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Arts Council Grant / Shakespeare 4 North Second Street, Suite SOO San Jose, CA 95113-1305 phone 408-998-2787 facsimile 408-971-9458 www.artscouncil.org u . rts council silicon valley ,,....... f ., Dear Kimberly, Congratulations! Arts Council Silicon Valley is pleased to award a Community Arts Fund grant of $2,542 to City of Cupertino for arts activities occurring July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008 as described in your proposal. This grant is an expression of our appreciation of your artistic efforts and our confidence in your organizational capacity and community impact. The 2006 Community Arts Fund is partially funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Silicon Valley Arts Fund and the Arts Choice Workplace Giving Program, County of Santa Clara. In order to claim your CAF grant, please note the following requirements: Grant Agreement: In order to claim this grant, we must receive from you a signed copy of the enclosed Grant Agreement. The Grant Agreement states the terms and conditions of your grant, and it must be signed by the principal manager of your organization or another officer authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the organization. Weare enclosing two copies of the agreement; please retain one copy for your records and return the other to the Arts Council Silicon Valley . Your grant will not be disbursed until we receive the signed Grant Agreement, which is due by August 1,2007. Report on Past Grant: If you were a recipient of a CAF 2006 grant and submitted an Interim Report with your CAF 2006 application, you must submit a final report on the use of your 2006 grant before you can receive your CAF 2007 award. Acknowledgment of the Arts Council: As a condition of receiving funds from the Arts Council Silicon Valley, organizations are required to acknowledge the grant in printed materials and to provide copies of these acknowledgments with your final report. We will shortly provide a digital copy of our logo by e-mail. We also appreciate verbal mention of our support during productions and presentations. The following wording is required in ACSV Grant Award Letter in acknowledgment of grant support: "Funded in part by a grant from Arts Council Silicon Valley, in partnership with the County of Santa Clara and the National Endowment for the Arts. " Bruce W. Davis executive director A private nonprofit organization in partnership with the County of Santa Clara and the California Arts Council Community Arts Fund 2007 Page Two Report on the Use ofthe Grant: Another condition for receiving funds from the Arts Council Silicon Valley is that your organization agrees to submit an interim or fmal report on the use of the grant by the CAF grant deadline for next year. This deadline has not yet been set but is likely to occur in March 2008. Note: Any changes to the project described in your application must be submitted to the Grants Office of the Arts Council for approval. If it is deemed that the changes compromise the intended use of the grant, you will be required to foifeit your award. Publicity: Arts Council Silicon Valley will publish our grantee list on our website. We will also provide a .Aink.to your website using the address on your grant application. If you provide a high quality digital image from an artistic production or your logo, we will include this on our website as well. Please send your digital file to awong@artscouncil.org by August 1, 2007. Also, we highly encourage you to publicize all your events on Artsopolis, a program of Arts Council Silicon Valley and the leading e-source of arts and entertainment in Silicon Valley (www.artsopolis.com). In this packet is an enclosure describing their services to our arts community. Return of AudioNideo Materials: If you submitted audio/video material with your application, you may arrange to pick it up by calling Audrey Wong (408-998-2787 ext. 214) or you may send a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. Materials not claimed by September 1 st cannot be returned. We must receive your signed Grant Agreement by August 1, 2007. Please note that your grant award may be forfeited unless we receive the document by this date. A summary of panel comments including your score will be sent with your award disbursement. Once again, we extend to you our congratulations, and our best wishes for a successful year. Arts Council Silicon Valley is grateful for your contributions to our growing arts community in the Silicon Valley region. u IJItIcounciJ silicon volley SUMMARY OF GRANTS WITH