2017 Company Picnic Meeting Minutes

By

Annual Company Meeting

Aug 27, 2017

2:00 pm

701 Pear St. Fort Collins, CO 80521

(Rogers Park adjacent to Bruce and Denise Freestone’s home)

Report from the Company Manager

  1. Company Manager 2016-2017 Season Accomplishments
    1. Henry awards – Won Colorado Theatre Guild Henry Awards for Best Season, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. OpenStage received 13 nominations, making it one of the top three nominated theatres in the state.
      1. It’s great that our theatre, as well as other Fort Collins theatres, were well-represented at the Henrys.  We all benefit from the recognition.
    2. Increase Company Morale
      1. Ghostlight Project in January
      2. Company Member Call Nights (still need to finish up)
      3. Continue communication and involvement with company newsletters
      4. Plan and run the picnic
      5. Brainstorm ways to encourage volunteerism within the company
      6. Holiday event – would love for it to be a theatre-wide event
      7. Referral program – 4 referral cards attached to company vochers; write in your name as a referral as a discount coupon; the person with the most referrals at the end of the season will get $100 cash
    3. Facilitate Current Processes
      1. Strike sheets have remained
      2. Set-in and Strike Heads: in progress
      3. Photography schedule
    4. Promote Artistic Growth
      1. Ost etcetera 
      2. Mentoring
    5. Ways you can help at OST
      1. Volunteering at an event
      2. Set-ins and strikes
      3. Stuffing envelopes and assisting with mailings.
        1. If you would like to help out, but don’t know where to start or what to do, contact Kate Austin-Groen.

Report from the Board of Directors by Chris Lanphear, Company Representative to Board/ Board of Directors Secretary

  1. The Board of Directors manages the business operations of OpenStage, everything from making sure the organization has enough money to legal considerations to fundraising and sponsorships.
  2. 2016-2017 Challenges
    1. We lost Elizabeth to greener pastures and as a result, Denise is back to working multiple jobs.
    2. Elizabeth’s role will not be filled at until at least next season at the earliest due to financial constraints.
  3. Good things
    1. We’re keeping a close eye on our finances
    2. Exploring some new potential financial partnerships
  4. Who is on the board?
    1. Chris asks board members to stand and be acknowledged.
    2. We’re all part of the OpenStage family, so reach out and say hello to board members at OST gatherings.
  5. If you’re interested in learning more or have some experience that you think would be a good fit as a member of the Board, talk to Chris.
  6. Who can attend board meetings?
    1. Board meetings are open to the public. We typically meet on the first Monday of every month from 5:30-7 PM at the community room above The Clothes Pony.
  7. Please come talk to Chris if you believe there are concerns the board should address.
  8. Chris thanks the company for allowing him to be representative.

Report from Marketing Director, Summer Alameel

  1. Accomplishments
    1. Infrastructure
      1. Brochure – redesigned; saved enough to build a new website (thank you Chris and Smiling Peanut)
      2. Website – distinguishes us from LC
        1. Doubled our web traffic since the launch
      3. Data Management upgrade – we know how our audience better than ever; now we can create the right message for the right person at the right time.
        1. Frances Way – has been documenting our data by hand for many years; Summer thanks her
      4. Video production – thank you to Steve Finnestead!
        1. Drives traffic and creates awareness to OST
      5. Ticket Sales
        1. Increase – more tix sold than anytime over the last 5 years
        2. Three Musketeers and Don’t Dress went way over our projections
      6. 2017-2018
        1. Growing audiences according to industry best practices (Research!)
      7. Early Bird Pricing
        1. Surpassed our season tix sales goals by $11,000 (281 packages sold to date!)
          1. Doubling season tix sales from 2014-2015
        2. How you can help:
          1. Like, comment, share OST social media posts
            1. For example, 3 likes reached 291 people; 7 likes, 2 shares reached 1238 people
          2. Support other artists at opening night!
          3. Referral program! $10 discount rather than using your own season tickets

Report from Associate Artistic Director, Sydney Parks Smith

  1. Announced new Company Members
    1. Kiernan Angley, Heather Ostberg Johnson, Jason Karcz, Cathleen Marr, Susan Rogers, Abigail Simpson
  2. Come to set-ins and strikes; upturn this year!
    1. The people who are at the most strikes and set-ins
      1. Joe Bakel, Hannah Brooks, Andrew Cole, Patricia Eichhorn, Bruce Freestone, Denise Freestone, Mercedes Gil, Michael Gorgan, Dave Grinnell, Bill Moorcroft, John Moreland, Bill Pool, Grant Putney, Steven Sickles
    2. Pick up season tix today!
    3. Interested in working on a show as run or tech crew, let Sydney know today or via email
    4. Kate announces – Summer Alameel has intense work ethic and talent to lead us to our 45th Season; gift of Freakshow wine and lavender which symbolizes her devotion to OST and ours to her.
    5. Sydney announces – Today we stand on the brink of our 45th season, right after being awarded best season for theatre company by the Colorado Theatre Guild, and there are so many of us that are filled with gratitude for the two people that have made all of this possible. Since 1973… she and he have fought relentlessly for arts and culture in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado, brilliantly directed and acted in so many productions I didn’t even bother to count. Know it’s a lot. She and He are amazing production managers. There is nothing they will not do to insure a show is ready for an audience. He and she lead every set in and strike and are there until the very end. Unless, of course, one of them is having a surgery or getting bionic hips put in. She and He have devoted their lives to the theater company they founded and the company of artists they lead. Oh, and managed to raise two intelligent and gorgeous women along with being grandparents to three delightful grandchildren. They have had the steely courage to keep going in the face of economic and social adversity. They RESIST the urge to give up walk away and quite frankly rest! Instead they PERSIST in creating excellent theater and a space where all of us can exhibit our talent and passion. All of us are here today are artists in this fabulous theater company because of the ongoing courage and devotion of these two people. The management team, the board of directors and this incredible family of artists you have brought together would like to thank you Denise and Bruce Freestone with the gift of this music box which plays the Edelweiss song which symbolizes courage, devotion, and resistance.

