A $1,000 grant has been gratefully received from the Salmar Community Association for the installation of a proper covering for the bottom of the main front door awning. The purpose is to prevent pigeons from roosting in the awning and dropping their calling cards onto the sidewalk and our patrons. The cover is in place and looks very good. Farewell pigeons and thank you Salmar.

Installation is almost complete of a new audio/video communication system that enables the dressing room, Green Room and Shop area to see the stage. This is funded by an $1,800 grant from the Geoff and Judith Benson Family Endowment of the Shuswap Community Foundation. Apart from providing higher quality images of the whole stage in all lighting conditions, the new camera will allow us to see  in blackouts using infrared technology.

Fundraiser:  Jake Jacobson has agreed to organize a musical production of show tunes along the lines of the Woody Guthrie concert last year. It will be held May 23, 24, 25. He will be contacting various people to participate.

Artistic Committee : Plans for a three day Fringe type festival in July are progressing. Various theatre groups in BC and Alberta have been invited to participate. This will be more “edgy” or experimental kinds of shows for the most part than those we choose for our mainstage season. We hope it will attract new and younger audience members.

Teresa McKerral has agreed to be the Administrative Producer for Distracted. Randy Brogden and Peter Molnar will share the Technical Producer position. Thanks to all of you for doing the needful.

Theatre 101 Workshop:  Jan 25, 10.00 – 2.00. This free workshop will explain what is involved in putting on a production from beginning to end. Everyone welcome, especially new or prospective members. Phone Julia 833-1496 to register as space will be limited.

The Board decided that, due to lack of storage space and the unlikely event that we will need them again, the Audrey II puppets will be sold.  Julia Body will do some research to ascertain their value. We anticipate that a portion of the proceeds will be given to the puppets’ creator, Karen Huyter, in recognition of the blood, sweat and tears, not to mention countless hours, she put into making them.

Shuswap Theatre is forging ahead into the 21st century. After careful consideration, the Board has decided to launch a major initiative to make our tickets available for purchase on line. We have settled on the Vendini ticketing system because of its comprehensive array of services. This system will make it much easier for us to keep track of who our audience is and to communicate with them directly. It can also handle our mailing lists and membership list among many other things. The theatre will be applying for a $2500 grant from the City of Salmon Arm to purchase some of the hardware and equipment needed to make the system work well for us. This will include a new laptop or tablet computer, a ticket printer and related  equipment. We will be able to take credit card payments at the door (and at Intwined Fibre Arts, our ticket seller). The initial setup costs will be about $500. Glenda and Rebecca Marchand have generously decided to cover this with a donation in Allan’s memory. Thanks so much. You can learn more about the Vendini system at <https://www.vendini.com/solutions/index.html>.

 

The next Board meeting is on January 15, 2014.