PANEL COMMENTS gty Oraanization CAF2005 Cupertino City of Cupertino Grant Awarded $2,542.00 Summary of Panel Review Final Score 86.97 Strengths: Very strong proposal; city is making strides to build program backup after budget cuts. Partnering with an excellent artistic company. Creating accessible environment, open to families, introducing new audiences to Shakespeare. Opening night intros of artist-of-year recipients spotlight artists in own community. Like how they encourage youth involvement. Strong program, good supporting materials. Questions and/or concerns: None Suggestions: Maybe can do a local workshop, to increase community impact. u MtscoundJ silicon valley Community Arts Fund 2007 GRANT AGREEMENT This is an agreement for the Community Arts Fund grant from Arts Council SiliconValley, hereinafter referred to as COUNCIL, to City of Cupertino, hereinafter referred to as GRANTEE. COUNCIL agrees to award a grant of$2,S42 to GRANTEE for the purpose{s) described in GRANTEE's application, provided that GRANTEE meets the terms and conditions described in the 2007 Community Arts Fund application guidelines, including but not limited to, the following: TERMS AND CONDITIONS: I. GRANTEE is an arts group or other community organization operating in a not-for-profit manner; II. GRANTEE is based and operates in Santa Clara County; III. GRANTEE shall use the grant within the time period and for the purpose described in GRANTEE'S application and summarized as follows: Presentation of San Francisco Shakespeare Festival's production of A Midsummer Night 's Dream in Cupertino for three weekends in summer 2007. IV. GRANTEE shall consult in writing with COUNCIL's staff in writing prior to any change in the use of the grant as prescribed in (III) above; V. GRANTEE shall send to COUNCIL a final or interim report describing the use of the grant and its results, and providing documentation of published acknowledgements and expenses, along with the CAF 2008 application, or by June 30, 2008 if no application is submitted; VI. GRANTEE shall have satisfied the requirements of any previous COUNCIL grant; VII. GRANTEE shall notify COUNCIL in writing of any change of address, contact or status of GRANTEE; VIII. GRANTEE shall acknowledge COUNCIL's support in its printed materials, attributing this support as follows: "Funded in part by a grant from Arts CouncU Silicon Valley, in partnership with the County of Santa Clara and the National Endowmentfor the Arts." AGREED TO BY: For~~-ti authorized signature I Kimberly Smith, City Clerk typed name/title 10300 Torre Avenue address Cupertino, California 95014 B ce Da s Executive rector 4 North 2nd Street, Suite 500 San Jose, CA 95113-1305 4 North Second Street, Suite 500 San Jose, CA 95113-1305 phone 408-998-2787 facsimile 408-971-9458 www.artscouncil.org u a rts council silicon valley . -'-!~';;'--"< 00 Torre Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014-3202 Dear Ms. Smith: We welcome cities in the County of Santa Clara to enter our Community Arts Fund requesting support for artistic activities that ultimately will enrich lives of members our communities. We currently fund three County cities through this program; Los Gatos, Palo Alto and Milpitas, and would like encourage more cities to apply. While we welcome your proposal, there are several reasons it must be deemed ineligible for this year's consideration; 1. You did not send a representative to one of our publicized grants workshops or submit an application for pre screening 2. You requested an inappropriate amount, as our maximum award level is $4,000 and you requested $10,000 3. While you are clearly located in Santa Clara County, the tax ID# on the eligibility page is that of the San Francisco organization you are proposing to serve as fiscal and physical sponsor for 4. You did not enclose a budget 5 . You did not enclose the appropriate number of application cover pages, however did enclose the appropriate number of narrative sections 6. This type of proposal, where an organization (in your case the City of Cupertino) is presenting an activity that engages artists or an arts organization from outside of the region, should be written from your perspective as a presenter and host of this program. Weare aware of the importance and impact of the Free Shakespeare in the Park in Cupertino and would like to encourage you to apply in future rounds of the Community Arts Fund. In addition if you would like to meet with our Executive Director, Bruce Davis to discuss any additional options and strategies for obtaining support for your project. Best of luck for sustaining this vital program. fj,nc ~ , I..IAA..