Arts in Government Report from Associate Producing Director, Bruce Freestone

  1. Downtown Fort Collins Creative District (DFCCD) is a certified Creative District from the State’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT).
    1. Received the max allowable $45000 budget for 2016-17
    2. DFCCD is the closest thing we have to an advocacy agent for OST
    3. DFCCD has a contract for services with City of Fort Collins to create some discipline convenings on Oct. 6; Nov 3; and Dec. 1, 2017
  2. ArtSpace Phase II is completed with over 500 responses to the survey.
    1. Short Format Video Project to showcase creative arts in Downtown Fort Collins Partner with Visit FC.
    2. Partnering with Open Streets in September to produce a large scale Arts Battle. – great day to take kids and wheeled toys out.
      1. Open Streets running from Taft to College on Springfield
  3. Significant contribution to the City Cultural Plan update to be completed by end of 2018.
    1. After brief conversation with new Cultural Services Director Vincent Kitch, Bruce believes he will be a great ally. Vincent sees the District as a natural path to filling the need for an umbrella arts agency stipulated in the city of Fort Collin’s cultural plan and pushing the arts and cultural agenda out to the rest of the city, not just downtown. He has a resume as an agent of change and wants the city to “lean in”.
      1. The city is the Creative District’s fiscal agent for discipline convenes.
  4. SCFD
    1. may not be revisited until 2020.
    2. The campaign needs $250,000.
    3. Bob Overbeck’s 3 precincts were SCFD wins; no one else on the City Council came out for SCFD.

State of the Theatre Report from Producing Artistic Director, Denise Burson Freestone

Company Officer Election facilitated by Sydney 

  1. The three Officers elected annually by the OpenStage Company of Artists, along with both paid and volunteer OpenStage Staff, compose OpenStage’s Management Team, which is responsible to meet regularly, to set annual goals and to address any issues that arise throughout the Season. As Elected Officials, they are expected to exemplify and nurture OpenStage Theatre & Company’s core values.
    1. Description of offices
      1. Company Manager – The Company Manager is responsible for representing and advancing the Company of Artists in all areas, including:
        1. Increasing Company Morale
        2. Handle grievances, concerns, and suggestions from Company Members
        3. Improve communication and involvement
        4. Plan and run the Annual Company Meeting in cooperation with the Management Team
        5. Work with the Management Team ways to encourage volunteerism within the Company
        6. Increasing OpenStage Theatre’s presence in the Community
        7. Facilitating Current Processes
        8. Promoting Artistic Growth within the Company
          1. David Austin-Grooen nominates, Jessica Macmaster seconds
            1. No one else wants to run
            2. Re-election approved
      2. Company Representative to the Board of Directors – The Company Representative to the Board of Directors acts as the voice of the Company on matters that concern the Board. Primary responsibilities include:
        1. Attending Board meetings and voting on initiatives
        2. Participating in appropriate Board committees
        3. Get feedback from Company Members and, if needed, take that feedback to the Board for review
        4. Look out for the interests of our Artists in all decision-making
        5. Present a Board report to the Company during the annual Company meeting
          1. Bas Meindertsma and Jason Karcz nominate Chris
          2. Steve Sickles and Jessica Macmaster nominate Nicole Gawronski
            1. Chris Lanphear speaks – takes job very seriously, incredibly important, thankful for opportunity.
            2. Nicole G. speaks – thanks Chris, believes her skills of being freakishly conscientious, a social worker for many years, gentle truth speaker, can eloquently speak for others when necessary.
        6. Voting – was close by a couple of hands
        7. Nicole approved
      3. Company Secretary – The Company Secretary is elected by the Company of Artists and is responsible for coordination and facilitation of communication from the Company Management Team to the Company. Key responsibilities include:
        1. Writing and editing content for the company newsletter
        2. Recording the minutes for Company Management Team meetings
        3. Assisting in the recording of minutes for board of director meetings
        4. Assisting in the moderation of official Company online forums
          1. Voting
            1. Jessica Macmaster nominates Briana for re-election
            2. Kiernan Angley seconds
            3. No one else wants to run
            4. Briana approved
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Grant Support
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