Florida Repertory Company Inc

FLORIDA REP IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A FIRST-CLASS REGIONAL THEATRE FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA; TO CREATING, NURTURING AND DEVELOPING AN ENSEMBLE OF THEATRE PROFESSIONALS WHO WILL DEVELOP LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS WORKING ON A WIDE VARIETY OF PLAYS; TO HELPING IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH ALL THE ARTS; AND TO MAKING THE ARTS, ESPECIALLY THEATRE, ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.

FORM 990 PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS (CONTINUED): IN JULY 2020 IT BECAME CLEAR THAT CONTINGENCY PLANS WERE NECESSARY AS FLORIDA REP WAS SHUTTERED FOR INSIDE LIVE GATHERINGS, AND THAT MEANT REDIRECTING OUR POPULAR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. FLORIDA REP'S EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PAVED THE WAY WITH VIRTUAL SPRING CLASSES, MASTERCLASSES, AND A FULLY ONLINE SUMMER CAMP FOR AGES 5 TO 18. THE VIRTUAL CAMPS AND CLASSES TOOK STUDENTS TO ZOOM FOR ARTS INTENSIVES WITH PROFESSIONAL TEACHING ARTISTS, AND FINISHED WITH VIRTUAL PERFORMANCES FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. SCHOOL CLOSURES ALSO MEANT THAT FLORIDA REP'S TOURING THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES PROGRAM NEEDED TO GO ONLINE AS WELL. THE THEATRE FILMED ALL THREE OF ITS TOURING PLAYS AND MUSICALS FOR EDUCATORS, AND EVEN MADE WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S TWELFTH NIGHT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE VIRTUAL PRODUCTION OF TWELFTH NIGHT SNARED FLORIDA REP ITS 12TH NOTICE IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL WHEN TERRY TEACHOUT CALLED IT "DELIGHTFUL," SAYING, "I CANNOT IMAGINE A BETTER INTRODUCTION TO SHAKESPEAREAN COMEDY FOR ADOLESCENT AUDIENCES" OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS AND INTO THE FALL AND WINTER, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CONTINUED TO FIND WAYS TO ENGAGE ITS STUDENTS WITH PROFESSIONAL-QUALITY THEATRE EXPERIENCES. FROM AUGUST AND OCTOBER, IT PRODUCED VIRTUAL READINGS OF THE OUTSIDERS BY S.E. HINTON AND CHRISTOPHER SERGEL, SHE KILLS MONSTERS BY QUI NGUYEN, AND THE LARAMIE PROJECT BY MOISES KAUFMAN, A MODERN AMERICAN CLASSIC THAT TACKLES THE AFTERMATH OF MATTHEW SHEPARD'S 1998 MURDER. EACH READING REHEARSED AND PERFORMED ON ZOOM, AND IN THE CASE OF THE LARAMIE PROJECT, THE CAST OF FLORIDA REP CONSERVATORY STUDENTS PERFORMED THE READING (FROM A DISTANCE) ON THE ARCADE THEATRE'S STAGE AND WERE BROADCAST LIVE FOR VIRTUAL AUDIENCES. DESPITE NOT BEING ABLE TO GATHER, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REMAINS FOCUSED ON PROVIDING FIRST-RATE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR ITS STUDENTS AND YOUNG ARTISTS, AND ITS INNOVATIVE SPIRIT CONTINUED INTO 2021 WITH OUTDOOR CONSERVATORY OFFERINGS IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND MARCH. APRIL ALSO SAW THE DEBUT OF OUR WEEKLY VIRTUAL TALKBACK SERIES, STAGE@HOME, DESIGNED TO TAKE AUDIENCES BEHIND THE SCENES WITH ENSEMBLE MEMBERS, GUEST ARTISTS, DESIGNERS, FORMER INTERNS, AND STAFF TO HAVE AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ART OF MAKING THEATRE. THE