> ""." ,J Diem Jones Director of Pro CJ .-" ( Cc: Patrick Kwok, Mayor; Bruce Davis Executive Director; Kathleen Dederian, Development Director Enclosed: 2005 CAF Application Materials, 2005 CAF Guidelines Bruce W. Davis executive director A private nonprofit organization in partnership with the County of Santa Clara and the California Arts Council lications must be received b CI ~ d P CV'jJ.e.-h;"'lJ Organization N e Legal Name (if different) C1"';:t fl-d/.IO.3 Db %~ ~ve... Mailing ddress ' c c.) ae.rb -,., /:) City , 95t>/~ -3262- Zip Code Organization Street Address (not P.O, Box) City Zip Code www.~;"'b.l)T Organization ebsite (1'e8') 777 - 32../ 7 Organization Phone ( ~()8') 777 - 3 223 Organization Fax k'1j..,~'-/'IS'''''"t1c- (]J~j,tJ Cty O~/<.. Contact NameITitJ , ?~'ck.. I<W~K, H.~~ Principle Director or Officer NameITitJe kJ~t:;:;r ~6.J':J~ ~(). OJ E-mail Addre ' l~W()kfi) Co ~H(J. C)- -mail Address ' Grant ReqUest'AmountJ'/O, /J{)(j , Current Grantee? Y @ Project Summary (max 25 words): 7E L~LJ~i"1Drt: SI)C 7;)g..rkr-W1d..;1~ /)p "1Te-<-. Sh~ I)., ~ /)~ -IA",.. ~i,i..tJ1'I ViL//-L~ (JuJ/~yU',-~ u- Cu'f~'v1() 's H~#ll'tl>nU ]>IJ/"k A......, }Ju'th-atre- J H ~ 'y tL.vtd ~ u.~ -c UOS. 1. Has your organization applied to Arts Council Silicon Valley in the past? Y N 2. Has your organization received funding from Arts Council Silicon Valley? Y N If yes, what type(s) of grant(s) and when? 3. Which category best describes the primary activity of your organization? arts education dance film Iterature rrusic multi-disciplinary theatre \1sualarts o1her fll'tJ vt..,,:u ~a1i:tt; 4. Does your organization provide programs specifically for youth? Y @ If yes, are the programs: il-school ater-school 5. Does your organization celebrate or serve a specific cultural or ethnic community? Y @ If yes, which community? Community Arts Fund - Guidelin8s & Application 2005 fmal Page 8 of 13 RlC'D MA~ 0 ., _ Please check all that apply: >C My- organization's home base, business office or larger facility is located in Santa Clara County. - ~~Fw~ )L My organization is not-for-profit in character and fits one of the categories below: _ My organization has 501 (c)(3) status. Federal Tax ID # ~-9- z8'(' 7U1 My organization does NOT have 501 (c)(3) status: ?~ ;~ A. Our fiscal sponsor is: ,.,._",.,1 "lw't:)~ A~~' Their address: ~r---'" F ~/~' Their Federal Tax ID # SJ,tt1!~~ 72W'va/ B. Name of individual who accepts and receives grant funds: Their name: Their Social Security # (for tax purposes): My organization is either: ~An arts organization involved in any arts discipline, OR _A cultural or community group that provides arts activities. l52. My organization has presented at least one arts activity in Santa Clara County in the twelve months preceding the application deadline. XJ My organization's expenses, or the expenses of my independently-budgeted project, in the last fiscal year were less than $100,000. AI/A My organization has satisfied all of the requirements of any previously awarded grants from Arts Council Silicon Valley. My organization received a Community Arts Fund grant last year, OR _ attended an ACSV Grants Workshop Fall 2004. Date attended _ submitted an application for prescreening (deadline was 12/20/2004) tJ,iI HdC' ~/)W ,OR D;;;~}...r b~ I:t> ~. The activity for which my organization is seeking support utilizes community volunteers and organizers. ~ If you answered "No" to any of the above questions, you are not eligible for CAF. I am an authorized representative of the applicant organization. I certify that the organization meets all the eligibility requirements described in the CAF guidelines and that all information provided in this application is true to the best of my knowledge. ~~(2 ~CJ~ ~~/7/26aS Signature of Authorized Representative ~ DaEe C~ LA.:...A-l:t.ob6~St:r-~~~vcs .~~ Printed Name and Title G"~ Ov 0~'V1{) Community Arts Fund - Guidelinis & Application 2005 final Page 9 of 13 City of Cupertino Request to Arts Council Silicon Valley Free Shakespeare in the Park: :Providing Access to the Arts The City of Cupertino respectfully requests a grant of $1 0,000 from the Community Arts Fund to support Free Shakespeare in the Park in Cupertino's Memorial Park in August 2005. The City has partnered with the San Francisco - Silicon Valley Shakespeare Festival since 1996 to bring free, professional productions of Shakespeare's greatest plays to Silicon Valley residents of all ages and backgrounds. However, due to budget reductions, we are not able to support this beloved community activity to the extent that we have in past