SECOND MEETING OF THE YEAR 2009 -
MARKHAM THEATRE ADVISORY BOARD
TOWN OF
MARKHAM
Markham Theatre Lobby
Monday, March
23rd, 2009
MINUTES
ATTENDANCE:
Present Staff
Brian
Harvey Bonnie
Armstrong
David
Banfield John Ryerson
Dennis
Cline Debbie
Watson
Nancy
Cogger Wendy
Woof-Severn
Neil
Fernandez
Simon
Gulden
Pat
Kincaid
Michael
Landry
Regrets
Mario
Miranda
Jennifer
Kah
Genny
Landis
Elizabeth
Richardson
Isabel
Schnapp
Tony
Wong, Regional Councillor
The
meeting convened at the hour of 5:35 p.m. with Brian Harvey in the Chair.
1.0 CALL TO ORDER AND CHAIR’S OPENING
REMARKS
·
meeting
at theatre because Canada Room was busy
2.0 ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE MARKHAM
THEATRE FOR PER- FORMING ARTS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING HELD ON JANUARY 26TH,
2009.
RECOMMENDED: THAT THE MINUTES OF THE MARKHAM THEATRE FOR
PERFORMING ARTS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING HELD ON JANUARY 26TH, 2009,
BE ADOPTED AS CIRCULATED.
3.0 ADDITIONS/CHANGES
TO AGENDA
4.0 BUSINESS
ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
5.0 MANAGER’S
REPORT
5.1 March
and April Events
·
11
dark days in March, and 6 in April
·
Touring
Players Theatre used 4 days in March, 2008, for school shows, however the
company recently folded
6.2 PES
Sales Update
·
January
childrens’ shows didn’t do well, however, Winterlude matinees did extremely
well
·
9
PES shows in March, and 5 in April
·
Canadian
Tenors and Peking Acrobats sold out well ahead of time
·
Chuck
Mangione sold out at the last minute
·
Uncle
Val and Montreal Guitar Trio had low ticket sales
·
2nd
City – 67% sold; Blind Date – 22% sold
6.3 2009-2010
PES Programming Update
·
first
show – The Nylons – one of most favourite artists
·
down
10 shows from 2008-2009 – reduces risk
·
good
list of artists
7.0 SUB-COMMITTEE
REPORTS
7.1 Appointment
of Financial Performance and Business
Plan Tracking Sub- Committee
Chair for 2009
It was
Moved
by Brian Harvey
Seconded
by Pat Kincaid
THAT Michael Landry be
appointed Chair of the Financial Performance and Business Plan Tracking
Sub-Committee for the year 2009.
Resolution
carried.
7.2 Financial Performance and Business Plan
Tracking – Michael Landry, Chair; Brian Harvey, Mario
Miranda, Pat Kincaid, David Banfield
·
end of
February losses worse than last year
·
selling fewer
tickets at less money
·
March and
April PES doing better
·
slow start to
year
·
hold ticket
prices because of economics
·
look to find
ways to pay for tickets in instalments
·
box seats now
same price as prime
·
need to
finalize budget
·
critical
review of rental prices and policies
·
need to have
clearer definition of data, i.e. ticket sales
·
policy and benefits
re complementary tickets – last Rising Star performance 3 people attended out
of 120 comp tickets given to schools
·
were also
given to choral groups, etc.
·
encouraged to
issue comp tickets to do more business; did it help to sell show?
·
how many community
dates at favourable rates; what is priority use?
7.3 Fundraising and Sponsorship
Development
- Neil
Fernandez, Chair; Jennifer Kah, Genny Landis, Dennis Cline, Nancy Cogger, David
Tsubouchi, Wendy Woof-Severn, Simon Gulden
·
no
update; waiting for 25th Anniversary Committee to meet, and for the PES
show line-up
·
have
$22.5K paid for but the dollar amount isn’t deposited to the account until
after the show so it’s not reported as revenue
7.4 25th Anniversary Committee
– Dennis
Cline and Mario Miranda, Co-Chairs; Bonnie Armstrong, Simon Gulden, John
Ryerson, Elizabeth Richardson
·
new ticket
envelope with coupons on back
·
new
letterhead with new 25th Anniversary logo
·
new facility
photos and rental brochures
·
new portal –
theatre web site
·
analyze
effective use of dollars
·
build
momentum over the year to tie into the season opener – The Nylons
·
the Mayor is being
invited to attend Season Opener, Gala and Horse Guards 200th
Anniversary Gala
·
media kit –
good news stories
·
The Canadian
Tenors – Friends of the Theatre Fundraising Gala December 18 and 19, 2009
·
will announce
gala and start to sell tickets on March 28th at the Canadian Tenors
performance
·
Dennis Cline
and Mario Miranda meeting with the Mayor to ask him to be Honorary Chair of 25th
Anniversary
·
need commitment
from sponsors
8.0 NEW
BUSINESS
8.1 Status
Update – Theatre Projection System
·
report going
to General Committee April 21st
·
try to
identify people in the community who would be interested in starting a film
society
·
film
festivals, movie nights; smaller art films in the rehearsal hall
·
system is
portable so will permit use at other locations
·
corporate
uses – charge back to user
·
estimated
cost of $46K for screen, projector and installation
·
asking for
funding from Endowment Fund
8.2 Meeting
Start Times
·
suggested
that start time be moved later than 5:30 pm
·
will send an
e-mail for comments
8.3 Volunteer
Program
·
benefit in
re-examining program
·
currently
have 12 volunteers coordinated by Hansie Ramsook
·
biggest
challenge is getting a volunteer coordinator
·
needs board
leadership, and structure
·
Veau Trotter
here for 4 months, 4 hours a week, coordinating Rising Stars program
·
did have
co-op students but that program no longer in place
8.4 MECO News
·
theatre
featured in article re lighting retrofit
9.0 DATE OF
NEXT MEETING
Monday,
April 20th, 2009, 5:30 p.m. (note date change)
Canada
Room, Markham Civic Centre
10.0 ADJOURNMENT
·
6:45 p.m.