SERIES DEBUTED ON APRIL 10TH, AND BROADCAST FOR TWELVE WEEKS. STAGE@HOME WAS SO POPULAR THAT WE BROUGHT IT BACK FOR A LIMITED FOUR-WEEK RUN IN OCTOBER AND WERE HUMBLED TO WELCOME EPISODE SPONSORS WHO HELPED MAKE ITS RETURN POSSIBLE. THE SERIES KEPT AUDIENCES ENGAGED WHILE WE COULDN'T GATHER, AND HAS HELPED TO BUILD A DEEPER APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK THAT GOES INTO EACH PRODUCTION AND HOW THE THEATRE OPERATES. OCTOBER CAME TO A CLOSE WITH THE ON-DEMAND VIRTUAL READING PRODUCTION OF CLUE: THE STAY-AT-HOME VERSION STARRING OUR ENSEMBLE OF ACTORS AND RECENT GUEST ARTISTS IN ALL THE ICONIC ROLES. THE VIRTUAL READING NOT ONLY RAISED MUCH-NEEDED FUNDS, BUT IT RAISED SPIRITS BY BRINGING JOY AND LEVITY INTO PATRON HOMES THE FALL OF 2020. NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER WERE OUR MOST AMBITIOUS PANDEMIC MONTHS AS WE LOOKED TO FINISH THE YEAR ON A HIGH NOTE. WE RETURNED TO THE STAGE WITH OUR NEW OUTDOOR SERIES AND WE SHOWCASED FIVE NEW PLAYS VIRTUALLY IN OUR THE 7TH ANNUAL PLAYLAB FESTIVAL OF NEW WORKS. THE VIRTUAL FORMAT FOR PLAYLAB MEANT WE WERE ABLE TO SHOWCASE ACTORS, DIRECTORS, AND PLAYWRIGHTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WORKING ON A WIDE VARIETY OF PLAYS IN CONSIDERATION FOR FUTURE SEASONS. THE FESTIVAL INCLUDED ENSEMBLE MEMBERS, FORMER INTERNS, FREQUENT GUEST ARTIST, AND A WHO'S WHO OF BROADWAY AND REGIONAL THEATRE TALENT. THE FINAL READING KICKED OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH A DICKENS-MEETS-SHERLOCK HOLMES PLAY CALLED, A SHERLOCK CAROL, THAT INCLUDED LIVE MUSIC AND ORIGINAL ARRANGEMENTS OF HOLIDAY CLASSICS. FLORIDA REP'S NEW OUTDOOR SERIES BEGAN WITH GOLDEN: A TRIBUTE TO THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE, AND CONTINUED IN DECEMBER WITH IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE A LIVE RADIO PLAY. BOTH PRODUCTIONS STARRED OUR 2021 PROFESSIONAL ACTING INTERN COMPANY AND PROVIDED A SAFE AND SOCIALLY DISTANT WAY FOR AUDIENCES TO COME DOWNTOWN TO SEE A SHOW UNDER THE STARS. FLORIDA REP'S 2021 VIRTUAL TALKBACK SERIES, STAGE@HOME, RAN FOR TWELVE WEEKS FROM APRIL TO JUNE DURING THE COVID-19 SHUTDOWNS. TOPICS RANGED FROM PRODUCTION SPECIFIC CAST AND CREATIVE TALKBACKS TO HOW TO MAKE NEW PLAYS IN AMERICAN REGIONAL THEATRE. THE SERIES BROADCAST LIVE ON ZOOM AND THE COMPANY'S FACEBOOK LIVE PAGE - AS WELL AS A WEEKLY PODCAST. CAMPS EXPLORING DRAMA, DANCE, MUSIC, AND VISUAL ART. IN JUST A WEEK, THEY HAVE IN-DEPTH LESSONS IN PERFORMANCE WHICH CULMINATE IN AN INFORMAL PRESENTATION OF THEIR HARD WORK. FLORIDA REP EDUCATION'S CONSERVATORY IS AN AUDITION-ONLY PROGRAM THAT GIVES YOUNG ADULT ACTORS OPPORTUNITIES TO PERFORM ONSTAGE. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR ARTISTS WITH MODERATE TO ADVANCED-LEVEL EXPERIENCE AND GIVES STUDENTS WHO WANT TO PURSUE THEATRE AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD WITH A REAL-LIFE REGIONAL THEATRE EXPERIENCE. THE CONSERVATORY PROGRAM GIVES EMERGING THEATRE ARTISTS A CREATIVE OUTLET AND A PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND CULMINATES WITH A SHORT RUN OF PUBLIC PERFORMANCES. FLORIDA REP EDUCATION WAS ALSO PROUD TO OFFER A WIDE VARIETY OF PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES FOR THE COMMUNITY. THESE CLASSES ARE DESIGNED FOR BOTH BEGINNERS AND SERIOUS YOUNG ARTISTS LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO HONE THEIR CRAFT. CLASSES ARE TAUGHT BY WORKING THEATRE PROFESSIONALS AND CLASS SIZES ARE CAPPED AT 10 STUDENTS TO MAXIMIZE INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION. CLASSES FOR STUDENTS AGES 4-12 RAN FOR SIX WEEK SESSIONS, WHILE TEEN PROGRAMMING ARE DESIGNED FOR BUSY SCHEDULES OFFERING ONE-OFF MASTER CLASSES AND EVENTS. FLORIDA REP'S PRIMARY AUDIENCES AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ARE RESIDENTS OVER 65- AND UNDER 24-YEARS-OF-AGE. REPRESENTING SOCIO-ECONOMIC LEVELS FROM ACROSS A MULTI-CULTURAL SPECTRUM, FLORIDA REP PATRONS CHOOSE FROM AN ARRAY OF LOW- AND NO-COST OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE WITH GREATLY DISCOUNTED PRICING TIERS (10-59) AND GROUP PURCHASING POWER. STUDENTS AND CHARITIES RECEIVE FREE AND COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSIONS AND SCHOLARSHIPS TO PARTICIPATE AND LEARN IN A PROFESSIONAL THEATRE ENVIRONMENT THAT HONE THEIR PERFORMANCE SKILLS AND BOLSTER EDUCATIONAL PROWESS, WHICH REMAINS CORE TO THE THEATRE'S MISSION IN "MAKING THE ARTS - ESPECIALLY THEATRE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL". FLORIDA REP CONTINUED TO ENJOY A FORMAL AND MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF FORT MYERS. THROUGH THE FORT MYERS REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, THE THEATRE RECEIVED A 50,000 OPERATING GRANT AND SPONSORED ANNUAL USE OF ITS PERFORMANCE SPACES, OFFICES AND GENERAL AREAS. FORMAL MEDIA SPONSORSHIPS WITH THE NEWS-PRESS (GANNETT), WGCU PUBLIC MEDIA, THE FLORIDA WEEKLY AND SEVERAL OTHER REGIONAL MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS PROVIDED MORE THAN 60,000 IN PROMOTIONAL ADVERTISEMENTS REACHING 275,000 CONSUMERS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA UP TO FIVE TIMES A WEEK. NATIONAL AND LOCAL SUPPORT HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE GRANTS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FROM THE SHUBERT FOUNDATION, THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, FLORIDA COUNCIL FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS, THE FRED & JEAN ALLEGRETTI FOUNDATION, CITY OF FORT MYERS, SWFL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, AND SCORES OF DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS. MORE THAN TWO DOZEN MULTINATIONAL CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS GAVE TO FLORIDA REP IN 2020-2021. FLORIDA REP IS AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK; A COLLABORATION OF SOME FIFTY REGIONAL THEATRES WHO UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MODERN AMERICAN STAGE. FLORIDA REP IS COMMITTED TO DOING A WORLD PREMIERE ANNUALLY. BY OFFERING A WIDE VARIETY OF PLAYS, BY PROVIDING INTENSIVE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS YEAR-ROUND, AND BY ONGOING COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER AREA ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFITS, SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES, FLORIDA REP IS A REGION-WIDE PARTNER IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND, NOW, THROUGHOUT THE NATION.