years. To . that end, we ask for the assistance of the Arts Council to ensure that Free Shakespeare in the Park remains available to all Silicon Valley residents in the coming year. PROJECT QUALITY AND APPROPRIATENESS Please describe your organization, its mission and its programs. The City of Cupertino is a community rich in diversity, innovation, and imagination. The City strives to create opportunities for community-building experiences for Cupertino and Silicon Valley residents. This includes providing both financial and logistical support for a number of cultural and community events throughout the year. One of the most popular of these is the annual presentation of Free Shakespeare in the Park. The mission of the San Francisco - Silicon Valley Shakespeare Festival to make the words and themes of Shakespeare accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, financial status, or level of education. They accomplish this through the presentation of four core community programs in partnership with over 200 schools, community organizations, foundations and municipalities. Since its first Free Shakespeare in the Park production in 1983, the company has evolved into a regional champion for access to the performing arts that develops the audiences of the future. In the Shakespeare Festival, the City finds a dedicated and community-oriented partner in our own mission to enrich the lives of Cupertino and Silicon Valley community members. Describe the proposed activity for which you are seeking a Community Arts Fund grant. When will the proposed activity take place and where? Free Shakespeare in the Park is presented for three weekends each summer in the beautiful Memorial Park Amphitheatre. Approximately one thousand people attend each of the six performances, often arriving early to enjoy a walk around the lagoon, a visit to the playground, or a picnic with family and friends before the show. These free-to-the-public, come-as-you-are performances have successfully welcomed audiences that reflect the wonderful diversity of Cupertino and Santa Clara County, including many who have never before seen a Shakespeare play or even a live theatrical presentation. This year's production is Shakespeare's popular romantic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, and the tentative performance dates are July 30,31, August 6, 7, 13, and 14 at 7:30 p.m. The play will be set in the Mediterranean of the 1930's, providing the production with a sun-drenched, lazy feel that suits the play. Music is an important part of the production, and we are exploring possible ~ collaboration with the local band Tin Hat Trio to provide original music based on the works of jazz musicians Astor Piazzola and Django Reinhardt. The production concept leans towards a Spanish setting; this generates additional artistic and creative options including the use of tango or flamenco dance, and experimenting in some way with Shakespeare spoken in Spanish. Casting was conducted with an eye towards singing, movement and instrumental talent, in addition to verse proficiency and general acting .experience, and several of the selected actors are fluent in Spanish. This would provide another creative layer to the experience for the audience. Each summer, the selected play for Free Shakespeare in the Park runs from July through September, visiting Pleasanton, Cupertino, Oakland, and San Francisco. Thousands of people from all walks of life attend, often sharing picnics on the lawn with family, friends, and neighbors before the show. The fre~-to-the-public, come-as-you-are performances have continually proven effective in reaching young and diverse audiences who might not otherwise attend the performing arts, welcoming them to what has become a beloved community tradition around the Bay Area and most certainly here in Silicon Valley. Describe the key artistic personnel involved in the proposed activity: their background, training, experience, and whether they are paid or volunteer. Noted Bay Area director Kenneth Kelleher returns for a third year to direct Much Ado About Nothing. Mr. Kelleher is familiar to South Bay audiences from his past work with San Jose Repertory Theater and San Jose Stage Company, where he served as Resident Director. Casting and artist relations are coordinated by Shakespeare Festival Artistic Associate Rebecca Ennals, who holds an MFA in performance from DC Davis and also directs the Shakespeare Festival's education programs. Richard Ortenblad and Todd Roehrman will design set and costumes, respectively; both are accomplished local artists who have designed for past Free