Grosse Pointe Theatre Inc

GPT'S MISSION IS TO CONNECT, CREATE, AND INSPIRE COMMUNITIES THROUGH THEATRE. THE VISION IS TO BE BE RECOGNIZED AS A NATIONAL LEADER IN COMMUNITY THEATRE THROUGH ARTISTIC, EDUCATIONAL AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.

(CONTINUED) FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT GROSSE POINTE THEATRE CONCLUDED ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH A FULL LINE UP OF FIVE MAINSTAGE SHOWS (MUSICALS AND PLAYS), ALONG WITH TWO YOUTH ON STAGE PRODUCTIONS AND ITS BLACK BOX PRODUCTION. ALTHOUGH WE ARE ONE ORGANIZATION IN A GREATER METRO DETROIT COMMUNITY THEATRE SCENE, WE ARE ALSO THE ONLY COMMUNITY THEATRE IN THE FIVE GROSSE POINTE COMMUNITIES. AS SUCH, WE PRIORITIZE OUR POSITION IN THE COMMUNITY ARTS LANDSCAPE. WE CONSIDER IT OUR DUTY TO PROVIDE EXCELLENCE IN PROGRAMMING AS WELL AS FIND WAYS TO EXPAND OUR OUTREACH AND PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS PAST SEASON CONTINUED THE POST-COVID REBUILDING PROCESS OF LARGER PRODUCTIONS AND CASTS, FULL ORCHESTRAS AND A RETURN TO BIGGER AUDIENCES. BUT THERE WERE NO FINANCIAL COVID SUPPORT PROGRAMS TO SHOULDER REVENUE SHORTFALLS. AS A RESULT, THE BUDGET TO ACTUAL RESULTS WERE HEAVILY ANALYZED ON A MONTHLY BASIS AT THE BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEETINGS AND ON-GOING YEAR-END BUDGET PROJECTIONS WERE PREPARED. BY APRIL 30, 2023, BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS WERE NEEDED - SOME SHOWS DID NOT REACH THEIR TICKET GOALS WHILE OTHERS EXCEEDED THEIR TICKET GOALS. HOWEVER, AT FISCAL YEAREND, TICKET PROGRAM REVENUES OF 382,878 COVERED ALL PROGRAM EXPENSES OF 361,289 AND A MODEST OPERATING SURPLUS WAS GENERATED. SECOND ACCOMPLISHMENT GPTS VISION IS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A NATIONAL LEADER IN COMMUNITY THEATRE THROUGH ARTISTIC, EDUCATIONAL AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE. ON THE EDUCATIONAL FRONT, THE THEATRE HAS CONTINUALLY INVESTED IN ITS YOUTH ON STAGE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN IN THE LOCAL AND IN ADJACENT COMMUNITIES. A ROBUST CURRICULUM OF CLASSES IS TAUGHT OVER TWO SEMESTERS EACH YEAR FOR RISING STARS AGES 6 9 AND, SHOW STOPPERS AGES 10 14. A FEW OF THE CLASSES OFFERED ARE PUPPETRY, MONOLOGUES, TECHNICAL THEATRE, IMPROVISATION, DANCE AND ACTING. IN ADDITION, WEEK LONG SUMMER CAMPS ARE HELD FOR EACH OF THE AGE LEVELS DURING JULY. AND LASTLY, A COMBINED PRODUCTION AND PERFORMANCE CLASS IS HELD EACH SEMESTER CULMINATING IN A LIVE PERFORMANCE HELD IN A LOCAL THEATRE. THE SHOWS THIS PAST YEAR WERE SEUSSICAL, JR. AND DISNEYS THE LITTLE MERMAID, JR. THE TUITION FROM THESE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS GENERATED 64,000 AND EXPENSES WERE ALMOST 19,000. ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT EDUCATION HAS FOR THE THEATRE IS A FOCUS ON ITS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. IN MAY OF EACH YEAR, AWARDS ARE GRANTED TO HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ATTENDING COLLEGE AND/OR JUNIORS WHO PARTICIPATE IN ACCREDITED FINE ART SUMMER PROGRAMS. THIS PAST MAY, 8,000 WAS AWARDED TO EIGHT STUDENTS. THIRD ACCOMPLISHMENT GPT FOCUSED ON NEW PROGRAMS IN THE PAST YEAR TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO THEATRE PARTICIPATION. A SENSORY FRIENDLY PERFORMANCE PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO GIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WITH AUTISM, MENTAL OR COGNITIVE DISABILITIES AND SENSORY SENSITIVITIES TO ATTEND LIVE THEATRE PERFORMANCES. TWO SHOWS WERE SELECTED BECAUSE OF THEIR FAMILY-FRIENDLY CONTENT AND LENGTH OF SHOW (JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT AND DISNEYS THE LITTLE MERMAID, JR.). A SENSORY FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE WAS CREATED WHICH INCLUDED: LOWER SOUND LEVELS, LIGHTS ON THROUGHOUT THE PERFORMANCE, HAND WAVING INSTEAD OF CLAPPING, AND PATRONS WERE ENCOURAGED TO MOVE ABOUT AND TALK AS NEEDED. OUR USHERS FOR THESE PERFORMANCES WERE ALL SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHERS/COUNSELORS WHO COULD HELP PROVIDE A WELCOMING AND RELAXED ATMOSPHERE SO THE PATRONS ATTENDING WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE. WE HAD OVER 300 ATTENDEES AT THESE TWO PERFORMANCES, AND WERE PROUD TO OFFER A PROGRAM NOT CURRENTLY OFFERED AT OTHER COMMUNITY THEATRES IN OUR REGION. THE COST OF THESE PROGRAMS WAS OVER 10,000 AND PART OF THE OVERALL OPERATING BUDGET. SINCE THESE SPECIAL PRODUCTIONS WERE SO WELCOMED BY THE COMMUNITY, THE THEATRE PLANS TO OFFER THEM AGAIN IN THE UPCOMING SEASON.