Support SA

Dear fellow theater supporter,

I’m writing to catch you up on Shakespeare’s Associates and our prime program: the Livermore Shakespeare Festival. And, of course, to ask for your support for the coming year. But let me convince you …

In a time in our country’s history when job prospects are low and fear about the economy is high, we at SA have been prudent, banding together with our volunteers and supporters to maintain the organization without putting ourselves in jeopardy. We have not reduced staff or done a “save us” campaign because we have not needed to, not because the need for funding isn’t acute, but because we have been wise in our expenditures and supported by volunteer efforts across the spectrum of administration, leadership and production. “Many hands make light work.”

GOOD NEWS: We ended the fiscal year solidly in the black, as we have since our incorporation in 2006. And not just barely in the black, but 5 digits – able to cover our minimal overhead at the historic Train Depot in downtown Livermore for the ensuing months while we raise the money, audition the actors, and prepare the marketing campaign and production team for next summer’s festival. Concannon Vineyard has again donated the venue, a significant first step in planning LSF 12.

The monies we have saved will sustain the organization for several months, but in order to hire the designers, actors, directors and technicians, we’ll need to raise the roughly $100,000 it takes to produce the festival. That’s where you come in.

GOOD NEWS: Again, quality increased this season. Our relationship with Actors Equity Association is strong and three union members performed with us. The amazing Jennifer LeBlanc played “Lady M” and treated audiences to a sleepwalking scene that many of us said was the most moving we’d ever experienced. Jesse Caldwell and Stephen Muterspaugh grounded the Tenor cast with experience that provided a foundation for the work of several up-and-comers who blossomed with us and are performing at various other theaters as I write this. We attracted another recognized director, Leslie Martinson, of nationally lauded TheatreWorks, to direct Lend Me a Tenor. The show was a riot, much loved by audiences and actors alike. In fact, the cast of Tenor is still socializing – a testament to the experience they had working together with us under Leslie’s expert leadership.

In order to maintain the ability to hire actors and directors of such high caliber, we need to raise money to pay them. The top actors are sought after by other companies, most of which have bigger stipends to offer. Several of the non-union actors that we have appreciated in recent years have since joined the union. In order to entice them back to us, we need to offer the minimal salary that the union requires. They are worth paying for, and hardly asking too much.  Again, this is where you come in. We need money to hire and housing to offer to these sought-after artists.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: Katie Marcel and I are the two permanent staff members. We are both part-time. I rely on Katie to run the organization from the business side: to formulate and execute the marketing plan, maintain the books and financials of the organization, file the tax information with the accountants, stay on top of insurance … if you have ever run a business, you know what I’m talking about. I spearhead the hiring and auditioning of directors, designers, actors and technicians, choose the plays, develop our relationship with the actors’ union and theater training programs. We both represent the organization at various committees and community groups, support the board, are involved in both fundraising and the artistic side of marketing and public relations, and volunteer recruitment and supervision. And we need help.

I’m now the Chair of Theatre Arts at University of the Pacific in Stockton. While it’s wonderful to be granted tenure and feel the support and respect of my fellow faculty and dean, it means that I have fewer volunteer hours each week to augment my part-time status at SA.

Katie has a growing family and a love and vision for her community that pulls her in several directions.

In order for the organization to grow, we need to add paid staff hours to the organization. I’d like to increase Katie’s hours next year. This is where you come in. We need just a few more dollars than last year to increase her regular hours. We hope that those of us who donate regularly will increase our donations, even just a little bit, in order to strengthen the organization through increased capacity for paid professional staff.

MORE NEWS: Next summer, we’ll celebrate 10 years of Shakespeare in the Vineyard programming by producing two Shakespeare plays:  Hamlet and The Merry Wives of Windsor. One tragedy, perhaps the best known in the western world, and one very, very silly farce. Interestingly, the Shakespeare play has out-sold the contemporary play each and every year. Surprising, actually, but we thought we’d test the theory and celebrate our 10^th year with “all Shakespeare all the time!” Shakespeare plays have larger casts and greater demands for costumes than other plays, so we’ll need your support to make these two shows the dynamic expression of our community’s interests and values.

ECONOMIC ENGINE?  Yes – Livermore Shakes is an economic engine for Livermore. Over 50% of our paying patrons come from outside Livermore. We introduce many people from the East Bay and South Bay to our beautiful wine country and delightful downtown. I know these people return again with friends, even between Shakespeare Festival dates. We need your support to continue to market in these outlying areas. We must continue to work hard to move our local economy forward, not sit back and bemoan the state of affairs in the nation. Supporting LSF, a destination event, is one small way you can make a difference locally.

EDUCATION: I bring in college apprentices from the American College Theater Festival auditions, Western States. These young pre-professionals work their tails off for us, and report back that they had a great experience. One of our LSF 11 recruits, Alex Lenarsky, has already landed 3 jobs in the Bay Area since joining us, including a walk-on at TheatreWorks, a LORT theater! An intern from University of the Pacific, Chris Dewey, has landed 5 shows a year in the area since working with us in 2009. Your donations paid these young artists’ stipends. Your donations introduced them to our community, and got them on the right track professionally. Our local summer housing hosts made it possible for them to accept the position in the first place.

Last year we produced David Mamet’s A Life in the Theater in memory of local theater lover Garret Boer. I’ll be up front: we don’t plan to do a Spring show this year. Until we get the financial support needed to maintain the quality of our productions and not burn out the staff (a serious issue) we will direct our resources to the Livermore Shakespeare Festival. But again, you have influence. We can fund the festival and get back to doing the indoor productions as well. We want to do them both, but can only do it with your support and your help introducing the company to new sponsors: personal, corporate and foundation.

Our volunteers were out at ArtWalk and are busy preparing another reading at the library as part of Livermore Reads Together. We’ll stay active in our community and look forward to your ideas and invitations to appear and participate. Your energy and enthusiasm sustain us.

We have created something very special. Like any community endeavor we move forward each year with renewed support. Nothing is automatic. Nothing can be taken for granted. There is always room for new participants and always a need to support those that have been working all along toward the common goal.

I believe in the power of theater to foster a community dialogue. The discussion may be generated by a comedy that reminds us of our foibles, and encourages us to keep our egos in check, our hearts humble, or our dreams grand. It may be a tragedy that reminds us to hold close the ones we love, or to play by the rules guided by values worth fighting for. In addition to the beautiful costumes, the dynamic and passionate performances, the gorgeous sunset on the peaceful grounds of the winery at Concannon, there is substance to the experience. The experience includes Shakespeare’s challenge to us to be the best, most humane, human beings we can be. I believe this, or I wouldn’t do this work. And this is again, where you come in. If you believe in the power of the theater to help create a good society, don’t just applaud, but find a way to donate. We need financial support; we need volunteers; we need introductions to corporations and foundations that can partner with us.

I promise you that your donations will not be wasted, but spent judiciously, and on the festival, not old debt. (We have none.) I’ll work hard to attract the most exciting artists, mentor the most promising pre-professionals that I can find, and create a vibrant experience to attract and excite both local and Bay Area wide patrons to join us in Livermore for this celebration and exploration we call live theater.

As always, your thoughts and ideas are welcome.

Sincerely,

Lisa A. Tromovitch
Producing Artistic Director

Checks made out to Shakespeare’s Associates can be mailed to:
SA, P.O. Box 2616, Livermore, CA 94551-2616.

Credit card gifts can be received via:
Brown Paper Tickets

Or call 925.443.BARD (2273).