Shakespeare shows and also serve on the theater faculty at DC Santa Cruz and San Francisco State. All production activities are overseen by Festival Executive Director Toby Leavitt, who is in her sixth season with the organization. All artistic, design, technical, and administrative positions which support the Free Shakespeare program are paid positions. Approximately six interns are also scheduled to work on the production in both performing and technical capacities; they are paid a stipend. COMMUNITY IMPACT Describe the benefits your organization provides to Santa Clara County and the particular audience you serve. Etc. The mission of Free Shakespeare in the Park and its presenting organization, the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, is to make Shakespeare accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, financial status, or level of education. The City of Cupertino is proud to host the Free Shakespeare program, as the plays encourage the positive use of our parks and shared public spaces and provide a community tradition that is embraced by residents of all backgrounds. The Shakespeare Festival strives to foster a level of comfort with the potentially intimidating concept of theatre. Theatre can be perceived as an elite activity - intellectually incomprehensible, unaffordable, and socially uncomfortable - for those who have never experienced it. The Festival's programs reach people in familiar settings in which they already feel comfortable: schools, community centers, and public parks. When Romeo strides into the school cafeteria or Henry battles next to the soccer field, it tells the community that theatre is accessible to them and that it can be 2 part of their lives. It also sends the underlying message that they themselves are important enough to the arts community for us to come directly to them rather than asking them to seek out the arts on their oWn. Our programs are family-friendly, allowing for age diversity in our constituents as well. Santa Clara County is socially and ethnically diverse, and is home to thousands of young people and families. Memorial Park is centrally located in the Valley, is easily accessible by car and public transit, and has free parking available. This makes it an ideal location for Free Shakespeare, requiring only a short drive or trip on public transit from other Santa Clara County communities. Memorial Park's Amphitheatre has bench, lawn, and wheelchair seating. All of these elements combine for a wonderful opportunity for the City of Cupertino to partner with the Shakespeare Festival in support of their mission of providing access to the arts for everyone. From seniors to families with children in strollers to teens looking for something they can do as a group, Free Shakespeare in the Park is an accessible, fun, and safe activity for everyone. Audiences are often inspired by the sense of community as they take in the scene of friends and families enjoying picnics and one another's company. They also feel valued by the presentation of professional theatre in their own backyard, and empowered by the welcoming, open atmosphere. Over the years we have found that many in our audiences are seeing their first Shakespeare play - or even their first theatrical performance - encouraged by the come-as-you-are nature of Free Shakespeare in the Park. In this way, Free Shakespeare in the Park serves as a gateway to the wide variety of cultural activities in Santa Clara County. Provide an estimation of audience size for your proposed activity. What marketing efforts will you use to reach this audience? Each year, approximately 850 to 1000 people attend each of the six performances of Free Shakespeare. Past audience surveys and observation have indicated that approximately 50% of Free Shakespeare audiences are non-white; 20% are under age 24; and 10% of adult respondents had an annual household income of less than $20,000 per year. Many audience members - nearly half - have never before seen a Shakespeare play. While Free Shakespeare has built community awareness as an annual event and benefits from good word-of-mouth recommendations within the City and the Valley, the Shakespeare Festival takes several steps to ensure that the community is informed about the event. They secure listings in local event calendars for print, radio, and online media in the Valley as well as donated advertising from ANG Newspapers and the Cupertino Courier. Event postcards are sent to the Shakespeare Festival's large South Bay mailing list. Colorful posters are distributed to area businesses and community centers. The event is