Latest change to the previous latest changes…

I’m not going to try to repeat all of the things going on that have been covered in the emails going around this week, but I want to discuss the high points for Great Falls. Starting with last weeks’ meeting, we reset dates for ‘Birth and Afterbirth’ to open February 12th and ‘K2’ to open March 12th. Both shows would run 2 weekends and be performed (as long as the venue was open) at the Chapel Theater. Also, ‘Death by Dessert’ would take place on March 6th at the Chapel Theater pending approval by the MAT board. Two different groups took pictures to show the out-of-towners what it looked like, while I spoke to Colleen of Colleen’s Restaurant about the catering. At the same time I checked with Marie (who holds the calendar for the Theater) about dates in the space for our shows. Saturday Feb 13th is iffy, as there is a group in there that morning, but we should be able to work it out. I was quoted $400/nite, but we may be able to work a better deal. Looking at the Chapel again (I haven’t been in there in years) I remembered how nice the space was. It is easily accessible (2nd floor, right off the elevator), has plenty of parking, and it looks good. The only problem I still have is the acoustics, but we just can’t have everything…

Thursday and Friday we held auditions for ‘B&AB’ and the entertainment group for the fundraiser. For ‘B&AB’, Bruce will complete his casting this week and begin rehearsals on Thursday (he has selected Jean as SM), while Glen has settled out his group and will commence rehearsals soon (TBA).

On Saturday Drew and I drove to Havre for the Strategic Planning meeting, while Dee, Bruce and Wally Skyped in. Check the montanaactors@yahoo.com account for the minutes. The first thing discussed was the need for all of us to put the company first, before our own desires or what we want for our local chapters.

Much of the first part of the meeting covered what we want to do with the building. The upshot is that I am getting in contact with at least 4 former board members of CSC to get signatures for a corporate resolution to transfer the building to MAT. We do NOT need to go through CSI. It will only add another layer of hassle and paperwork, and it is really not necessary. More to come on this.

We will also be getting the building open SOON. It looks like we will be paying off the utilities (this week?) and getting the lights and heat turned back on so we can get in to survey the damages. After that, we can start cleaning up EVERYTHING and getting ready for the facelift. HERE IS WHERE WE WILL NEED HELP FROM EVERYONE. Drew and I will draw up a prioritized list of what we need to get done. We will need to get all of this completed before February 5th, because that weekend volunteers from Havre and Missoula are coming in to help us get the renovations started! Let Drew or me know when you will be available to help out.

We then discussed the short- and long-range plans for the company. We worked on figuring out responsibilities for board members and officers, and the possibilities of adding local associate board members. There will be more discussion on this during a company-wide meeting in Great Falls on Feb 27th. We will be discussing such topics as education, touring, expansion and funding.

Toward the end of the day (6 hours later) we got around to our season. First off, we discussed our season opener. Both Jay and Dana insisted that we need to open the season with a big show in our own space the weekend after the fundraiser. My thinking is that we don’t need a big name show to kick the season off. Grant agreed and said that a lot of their success in Missoula comes from the fact that they do NEW shows with new ideas. ‘Rugburns’ has been a great success in both Havre and Missoula and performing it in GF will really cement the relationship between the chapters. ( if we can’t get a good crowd into the theater our week after our fundraiser, we never will) Then Havre offered to bring ‘Diary of Anne Frank’ after Easter, followed by ‘A Midsummer Nights’ Dream’ from Missoula. Check the calendar below for dates. I know that we are preempting ‘K2’ (again), but, as previously stated, we need to put what is best for the company first. The three shows from the three different chapters will show that we are no longer a community theater; we are part of a much bigger entity! We need to find a different place on the calendar to put it up, and we may be able do it in CS. Let’s work on it Wednesday at the artistic meeting.

Speaking of which, anyone interested in being on the artistic committee please show up at the church on Wednesday at 5:30pm. We will be discussing future shows. Please either email me your forms for proposed shows by Tuesday night or bring them with you to the meeting. Please have a few copies handy for others to read.

Well, I hope I have covered everything satisfactorily. And I hope I haven’t put you to sleep. But if I have, nitey-nite…