2021-01-13 Board Meeting Minutes

Present: Michael Hirsch, Dan Singletary, Jay Steele, Steve Sammonds,, Raiña Parks, Dave Leon, Sharon Peng, Kevin Brownstein, Ed Hunter, Doug Hughes, Sara Dean, Dallas Carter, Jeff Henson, Clay Buck

Start 7:04 pm

Welcome by Michael Hirsch

Agenda

  • Functional Update
    • Marketing & Social Media (Doug Hughes) – 3 minutes
    • Facilities (Jeffrey Henson) – 3 minutes
    • Tech (Dan Singletary) – 3 minutes
  • Financial Update (CFO: Jen Maggio) – 3 minutes
  • Board Retreat Action Items (Michael Hirsch) – 3 minutes
  • Executive Director Update (Sara Dean) – 3 minutes
  • Committee Updates
    • Community, Inclusivity & Accountability (Kevin Brownstein, Sharon Peng) – 3 minutes
    • Development & Fundraising (Dallas Carter; Kathy Switky) – 10 minutes
    • Organizational Development (Jay Steele) – 10 minutes
    • Vision & Planning (Michael Hirsch) – 10 minutes

Actions (none)

Functional Update

  • Marketing & Social Media (Doug Hughes)

    • Make sure to take a look at the videos that Doug is doing at least once a month
    • YouTube metrics show +10.9% m/m

  • Facilities (Jeffrey Henson)

    • Not present

  • Technology (Dan Singletary)

    • Nothing to report and the technology is all still working properly
    • Doug shared that we are hoping to do a list of donors from scratch for the programs
    • Dan can help Doug get the information out of OvationTix for the program but is not in a good format for printing
    • Brief description of whether or not folks care to have their names in the programs

  • Financial Updates

    • Not present, not update

  • Board Retreat – Action Items

    • ED – create high-level schedule; facilitate asks
      • Dave Leon & Steve Sammonds have each taken a producer role
    • ED – consider hiring production manager for eStudio
      • Consider hiring someone to run Workshop Series
      • Workshop Series sold out.
    • ED – document processes for production of programs
    • Board – participate in at least one eStudio event/month
      • How did everyone do?
    • Board – provide feedback & ideas for new & existing programs
      • Email or chat with ED
  • Phase 1: Reopening
    • Board – create reopening Task Force
      • Michael H. send out ask to Board
      • Need to determine who will chair that committee
    • Org Dev – update job descriptions for ED & Prod Staff
      • Jay
    • Dev & Fund – schedule discussion on fundraising & friendraising with Clay
      • Jan. 13 at board meeting
    • CIA – establish inclusivity goals & how to be accountable for them
      • Kevin & Sharon
    • V&P – balance programming vision to grow overall audience
      • Michael
    • V&P – plan & schedule January SCT meeting
      • Sara & Michael
      • Nina is facilities coordinator with the Community Center, SCT
  • Phase 2 Transformation – “Next Normal”
    • ED – meet with Jen to discuss budget, season selling options
      • ED & Jen meet over break
    • ED – talk with similar 5 show companies (e.g. PAP, CityLights, Hillbarn)
      • ED – research structure of their seasons
    • Org Dev – survey audience to get general interest
      • Steve
    • V&P –  think through problems, challenges, create feasible scenarios & calendar; find content (e.g. “small” shows); co-productions
      • Michael

  • Executive Director (ED) Updates

    • Upcoming
      • Grants – update, CA Small business & Federal
      • Jan/ Feb: Programs
    • Wins
      • Thank You Donors/ Donation Update
      • Jan/ Feb Workshop Series
      • December Programs 
    • In Process
      • Board expectations vs. Exec. Director responsibilities
      • Space Share & 2021/ 2022 Season

  • Community, Inclusivity & Accountability

Members

    • Chair: Kevin Brownstein, Sharon Peng
    • Board Members: Dave Leon
    • Non-Board Members: Khalia Davis, Vinh G. Nguyen, Cordelia Larsen, Jenni Chapman, Tony Gaitian, Sruthi Jayakumar, Jennifer Petersen, Aly Suleman, Sara Dean
        • December Updates: no meeting
    • CIA oversight added to every committee
    • Next Meeting: January 21st 7:30pm
      • Identify priorities for ReOpening Task Force Advisory
      • Develop Modes of Accountability
    • Rachel
      • Submissions Total: 18
      • Submissions: 94% BIPOC-identifying 
      • Total Cast: 8
    • Upcoming
      • Pride & Prejudice (February)  
        • Director: TBD (SVS)
        • SM: Alex T-M (SVS/ SBMT)
        • 123 submissions for this production currently
      • Anon(ymous) (March) 
        • Director: Vinh G. Nguyen

  • Development & Fundraising

    • Year- End Donation Drive
      • Mailing sent on Nov 10th to 993 potential donors
      • GOAL = $25,000
      • Currently at $20,676 (82.7% of goal)
    • Possible Fundraising Events
      • Paint Night, Cocktail & Cabaret Night, Beer, BBQ & Broadway, Drive-in Cabaret Night/ Event in Saratoga, Bingo Nights
    • Small/ Medium Business asks
    • Silicon Valley Donor Circle – Arts
    • Working on a mailing for Valentine’s Day for our donors. Need help with this and asking for folks to help right up 50 of these. Info will be given to us. Board members to sign-up and help!

  • Organizational Development

    • Org dev wants to make sure to loop in CIA for writing job description

  • Vision & Planning

    • Finding content – members reading 4 plays and adding to the database
    • Working on criteria for selecting material
    • Look at surveys and ranking data for audience interest in what they would like to see next
    • eStudio – December: reviewed what was done that month
    • eStudio Metrics: Top program continues to be South Bay Cabaret. “Mama’s” was the big hit
    • eStudio Dec & Jan
      • Dec 2 – Behind the Curtain: Musicals Reimagined: Director Panel
      • Dec 5 – Cinema Spotlight: Swing Parade of 1946
      • Dec 7 – Broadway by the Decade: Underappreciated Musical Gems with Ron Susak 
      • Dec 12 – Performance Workshop: Tap Dance with Francesca Cipponeri
      • Dec 15 – South Bay Cabaret: SBMT Mommas
      • Dec 19 – Performance Workshop: Jazz Dance wirth Michael Saenz
      • Dec 19 – Readers’ Theater:  I am a Camera by John van Druten
      • Dec 20 – A Muse Event: Musical Theatre Trivia Night
      • Dec 23 – Cinema Spotlight: Swing Parade of 1946
      • Dec 28 – SBMT Holiday Social
      • Jan 12 – Arts 2021
      • Jan 16 – Tap Workshop: Francesca Cipponeri
      • Jan 23 – Jazz Workshop: Michael Saenz
      • Jan 23 – Cinema Spotlight: The Inspector General
      • Jan 26 – Broadway by the Decade: 1980’s with Heather Kenyon
      • Jan 29 & Jan 30 – Readers’ Theater: Rachel
    • Awards – Nominations voted on reviewed by the board. Will be announced in February

  • Special Topic

    • Presentation by Clay Buck 
      • Worked with the Development team for the last couple months to help shape our fundraising efforts. 

Meeting Adjourned 9:00 pm