highlighted on the City's web site, and large banners are displayed at the entrance to Memorial Park for several weeks prior to the event. Outreach also occurs through the Shakespeare Festival's youth programs, which reach thousands of South Bay children and their families during the school year and summertime. With the support of ACSV, the City and the Shakespeare Festival will be able to increase outreach and marketing efforts throughout the Valley. Describe the role of volunteers in the proposed activity. How are volunteers recruited? An informal team of community volunteers comes together each year to help with preparations for Free Shakespeare in the Park. They are community members who have enjoyed past performances; City employees who provide logistical information and assistance; Arts Commissioners and Parks and Rec Commissioners; parents of children who have participated in the Shakespeare Festival's 3 youth programs; Shakespeare Festival board members, local businesses, and more. They do everything from working with the City during our budgeting process to providing refreshments for the opening night reception to helping hand out programs at performances. While the Shakespeare Festival has no formal method of recruiting volunteers, we do contact community members for assistance and welcome any that would like to work with us. Young people are particularly welcome to assist with audience services and hospitality at the performances, which also provides them with a glimpse into the world of theatre production. MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY How does your organization function? Describe the roles of your board, professional staff and arti.stic personnel. The Shakespeare Festival is advised by a IS-member board of directors representing the various communities around the Bay Area where the Festival provides its programs. The City of Cupertino are fortunate to work with a number of South Bay residents who are on the Festival's board and can speak directly to community suggestions and concerns for both parties. Board members actively attend Free Shakespeare with their friends and families and promote the event to their neighbors, co-workers, and other contacts all over Santa Clara County. Board members are actively involved in other Festival events and programs, and the entire board meets quarterly with Festival staff to evaluate Festival activities and policy. City of Cupertino employees work directly with the Shakespeare Festival staff to organize logistical, funding, and some promotional needs for Free Shakespeare. The office of the City Manager, City Council, Parks and Recreation, and Police Department all playa role in making the event happen. They coordinate with the Festival's five-member full-time staff - Executive Director, Development Director, Marketing Director, Artistic Associate, and Administrative Assistant - plus seasonal staff for Free Shakespeare, including Technical Director, Stage Manager, and up to 15 members of the technical and load-in crews. Free Shakespeare in the Park provides seasonal employment to approximately 60 people each year, two-thirds of whom are performers, directors, and designers. Casts are comprised of locally based professional actors, about half of whom are members of Actors' Equity. The Free Shakespeare contract provides the majority of work weeks necessary to for Equity members to qualify for the union's health benefits. 4 SAN. FRANCISCO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL :BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers .Stephen Hamilton, CHAIR PERSON Burlingame Founder Creativ~ Crescent Consulting Dr. Robert J. Chansler, VICE CHAIR Los Altos Hills Senior Manager, Software Engineering McDATA Patricia Davis, VICE CHAIR Berkeley Community Leader Members James Babcock San Francisco President The Babcock Design Studios Mike Galane Roseville North America Operations. Manager Hewlett-Packard Phil Gust Redwood City Chairman, CEO, & President Nouveau Systems, Inc. Eleanor Jacobs San Francisco Vice President San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium Frank Jelinch Cupertino Attorney at Law Jelinch & Rendler Keith Taylor, CFO Mountain View CFO Encover, Inc. Linda Merriweather, SECRETARY Los Altos Community Leader Carole Krumland Orinda Trustee Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust Lane Michel San Mateo Managing Partner and Director, Western Region Peppers and Rogers Group Holly J. Nelson Pleasanton Associate McNichols, Randick, O'Dea & Tooliatos LLP Peter Nichter San Mateo Corporate Controller Yodlee Ronald Rebholz Menlo Park Professor