Board Meeting 09/09/2020

Present: Michael Hirsch, Dallas Carter, Sara Dean, Dan Singletary, Doug Hughes, Ed Hunter, Jay Steele, Jeffrey Henson, Jen Maggio, Nique Eagen, Sharon Peng, Steve Sammonds

Start: 7:09 pm

Welcome by Michael Hirsch

Agenda

  • Functional Directors
    • Marketing (Doug Hughes)
    • Facilities (Jeffrey Henson)
    • Tech (Dan Singletary)
  • Financial Update (Jen Maggio)
  • Committee Updates
    • Community, Inclusivity & Accountability (Nique Eagen; Kevin Brownstein, Sharon Peng, Dave Leon)
    • Organizational Development (Jay Steele, Jen Maggio, Steve Sammonds)
    • Vision & Planning (Michael Hirsch, Sharon Peng)
    • Development & Fundraising (Dallas Carter)
  • Executive Director

Actions

[Action] Jeffrey will build a structure to block the back end of the container at the set shop. Will keep homeless out of the area and stop them from using the area as a latrine and storing dumpster dice items there.

[Action] Ed and Dan will let Jen know when theater students are brought to help with construction and lights so that we can reestablish previous liability insurance.

[Action] Doug needs a head shot from Tony Gaitian on the CIA team. Needs bio from Dave Leon.

[Action] Sara and Michael to craft a one to two sentence description of each committee and do a new draft of committee responsibilities and executive director responsibilities.

[Action] Sara to reach out to Stephen Wathen about his Dracula script, suggested by Jeffrey (who also thinks he might help with the set).

[Action] Board members to ask themselves: What do we want to have accomplished in 1-2 years?

[Action] Loop WVLO into the discussion and make sure that we are considering them {in lighting changes for the theater}. Dan will take this action.

Functional Updates

Marketing & Social Media (Functional Director: Doug Hughes)

  • Promos
    • Got most social media likes for plug from James Monroe Iglehart (Broadway Performer) who gave a shout out to SBMT.
    • Creating promo and program for Glass Menagerie. Have to make sure that we meet requirements for licensing.
    • Had to do more logos so they work with ShowTix4U. Required a size change of existing logo. Now we have logos in lots of different sizes.
    • Utilizing lots of hashtags in Facebook to get more followers and increase our brand awareness
    • Discussed how to increase awareness on Twitter and YouTube. Sharon Peng to help
  • Headshots & Bios
    • Needs a biography from Dave Leon for Board of Directors page
    • Needs more headshots from external folks on our committees. (Already has headshots for board members.) Would also like a sentence or two about the committees themselves.
    • Would like to add committee info to our Mission and Values page. Sara and Michael to follow up with Doug

Facilities (Functional Director: Jeffrey Henson)

  • Studio
    • Trailer holding up well since we aren’t using it.
    • Studio doing ok
    • Sara uses the studio to teach a class via Zoom. Asked to make sure that no one leaves food in the trash cans.
  • Set Shop
    • [Action] Jeffrey will build a structure to block the back end of the container. Will keep homeless out of the area and stop them from using the area as a latrine and storing dumpster dice items there.
    • Asked by Sharon if we could put out a small trash can there to allow them to find a place to leave their trash. However Jeffrey is concerned that it will create another place for folks to put trash in excess and would have to be locked down so it is not stolen. Have found that folks will sometimes break our locks just to load the trash can with detritus.
    • Jen suggested that we try to have the landlords help more as we pay for groundskeeping as part of our rent. Jeffrey says that we have exercised that need in the past and that the landlord has helped to take care of items when needed previously.
    • Doug asked if we could be held liable to someone getting hurt on the razor wire and Jeffrey expressed that he had thought about it. However there is a lot of wire in the area and you have to cut through the fence to get there.

Technology (Functional Director: Dan Singletary)

  • Ticketing
    • Contract proposed with Audience View (Would get Audience View Pro package)
    • Haven’t signed the contract yet. Still negotiating other details. Doesn’t limit our online distribution. Expect to sign a contract in 1-2 weeks.
    • Need to transition user database and ticket sales history
    • Vendini was the previous company and it is being purchased by Audience View, which is shutting down Vendini.
  • Membership Database
    • Patron database has been de-duped
    • Preparation for a database migration when we move to new system
  • Also discussed lighting changes for the theater space. Still need approval for the plan that Ed sent to the City of Saratoga
    • City doesn’t have an electrician, so we should consider how to support.
    • [Action] Loop WVLO into the discussion and make sure that we are considering them. Dan will take this action.
    • Ed wants to ask if we can use Heather’s students to help tear out the old stuff and refocus lights later.
    • Jen cautioned that we have reduced our liability insurance.
    • [Action] Ed and Dan will let Jen know when theater students are brought to help with construction and lights so that we can reestablish previous liability insurance.

