August 14, 2019

Contents

ACTIONS

  1. Plan for Board to provide snacks on preview nights – Try it for GGLAM (But Michael H. doesn’t have to do it!).
  2. Board members should remember to buy tickets to Tacos and Tunes soon. Let Kim know if you are planning on buying a table.
  3. Steve S will send out the Patron Survey soon.
  4. Some Board members will attend 42nd Moon concert of Titanic, and possibly performance of Hot Mikado in October. Sara Dean will send out information.
  5. Give Heather’s Musical History class free tickets for GGLAM on our final dress (Thursday).
    1. Sara will also reach out to Milissa Carey to invite students from Foothill.
  6. Will have a talkback at GGLAM. Sara to discuss with GGLAM Staff.
  7. Will hold a costume and props sales on October 5, to clear out unneeded / unused costumes.
    1. Need help getting the word out – Advertise it for Halloween, Renaissance Fair
    2. Need help managing the sales

Sara

Surveys back from classes – fewer from tap class. Organizing classes was just a “puzzle.”

Millie Survey

Went out late, overwhelmingly positive.

Most critical comments from orchestra. Orchestra didn’t really like being where they were placed (upstage). Didn’t feel socially part of the production. Concern about time being used efficiently. Felt orchestra were ignored. Left off emails, not discussed to by staff, cast. Do we need an orchestra liaison? Encourage more orchestra/cast interaction.

Rehearsal space – safety is a concern. Negatives from cast were generally about rehearsal location, some limitations of stage, cast build of sets. (Could we turn builds into a “class”? We asked Heather, who teaches, but no one there was interested.) Had to redo parts of the set. Comment about vocal director/director getting fatigue – intersperse rehearsals between them. Positives about quality improvements and how SBMT is continually ‘upping’ their game.

Most of the cast were newbies, need to help train them about various culture things we want to keep (like having more green room food contributions from cast). Have the Board do green room snacks for preview night for shows.

SBMT Patron Survey

Is almost ready to go. Anyone who bought a ticket to a show in the last N number of years (3? 5?), unless they opted out from emails. Could certainly include performers. Will get any themes and finer points for the retreat.

Can we get the list from Broadway San Jose to email?

Tacos and Tunes

Some items donated: 2 mint condition Cher dolls in Bob Mackie dress ($175 and $150 each). Case of wine from Sara’s Pilates student. Sponge Bob Square Pants tickets. Shutterfly.

Ticket sales in July – had a bump, now it’s pretty quiet. Time to buy tickets. Dick Niblock was given a table of 8 as our guest, he’s bringing some. Sold 36, goals is 150. It is a late-buying audience.

Getting some SBMT “Divas” from shows. You donate for the person who would sing the final song of the evening. Mary Melnick (Mame), Anthone Jackson (Big River), Jessica Maxey or Lee Ann Payne or Gwyneth (Millie), someone from Gentlemen’s Guide. Do a Diva commercial.

Board Retreat November 23

Kevin can’t participate (in Mama Mia); Steve S may not be able to participate.  Looking for high-level focus topics that we can spend a day on, coming up with ideas that are actionable. Looking for location – could use Synopsys, or Barbara’s house.

Possible topics for that discussion: Season futures, Long-term planning, Ticket pricing approaches, Cast builds, other…

Season Selection committee

Michael Hirsch may join it. There are some ideas: Crazy for You, On the 20th Century, King and I.

Gentlemen’s Guide

  • Give Heather’s Musical History class free tickets on our final dress (Thursday).
  • Sara will also reach out to Milissa Carey to invite students from Foothill.

Should we hold a talkback after one of the performances of GGLAM? City Lights is doing a really high-tech version where there was a real-time Skype interaction. An opportunity for the audience to ask questions about the show. Could do it as a directed interview, or provide a way to filter questions. Have a moderator for some of the questions. Could FaceBook live it at the same time.

First Sunday matinee, or first Friday after we open. Would want at least some staff members to be there.

Do we someone to lead the talkback? Maybe Steve A could organize it, need someone to moderate at the event. Discuss whether we need mics, someone to video it (for Facebook live), etc. with GGLAM staff.

Still negotiating to get red curtain, got furniture from San Jose Opera, accent coaching was donated. Production rolling along.

She Loves Me

Good audition turnout (75-80 for a cast of ~20), callbacks announced later. Some issues with auditions Sara was not pleased with, will work on that in future. Had to videotape auditions due to unexpected schedule change for director.

Costumes

Will try to sell the Camelot costumes. Barbara Goetz and costume volunteers are boxing them up. Do we want to try to sell them as a set? Otherwise sell to Renaissance Fair. Or possibly to WVLO for Once Upon a Mattress. Trying to sell them to open up space in the studio.

Looking at holding a ‘garage sale’ costume sale on October 5.

Company Sales Incentive – Ticket Pricing

Averages 20% total tickets sold through this company incentive. Should we provide discount to patron for using the company incentive code? Or simply, should we raise our base ticket prices, then offer discounts for most cases. Or major discount before the show opens, then lower pricing later.

Discuss at retreat.

Happy Birthday to Steve A. ?