3201 Allen Parkway, Suite 101, Houston, TX 77019 713.527.0220 www.stagestheatre.com 2016-2017 Annual Report Stages Repertory Theatre s mission is to advance theater and enlivencommunity to make a more vibrant Houston. This is achieved by producing new work and established work in new ways, developing and nurturing talent, and cultivating and strengthening relationships. ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE The 2016-2017 Season offered a diverse, wide-ranging season of 12 plays and musicals, including two world premieres and one U.S. premiere and welcoming more than 60,000 Houstonians to Stages productions. Highlights included: Shear Madness - This wildly popular interactive comedy holds the Guinness Record for longest-running U.S. play for its production in cities including Boston and Washington D.C. Because the show s creators rarely allow it to be licensed by outside companies, the Houston production stands as a testament to Stages stellar national reputation. Denise Fennell, beloved by Stages audiences for her role as Sister in the Late Nite Catechism series, starred alongside a powerhouse cast of Houston favorites to enthusiastic audience response that made the show one of the top sellers of Stages 2016-2017 Season. De Kus (The Kiss) - Stages partnered with Upstream Theater (St. Louis, MO) on this U.S. Premiere co-production of Dutch playwright Ger Thijs s portrait of a woman facing a possible breast cancer diagnosis. Stages Artistic Director Kenn McLaughlin directed the production in both Houston and St. Louis, where it was named one of the Top 10 Shows of 2015. In conjunction with Houston's notable medical community, and with support from Pink Ribbons Project, Stages also hosted three free, public post-performance panel discussions between audiences and members of the medical community including doctors, researchers, cancer patients and survivors, and advocacy groups, exploring issues related to diagnosis, fear and anxiety around serious illness, and the intersection of art and medicine. My Mañana Comes - This critically acclaimed powerhouse drama, which explores questions surrounding the mythos of the American Dream, national identity and immigration, opened at Stages in February 2017, within weeks of controversial executive orders that put immigration in the national spotlight. Stages production received outstanding reviews across the board from Houston critics, fervent praise from audiences, and, in keeping with Stages focus on developing talent and nurturing emerging artists, marked the professional debuts of three of the four actors.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - Stages is one of the first theatres in the U.S. to produce U.K. playwright Jethro Compton s critically-acclaimed work, which braves largely uncharted theatrical territory by bringing a classic Western to the stage. Compton was on site in Houston during final rehearsals for Stages production, which employed a striking theatrical twist: The characters of the hero and the villain alternated between two lead actors who switched roles throughout the run. COMMISSIONING NEW WORKS Stages Repertory Theatre began the 2016-2017 Season with The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On, a world premiere production, the latest addition to the highly-acclaimed Wonderettes series. Roger Bean, creator, chose Stages from theatres nationwide for this premiere because of his successful past collaborations with the artistic leadership of Stages, which stands as a significant endorsement of the company's high standards and consistent quality of work. As originator of this new work, Stages will benefit financially from future productions with a royalty interest in the production. In conjunction with the production, Stages cast recorded a professional original cast recording now publicly available for sale and download. For the 2017-2018 Season, Stages has commissioned a new holiday musical, A Midnight Clear: A Musical Tale of Christmas, by Stages Artistic Director Kenn McLaughlin and composer David Nehls, who previously collaborated on the 2016 world premiere I ll Be Home for Christmas for the Arvada Center in Denver, CO. SUPPORTING HOUSTON ARTISTS Stages continues to increase the total number of work weeks for professional actors, directors, and stage managers, and increase minimum pay to work towards a livable wage that allows artists to build their careers and lives in Houston rather than leaving to seek more lucrative and fulfilling opportunities elsewhere. Beginning with the 2016-2017 Season, Stages expanded our union agreement with Actors Equity Association, and is now the highest SPT contractor (small professional theatre venues under 349 seats) in Houston. As a result, more artists are developing careers through our productions than at any time in the theatre s history. EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT The Honky Tonk Angels at Miller Outdoor Theatre - In September 2016, with support from Presenting Sponsor Phillips 66 and the Miller Theatre Advisory Board, Stages presented The Honky Tonk Angels at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park. This new investment in community engagement offered more than 5,000 Houstonians and visitors the opportunity to experience Stages work completely free of charge, ensuring that a broad, diverse audience has access to quality theatrical productions without economic barriers. Student Matinees - In conjunction with the world premiere production of Panto Wonderful Wizard, Stages expanded student matinee offerings to include additional performance times as well as free and deeply discounted tickets for Title 1 schools. One performance hosted a range of students with special needs with accommodations for sign language interpretation and audio description. For the 2017-2018 Season, Stages will add a sensory-friendly matinee to welcome students with autism spectrum disorders and other sensory issues.