Emeritus, English Stanford University Soan.Francisco-Silicon Valley Shakespeare Festival Free Shakespeare in the Park Key Artistic and Administrative Personnel Toby Leavitt, Executive Director As Executive Director, Ms. Leavitt oversees all aspects of the Shakespeare Festival. She did her undergraduate work at the University of Chicago, and received her Masters from the University of Chicago Business School in 1997. Prior to joining the Festival in 1998, she served as General Manager for Chicago's Court Theatre. She oversaw their financial growth from a $1.6 million to $2.8 million annual budget, guided the theatre in developing a 5-year strategic plan to become the National Center for Classic Theatre, and managed the ensuing strategic growth of the organization. Prior to her four years with the Court, she worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago as Senior Editor and Director of Marketing Communications. Her accomplishments in audience development have been recognized by the Arts Marketing Center of Chicago and the Marshall Fields Foundation. She has served as a management consultant for Chicago Opera Theater, the Piven Theater Workshop, and Roadworks Theater Company, and has served as a panelist for the San Francisco Art Commission's Cultural Equity Initiatives Grant program. Kenneth Kelleher, Artistic Associate for Free Shakespeare in the Park 2005 Mr. Kelleher graduated from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. and founded the Georgetown Classical Theatre, where he served as Artistic Director for three years. He has held similar positions at San Jose Repertory Theater and San Jose Stage Company, and was Theatrefest Coordinator for San Jose's New World Festival 1990-1991. Mr. Kelleher has directed over 35 theater productions, over half of them Shakespeare, regionally at San Jose Stage Company, Shakespeare at Stinson, San Jose Repertory Theater, Theatreworks, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, and California Shakespeare Festival. He received the 1997 Dramalogue Award for outstanding direction for his production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and directed the popular 2003 and 2004 Free Shakespeare in the Park productions of Love's Labour's Lost and Twelfth Night. As Artistic Associate, Mr. Kelleher is responsible for the artistic development and direction of our Free Shakespeare in the Park production. Rebecca Ennals, Artistic Associate for Education, Outreach, and Casting Ms. Ennals has been on the staff of the Shakespeare Festival since early 2002. She has extensive acting, directing, and teaching experience, and holds an MFA in performance from D.C. Davis. She has taught at the elementary through college levels, including beginning acting classes at U.C. Davis, and has coached successful applicants to the California State Summer School for the Arts and NYU' s elite BFA acting program. As an actor and director, she has worked locally with Napa Valley Shakespeare Festival, Transparent Theatre, Pear Ave. Theatre, and Napa Valley Repertory. She recently served on the panel for the English-Speaking Union's High School Shakespeare Competition, Northern California Region. Ms. Ennals also directed A Midsummer Night's Dream for the Festival's current production of its Shakespeare On Tour in-school touring program. As Artistic Associate, she manages the audition and casting process and artist relations for Free Shakespeare in the Park. John Western, Marketing Director Mr. Western is responsible for the marketing and advertising of all of the Festival's programs, including Free Shakespeare in the Park He received his BA from Cleveland State University and has continuing education credits in the advertising program at the University of California at Berkeley's School of Extended Learning. Mr. Western has been on the Festival staff since 1998, and has ten years of experience in theater advertising and promotion, plus two years of management experience in the public relations field. Kathleen Dederian, Development Director Ms. Dederian is responsible for the Festival's fundraising efforts, including foundation and government grants, corporate sponsorship, and individual giving. Her introduction to development came as a student at California State University, Chico, where she co-led a $250,000 fundraising effort for the Choral Program's first international tour and also earned her BA in International Relations. She later spent four years with the national office of the NAMES Project, 'sponsors of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, in both development and program management. Prior