Start: 7:24 p.m.
End: 9:16 p.m.

Board Members In Attendance: Michael Hirsch, Dan Singletary, Braden Taylor, Nicole Tung, Ann Lucena,Tipu Purkayastha

Ex Officio: Walter Mayes (Artistic Director), Ian Fullmer (Development Director), Doug Hughes (Marketing Director)

Potential Board Members: Josh Limasa, Marcy Bates, Anita Carey, Andy Switky, Nancy Whitney, LaShonda Eagels

Summary of Action Items

ACTION: Walter will create job description for tech director/ production manager

ACTION: Walter will create comparison/market analysis with other local theaters for Braden 

ACTION: Salary discussion between Walter, Braden, and Michael for new hires

ACTION: Ann to create instructions for Walter for company members to understand how to apply for matching volunteer hours

ACTION: Ann to touch base with Walter to establish connection with a local senior center

Updates

  • Currently seeking Technical Director, Production Manager (leaving at the end of the year)
  • For Board member search, new procedure. At minimum:
    • sponsored by a Board member 
    • meet with two Board members 
    • then invited to the Board as potential member
  • Potential Board members were invited to sit in on Board meeting – Meet and Greet, President gave synopsis of Board expectations 
  • Welcome Ian Fullmer (Development Director) onboard the SBMT Staff!
  • Discussion of special needs performance per production, new sources for volunteers
  • Urinetown orientation took place this week
  • If interested in volunteering on a production: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdADPyonVEEiLFxxFvbnc7TT7N12r-08SyZP-LZICfKIW3e9A/viewform
    If interested in being a lobby volunteer or usher: https://sbmt.ivolunteer.com/

BOARD CHAIR UPDATES

PRESIDENT

  • SVCreates – Theatre & Dance Roundtable for all local arts groups
    • SBMT received $6K general operation grant
    • President attended 1st meeting – discussion about sharing resources (theater vs dance companies), dwindling audiences, storage, arts & controversy
    • Discussed opportunity to possibly rent space from escape room company (for building sets, storage)
  • Scouting for new ticketing software that costs less
    • Escape room owner may be able to convert his ticketing software for theaters
  • Portable:
    • New chairs
    • Remove wallpaper and paint
    • Fix ceiling tile
  • Currently SBMT uses SurveyMonkey for surveys
    • Most likely won’t renew next year (September 2025) in order to save money
  • Priorities: 
    • Expand and enhance Board
    • Hire staff
    • Balance budget
    • Bylaws revision
    • Fundraising 
    • Development
    • Volunteers
    • Portable

CTO

CFO

  • Plenty of cash reserve
  • Managed to stay under budget for NNN, lower fees due to lower ticket sales
    • Lower ticket sales than anticipated for NNN
  • Fixed costs (i.e. theater and rehearsal space) are a challenge

Marketing

  • New flyers promoting donating to SBMT to sustain the company

Development and Fundraising

  • Percentage of fundraising goal is not where we would currently like it to be 
    • Expect a bump in Jan/Feb, another in April
    • Matched funds/time would be huge benefit, too
    • Brainstorming for sponsorships for Brigadoon
  • Approved grants:
    • Law-Sun grant
    • Maurice Amado Foundation
  • Year end appeal letters have been assembled and will be mailed out in December
    • Thank you to volunteers for helping to get them out
  • Outreach under way for local senior homes
    • flyer will be included in Outlook newspaper for Urinetown
  • Will begin planning for fundraising concerts soon

AD:

  • Urinetown rehearsals began last Sunday
    • Ticket contest to encourage ticket sales
    • Tongue in cheek marketing centered around Little Sally
  • Titanic almost fully cast
  • Bridgadoon auditions happening soon
    • Full production and budget for the show

MD:

Organizational Development

  • Committee will schedule session to discuss details for Company handbook