THIRD MEETING OF THE YEAR 2009 -
MARKHAM THEATRE ADVISORY BOARD
TOWN OF
MARKHAM
Canada Room, Markham Civic Centre
Monday, April
20th, 2009
MINUTES
ATTENDANCE:
Present Staff
Brian
Harvey Bonnie
Armstrong
David
Banfield Brenda Librecz
Dennis
Cline Debbie
Watson
Simon
Gulden Wendy
Woof-Severn
Pat
Kincaid
Michael
Landry
Isabel
Schnapp
Regrets
Nancy
Cogger
Neil
Fernandez
Mario
Miranda
Jennifer
Kah
Genny
Landis
Elizabeth
Richardson
John
Ryerson
Tony
Wong, Regional Councillor
The
meeting convened at the hour of 5:30 p.m. with Brian Harvey in the Chair.
1.0 CALL TO ORDER AND CHAIR’S OPENING
REMARKS
·
no
quorum therefore can’t pass minutes; hold over to next meeting
2.0 ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE MARKHAM
THEATRE FOR PER- FORMING ARTS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING HELD ON MARCH 23,,
2009.
·
deferred
to the next meeting
3.0 ADDITIONS/CHANGES
TO AGENDA
4.0 BUSINESS
ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
·
was
a request that the meeting start time be changed to 6:30 p.m., or as late as
possible
·
overwhelming
support to leave at 5:30 p.m.
5.0 MANAGER’S
REPORT
5.1 May
Events
·
one
of the two busiest months of the year; start of dance season
·
two
PES events – Rising Stars
·
two
days with two events; three days with three shows
·
four
new clients in May
·
drama
camp – added a third camp; junior one sold out in April; 30 in each
·
senior
camp – 16 in each and about 50% full
·
junior
– 8 to 12 years; senior – 13 to 16 years
6.2 PES
Sales Update
·
finished
last major performance last week
·
ticket
sales an issue all around the province, however, they picked up a little at the
end
6.3 Season
Launch Update
·
May
11th, 7:00 p.m.
·
$10
but all attending get a coupon for $10 off their subscription order
·
51
tickets already sold for Canadian Tenors
·
have
received a subscription order from someone who can’t attend the launch
6.4 2009-2010
PES Programming Update
·
thanks
to Michael Landry who has spent many hours putting show budgets together on a
spreadsheet
·
Wendy
has also spent many hours doing the season brochure
7.0 SUB-COMMITTEE
REPORTS
7.2 Financial Performance and Business Plan
Tracking – Michael Landry, Chair; Brian Harvey, Mario
Miranda, Pat Kincaid, David Banfield
·
March results
generally good
·
revenue up
78% but year-to-date 27% below budget
·
March PES
favourable
·
sponsorship
at target
·
number of
dark days up eight over last year; most in January
·
some
nervousness about budget system – rely on historical precedent
·
costs
continue to rise but rental charges frozen
·
better way to
look at department support
·
some progress
on ticketing; better data on TixHub
·
building a
database for next year
·
have to
review complementary ticket policy, including papering the house
·
basically a
very good month
·
average PES
ticket price $33
·
allowing two
payments on orders over $300
·
if don’t
split, receive two free tickets to another show
·
also payroll
deductions for town staff being launched in May
·
not
recognizing flexibility in artist fees; hoped would see when booking through
agents but not moving and some have actually gone up
·
some
individual artist fees have come down
·
only one
artist being paid in US dollars
·
fairly
ambitious targets re attendance; will be a challenge
·
ticket sales
3% less this year than last
7.3 Fundraising and Sponsorship
Development
- Neil
Fernandez, Chair; Jennifer Kah, Genny Landis, Dennis Cline, Nancy Cogger, David
Tsubouchi, Wendy Woof-Severn, Simon Gulden
·
Neil
Fernandez met with two Councillors to get contacts for new sponsors
·
David
Tsubouchi has some good suggestions
·
making
initial contacts
·
reviewed
sponsor benefits
·
Allstate
to be season sponsor
·
trying
to get some sponsors from the past 25 years to return
·
lost
one sponsor but might still support Gala
·
setting
up joint meeting with 25th Anniversary Committee
·
Mayor’s
Office sent a letter asking for his support for the season launch, the Nylons
and the Gala; also looking at the Governor General’s Horse Guards
·
formal
request to Council to attend Gala by buying a table
·
$2,500
sponsorship for month does not show up in finance report
·
Mayor
behind supporting the 25th Anniversary and has agreed to be Honorary
Chair
7.4 25th Anniversary Committee
– Mayor
Frank Scarpitti, Honorary Chair; Dennis Cline and Mario Miranda, Co-Chairs; Bonnie
Armstrong, Simon Gulden, John Ryerson, Elizabeth Richardson
·
information
already out
·
need to set
up a to-do list
·
talk to
media, sponsors, artists
·
look at
Mayor’s availability
·
Unionville
High School also looking at having a 25th anniversary reunion in
May, 2010
·
strategy to
communicate and get word out
·
document
outlining community events
·
new logo for
Canadian Tenors show
·
Season Launch
to be first public kick-off; media will be present
·
radio
partners – tremendous support
·
Wendy doing
two radio interviews May 12th
·
article and
insert in Toronto Star
8.0 NEW
BUSINESS
8.1 Status
Update – Theatre Projection System
·
report went
to General Committee April 21st but deferred due to lack of time to
complete entire agenda
8.2 Unionville
High School Upgrade
·
Bonnie
Armstrong and Scott Hill met with Gil Verbeek and members of the York Region
Board of Education
·
water
chillers at UHS to be upgraded
·
chance to
split and do theatre separately
·
to be
determined by the town how to pay
8.3 Volunteer
Program
·
examine
program; change to enhance
·
biggest
challenge – find a co-ordinator
·
not a
priority at this time
9.0 DATE OF
NEXT MEETING
Monday,
May 25th, 2009, 5:30 p.m.
Canada
Room, Markham Civic Centre
10.0 ADJOURNMENT
·
6:25 p.m.