Present: Diane Hughes (guest), Doug Hughes, Braden Taylor, Jordan Selburn, Jay Steele, Kevin, Sara Dean, Kim Kay, Denise Reynolds, Steve Sammonds, Jeffrey Henson (guest), Steve Allhoff, Barbara Heninger, Jennifer Petersen

Sara read the minutes from last time.

Action Items

  • Diane H, Braden, Sara, Kevin, Jennifer will meet to discuss how to track donations
  • January 28 event
    • Barbara will get honey buns
    • Sara’s husband will make the million dollar pound cake
    • Braden will get fruit and veggie trays
    • Jordan will get the vanilla ice cream
    • Steve will make a pitch for volunteers
    • Barbara will ask Diane Milo which song Big River could sing on the 28.
    • BOARD come at 6pm to help set up
  • Braden will follow up with the Board via email re ticket pricing
  • Jay will ask Dan for an estimate for a projection system, send to Jordan
  • Jeffrey will send a list of big-ticket items to Jordan
  • Braden will look at the budget for salary
  • ALL: Howard’s memorial is on Sunday January 20 at noon.

Motions

  • MOTION: Change Sara’s title to Executive Director – moved and approved
  • MOTION: Moved and voted unanimously to do the 1940s big band production.

Donations

$14K for donations so far. $5,000 ahead of last year.

  • How do we know when someone is giving us monthly donations? If Diane Hughes sees them noted when they come in as recurring, she will let us know.
  • We also don’t always get the information about Benevity right away.
  • Sara created a file in the fundraising folder in the Team Drive to track the donations and track the levels.

Season Directors, shows, concerts

  • Walter Mayes: Gentlemen’s Guide
  • Martin Rojas-Dietrich: She Loves Me
  • Lee Ann Payne: South Pacific
  • Brad: Songs I wish I had written
  • Concert of shows from the 1940s: Dave Leon will create that show. Santa Clara Vanguard’s San Jose Jazz Band was to create a Big Band show, 17-piece band with a couple of vocalists. Maybe a little choreography. Love and War tunes. Cost of band not yet known (probably $50/musician per service (performance and rehearsal). Cost of renting each music piece not known. Probably 2 performances, possibly 3. Last weekend of May.
  • MOTION: Moved and voted unanimously to do the 1940s big band production.

Membership Event – January 28

  • Save the Date sent
  • Jackets are ordered, certificates being printed
  • Treats in lobby: Vanilla ice cream, millionaire shortbread (Sara’s husband will make it), honey buns (Barbara will get them at Smart and Final), with fruit and veggie tray (Braden)
  • Lobby will be decorated for Big River opening
  • Steve S. will create a list of action groups:
    • Community engagement working with Saratoga Chamber of Commerce and local businesses to tie in with our shows
    • Helping to gather statistics (coordinate with Steve S.)
  • Braden will discuss the finances
  • Performers are lined up
  • Michael J or Griff will accept the bear in honor of Howie
  • Lee Ann and Martin will come to discuss their shows
  • Barbara will ask Diane for which song Big River could sing on the 28.
  • Need people to come at 6pm to help set up

Ticket Prices

  • Ed Hand: WVLO is going to raise ticket prices next year
  • Everyone is in the high $30s. Our highest is $38, and $40 for BBTD.
  • People are always waiting for the discount code.
  • Subscribers don’t complain about pricing, they complain about what shows we are doing.
  • Suggested: Matinees, Weekend Evenings, Weekday Evenings. (Make Friday the same as Saturday) – Braden will investigate

(This is something that we need the data committee for – ticket prices, what people would pay for, what tickets they purchase for).

Event Observation (from above discussion)

  • Need to organize the opening night toast
    • Producers say some more
    • We will have nibbles – cheese, desserts
    • Clarify expectations for the cast and staff
    • Figure out how to deal with the space (inside/outside)

Project-based Grants

Do we have a list of “projects” we would like to do?

  • Projection system – Jay will ask Dan for an estimate for a projection system
  • Package the season as a project
  • Fund-raising grant for upgrading our rehearsal facility, or a costume shop / props / overflow
    • Saratoga has spaces for rental (for rehearsals)
    • Then we could look for a place to store props, costumes, capital program for that
    • Rent WVLO’s rehearsal space?
  • Jeffrey will send a list of big-ticket items
    • Pickup truck
    • Other…

Board Members for next year

  • Braden terms out
  • Kevin, Doug, Steve S, Jennifer, and Molly’s position are all up for election
  • Braden is trying to encourage Jennifer Seguin to join as CFO
  • Janet Miller, Chris Moylan, Phil Jaco, Gwyneth PP, Janet, Walter may or may not

Sara’s Position

  • Change her title to Executive Director – moved and approved
  • Braden will look at the salary for the budget

Howard’s Memorial

  • January 20 at the theater, noon
  • Will set up at 10:30

New Business

Donations with Shows

  • Have a charity for the show,
  • Put it in the pre-curtain speech, or have the cast members announce that they are taking donations
  • South Pacific: USO
  • Millie: Human Trafficking?
  • She Loves Me: Suicide Prevention?