Finance (CFO: Jen Maggio)

  • Currently running $5,700 ahead of budget due to accounting and level of donations
  • Received a $5K check from the US Treasury and we don’t know what it is and why sent to us. Being carried on a balance sheet and not counting it as a donation.
  • Apparent decline in July is not correct. Reflects some June donations that had to be entered manually and show up in July.
  • Rent negotiations. Looking at the rehearsal studio. We’ve negotiated a reduction in our rent only through the end of this year. Looking to extend that.
  • Set shop on lease through March. Can then take advantage of a discounted lease for another year. After that, will need to reconsider

Committee Updates

Community, Inclusivity & Accountability

  • Looking for more works to reflect a wider view of diversity.
  • Key takeaway: SBMT on the right track and this is being recognized.
  • Bay Equity Action Plan – Most of scope is beyond us but will become our handbook.
  • Off on the right track.
  • Michael found it to be a very uplifting meeting
  • Will meet once a month moving forward
  • Renamed themselves CIA rather than EDI
  • [Action] Need a headshot from Tony Gaitian

Development & Fundraising

  • Person was missing from the list.
  • Looking at different types of fundraisers. Tacos and Tunes are not feasible right now.
    • Park options
    • Drive-in options
  • Need more help with grant writing. Dallas is asking for help to get more support here.
  • Also soliciting ideas for programs that we want done. Easier to find a grant for an existing idea.
  • Michael reached out to an associate who has a fundraising company. May result in an eStudio session or some other assistance to our org.
  • Jen wants us to frame what fund is for in the event that we have a bonus of funds at the end of the year. Concerned that folks may lessen donations as a result.
    • Michael said that we will have a State of SBMT meeting in the next few weeks and we should craft that message then

Organizational Development

  • Barbara has been working to help organize our documentation
  • Sara suggested that we start to put together a survey. Jay will work with Steve to help put that together. Will use to help guide our programming

Vision & Planning

  • Met September 7th (Barbara Heninger, Diane Milo, Gary Stanford, Michael Hirsch, Sara Dean
    • Reviewed Aug., Sept., & Oct. eStudio programming
    • Discussed moving from 1 month to 2 month sessions
    • Discussed season themes
    • “Script Club” to find, share & discuss material
  • Themes:
    • September – centered around Gentleman’s Guide
    • October – working around election season items and Jewish holy days
  • [Action] Sara to reach out to Stephen Wathen about his Dracula script, suggested by Jeffrey (who also thinks he might help with the set)
  • Restarting paid workshops
    • Playwriting
    • Audition Prep

Executive Director Updates

  • Mainstage reopening discussions: just this week we moved from purple to red
    • Reviewed the tiers that exist, why we are in a certain tier.
    • Lots of mixed messages from the county on what is allowed and what isn’t allowed.
    • Asking the county to be considered in the same way as places like churches which don’t allow for unmasked singers and meeting outdoors with a limit of 50 people. Also wants to be treated like TV studios who are allowed to film folks unmasked
    • Sharon brought up that Opera San Jose is using plexiglass booths to separate folks
    • Dallas has access to plexiglass shields as well.
  • AB5
    • AB2257 update – clarifications that musicians in theater productions are designated as employees; could be open to back pay for up to 3 years.
    • AB2257 does not allow exceptions for musical theatre nor for Fine Artists exemptions (i.e. set designers, musicians)
  • Board Expectations
    • Briefly reviewed document that was written in March of 2020
    • Talked about the board retreat. Can’t come together right now and won’t plan to do an hour session
      • Consider doing a topic every week over a period of time.
      • Board retreats give us an opportunity to put on our vision hats and think out 5 years in the future
      • [Action] Board members to ask themselves: What do we want to have accomplished in 1-2 years?

Round table

  • Dallas shares: Had 270 people at one point in our production of Almost, Maine which is the largest online audience that we’ve had. Also had over 100 people audition. Had folks from all over the world watching.
  • Michael shared: Something for us to consider is what to do with this online community once we’re able to go back into the theater. Should think about how we look on the other side of the pandemic.
  • Ed shared: Should we consider going back to Saratoga Drama and start doing smaller shows and/or mixed seasons (2 musicals and a play).

Meeting ended at 9:07 pm

“Dice”? Is that a typo?