely accurate, it often glossed over the profound systemic changes the Board of Trustees and the new management team have been defining and implementing over the past 18 months to solidify the company financially. There is no “quick fix” to putting the company back on solid fiscal ground. It will take time and a lot of hard work. But the work is well under way. Here’s what’s been happening of late:
On the 16th of January we closed our December books to complete our third monthly reporting cycle with the City of San Jose. As part of our loan agreement with the City, we must submit a draft of our monthly closing by the middle of each month. We then meet with representatives from the City Finance office on the third Wednesday of each month to go over the figures. If we report a monthly negative variance of 10% in any area, we must have an explanation and a corrective action plan to fix the variance within 30 days. I am happy to report that we have not yet had such a variance. Currently, we are running ahead of revenue projections and under on expense projections. We are still a long way from the finish line but it’s a good start.
Another requirement of our agreement with the City was to submit to them, by the end of 2006, a business plan draft. Working with the nationally acclaimed theatrical management consulting firm of Albert Hall & Associates LLC, we submitted this first draft on time. On the 12th and 13th of this month, Albert Hall led a retreat for the Rep Board, Emeritus Council, and staff to continue our work on the business plan. I will keep you posted on this process.
Finally, we ended 2006 on an optimistic note. “A Christmas Story”, sold very strongly and surpassed its revenue goal. We thank you for your patronage. We also want to thank our many donors for your generosity and support during the holiday season. As we move forward we will, as stewards of your theatre, do everything in our power to merit that support.
- Nick