Young Artists Conservatory (YAC) - The summer conservatory for high school students is offered free of charge to all participants, with applications are open to all interested students, regardless of economic status or experience level, and selection is based on application, recommendations and audition. This four-week full time intensive program immerses participants in all aspects of theatre production, preparing young theatre practitioners to excel in university-level theatre programs. In summer 2017, Stages began a multi-year expansion of this program by adding a technical theatre track for students interested in focusing on theatrical technology, production and design. Performance and Production Internships - Stages continued its longstanding performance and production internship programs with Sam Houston State University and Lorain County Community College in Lorain, OH, in addition to discrete internship opportunities with other local and national universities. For the 2016-2017 Season, 14 roles were played by interns making their professional theatre debuts, and 15 established professional actors featured were previous interns who began their careers at Stages. Ticket Donations - With a focus on serving Houston s diverse, varied communities and creating equitable access free from economic barriers, Stages donated more than 1,000 tickets to community organizations including VetTix, Casa de Esperanza, Houston Area Women s Center, the Houston branch of the National Association of Social Workers, The Women s Home, and more. SUBSCRIPTION & TICKET SALES Subscription revenues for the 2016-2017 Season increased 47%, with the total number of subscribers increasing 42%. Of those subscribers, nearly 30% purchased All-In packages which include tickets to every production in Stages season, demonstrating the deep engagement and commitment of Stages core audience base. Subscription revenue for the 2017-2018 Season has already exceeded the 2016-2017 total. Total paid attendance for 2016-2017 increased by over 10%, and five productions exceeded $100,000 in sales, with The Honky Tonk Angels Holiday Spectacular grossing $250,000 to set a new record for holiday programming. FUNDRAISING With a continued investment in tactics to convert subscribers and single ticket buyers to donors, overall operating support increased by 38% for the 2016-2017 Season, with a 60% increase in revenue from donors giving $15,000 or more annually. The total number of donors contributing at the Impresario level (annual support of $1,500 to $14,999) increased by 20%, with revenue increasing by 58% for this important segment. With leadership from Gala Chairs Jo and Jim Furr and Underwriting Chairs Elaine and Ray Messer, Stages hosted the most successful gala in our history, raising more than $382,000 to support the work taking shape in Stages' theatres.
FINANCE & OPERATIONS Since 2014, Stages' annual operating budget has nearly doubled from $2.1 million to $4.1 million for the 2017-2018 Season, making Stages Houston's sixth largest nonprofit performing arts producer and the largest outside of the Houston Theatre District. Importantly, Stages' has posted surpluses in each fiscal year during this period. Net assets have increased to $6.7 million from $54,282 just five years ago. To maximize both space efficiency and earned revenue opportunities, during the 2016-2017 Season Stages developed and launched a venue rental program. BOARD & STAFF Board of Directors - With leadership from Chairman George Lancaster and President Steven Owsley, the Board introduced five new members during the 2016-2017 Season, for a total of 14 new members over the past two years. Stages highly functional Board includes 29 members who serve on ten standing committees and task forces to provide year-round leadership. The Nominating & Governance Committee, chaired by Jane Schmitt, is now focused on engaging corporate leaders and representatives from diverse, underrepresented communities. Staffing Growth - Stages' management team member Lise Bohn moved into the position of Resource Development and Communications Director in July 2016 to grow contributed revenue, capital and operating, as well as craft and implement a comprehensive communications strategy for the organization. Mandi Cooper has joined in the new role of Marketing and Sales Director and Debra Yeang in an expanded Finance Director position. FY17 Income and Expenses for Year Ended June 30, 2017 (unaudited) Total Support & Revenue: $3,352,646 Program Expenses: $2,806,600 Management & General Expenses: $ 267,338 Fundraising Expenses: $ 236,680 End of Year Net Asset Balance: $6,717,150
Executive Committee George C. Lancaster, Chairman Steven Owsley, President Sally Edmundson, Secretary Phillip Vogelsang, Treasurer / Chair, Finance Jo Furr, Chair, Development Raymond Messer, Chair, Strategic Planning Jim Nicklos, Chair, Audit Jane Crowder Schmitt, Chair, Nominating & Governance Randel R. Young, Member-at-Large Board of Directors Kay Brazelton Bruce Dominic Cellitti Mike Dishberger Duke Ensell Stacy Feltham Cynthia Guill Joanna Handel Neal Hirsch Cindy Sparkman Langham Harriet Latimer Alexander Lazar, MD / PhD Roland Maldonado, MD Mary Moore Mauri Oliver Thomas Paul Angela HarakaRamm Hans Roth Ted Swindley* Sheryl Vazquez Nixon Wheat Artistic Director: Kenn McLaughlin Managing Director: Mark Folkes *Ex-Officio Stages Repertory Theatre is tax-exempt under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.