PRESENT:  Jeff Anderson—Blackout Theatre; Marie and Brian Benoit—Mansion Players; Marty Epstein—Vortex Theatre; Mike Lash—Southwest Rural Theatre Project; Kristen Loree—UNM Dept. of Theatre and Dance; Reeve Love—National Hispanic Cultural Center; Linda Lopez McAlister—Camino Real Productions; Joel Miller—East Mountain Centre for Theatre; Ninette S. Mordaunt—ATG Board; Vernon Poitras—Enchanted Rose Inn and Theatre; Tom Schuch—Mother Road Theatre Company; Valerie Scott—ATG Board; Vicki Singer—Musical Theatre Southwest; Hugh Witemeyer—Adobe Theater.

1. WELCOME AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Hugh Witemeyer thanked the Southwest Rural Theatre Project for hosting the meeting. Mike Lash welcomed the ATG Liaisons on behalf of the SWRTP and described the mission and activities of the new company. The agenda for the meeting was approved.

2. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Valerie Scott reported on three initiatives involving ATG member organizations.

(a) The High-School Preview Nights program for Fall 2011 is under way with recent performances of A View from the Bridge (Mother Road) and The Barber of Seville (Opera Southwest). Val encouraged other member organizations to host Preview Nights performances of appropriate productions during the 2011-12 school year. She emphasized the advantages to host groups of attracting young people who will be the audiences and volunteers of the future.

(b) Two non-theatre venues (St. Clair’s Winery and Jazzbah Music Club) have expressed an interest in hosting promotional excerpts from upcoming theatre productions.  Val will soon contact member organizations, through their Liaisons, about taking advantage of this possibility.

(c) ATG will have a display in three large showcases on the lower level of the Albuquerque Airport from February to April of 2012. The display will promote Albuquerque as the theatre capital of the Southwestern United States. Member organizations will soon be invited to contribute eye-catching theatre items (e.g., costumes, props, set mock-ups, photos) to this display.

3. THEATRE LOVERS COMMUNITY

Kay Grant and Wendy Orley presented their proposal for a Theatre Lovers Community. This would be a new kind of ATG membership, designed primarily for audience members rather than theatre practitioners. Its aim is to bring theatre lovers together and strengthen their bond with theatre organizations through collaborative programs. As TLC membership grows and spreads the word about the fascinations of local live theatre, it will help to develop a wider, better informed, more enthusiastic, and potentially more munificent audience, from whose support ATG member groups can benefit in many ways. A handout that Kay and Wendy distributed describes the proposal in greater detail; it is attached to this e-mail.

The proposal was discussed for nearly an hour. All of the Liaisons who spoke welcomed the idea of a Theatre Lovers Community (or TLC); no one took issue with it. Marty Epstein asked whether the TLC would need a commitment from member organizations if it is to flourish. Kay Grant answered that, yes, it would. The TLC hopes that member organizations will be willing to (1) help with TLC recruitment, and (2) participate in TLC programs.

Recruitment: ATG organizations would be asked to distribute TLC recruiting flyers to patrons at all performances, and to send a TLC announcement with downloadable membership application form to patrons on their own e-mail lists. The theatre group or individual that enlists the greatest number of TLC members between January 1 and July 1, 2012, will win a prize of $500. The money for this prize will not come from ATG accounts but be donated separately.

Programs: ATG organizations would also be asked to participate in joint activities with TLC members. These might include pre-show orientations to upcoming plays, post-matinee conversations over wine and cheese (provided by the TLC), “how-to” talks and demonstrations concerning theatre techniques, and backstage tours. Both Reeve Love and Vern Poitras noted that behind-the-scenes events are a great draw for many audience members who love theatre but have never worked in a show. Ticket discounts and early admission to general seating would be ways of showing TLC members how much their loyal patronage is appreciated. Many other types of collaboration were discussed; some of them appear on p. 2 of the attachment to this message.

At every turn Kay and Wendy stressed that member organizations would have complete freedom of choice regarding their participation in TLC activities. Each group will decide the nature and degree of its own involvement. For example, Vicki Singer observed that Musical Theatre Southwest, which already has an “Amigos” organization, might opt for a somewhat different relationship with the TLC than will groups whose community-volunteer structures are less formalized.

The discussion concluded with a recommendation for action. The next step is for all Liaisons (not just those who attended the meeting) to confer with their Boards as soon as possible about their willingness to collaborate with the TLC and the extent of their involvement. Liaisons will then record the results of those conversations on the questionnaire that appears on p. 2 of the attachment, and return it to Kay Grant and/or Wendy Orley no later than December 1, 2011. Questions may be addressed to Kay and Wendy at the addresses given in the attachment, and they stand ready to meet with Liaisons and their Boards upon request.

Respectfully submitted by Ninette S. Mordaunt and Hugh Witemeyer