to joining the Festival in January 2004, Ms. Dederian served as Development Director for the internationally renowned Lamplighters Music Theatre, and consulted for 42nd Street Moon in organizational planning. Free shows challenge troupes to universalize theater Page 1 of2 ~ CONT"llA c.osr^ \1 Mt=-s '-.l \} L- 'r ~~ Posted on Fri, Jul. 23, 2004 PAT CRAIG: ONE HAND CLAPPING Free shows challenge troupes to universalize theater '. ROUGHLY four seconds after theater began, backers were born. It didn't take long for theater people to realize their passion is costly, and if they wanted to do, say, a big tragedy, some blg-tirnefinanclal help was necessary. So, before long, kings, princes and big businesses bec~me patrons of the arts -- a lot of them owned theater companies and made the big-bucks contributions necessary to keep theater going. And, in a sense, the patronage continues today. Very Jew thei\ters make It on ticket sales alone. From the. !)mallest little theater to the biggest Best of Broadway-style productions, additional money is necessary to keep feet happily dancing across the boards. In an effort to court contributors, theaters positioned themselves as upscale cultural outlets, creating the impression, at least to some, that the legitimate stage was not for just everybody. The cultured, refined and, yes, the rich were sought by theaters. others could stand in line. As a result. tickets to many shows have priced themselves out of reach to some pocketbooks. And others feel out of place In a theater, fearing they are not familiar enough with the social niceties to go to a play without appearing to be a dunce. Now we have a theatrical establishment where myth and reality mingle. Yes, theaters do need the support of wealthy individuals, corporations and foundations. On the other hand, most theater companies are bending over backward to win back the working stiffs, realizing that theater will be vital only with audiences of all ages and income levels. Many compan_ h~\l~ tjlkengreat painstp, make' theatergoing a Casual, friendly experience. A number of companies even allowpatrtiils to bring drirlks and candy back to their seats (1 find this a little like bringing a Snickers bar to church, but I have gotten used to the idea of not wearing a suit to blg-dtyshows). As someone who looks at theater as some~hlng unlqul'! and wonderful, 1 would like more people to see live performances and feeftfle vita'llty that Is almost Impossible to get In' a movie or televiSion show. Theater, partlculal1y theater done well, is a nearly magical experience that everyone should be part of at one time or another. Not only does having a wiclely diverse audience expose more people to theater, but it also makes it a mUCh more lively outing even for regular theatergoers. Those thoughts went through my mind last weekend in Pleasanton as 1 sat with friends, eating a Togo's sandwich, cookies and cherry tomatoes, while waiting for the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival's production of "Twelfth Night," presented free In the park. As it has for the past several years, the company fenced off a portion of the park next to the community swimming pool, built a stage at one end and left the rest an open grassy space, ideal for blankets, lawn chairs and, especially, picnics. Here it's not the wicker basket and three-figure wine sort of picnic. This space in the park is built more for Subway and Two-Buck Chuck. It's where babies can doze in their strollers and bigger kids can chase each other around the maze of picnickers. http://www.contracostatimes.comlmldlcctimes/entertainmentlcolumnists/pat_ craigl~225139.... 8't2~m4 Free shows challenge troupes to universalize theater Page 2 of2 It feels, for all the world, like a figment of Norman Rockwell's imagination. And I love it. I am as aware as anyone of the realities of theater -- it is expensive to produce and audiences are hard to come by. I know the only reason S.F. Shakes (and Woman's Will, which brings its all-female production of "As You like It" free to Pleasanton's Centennial Park on July 30) is because it received grants to travel the show around the Bay Area throughout the summer. More important, though; is the fad: that companies such as S.F. Shakes and Woman's Will are making theater easll'y and financially available to the entire Bay Area. Selfishly, I like the idea of these free Shakespeare programs, because, as someone who hopes theater will remain alive and healthy, seeing one of these shows may touch off a Itfetime interest in theater and create the next genenltion of audiences. I like it, too, because the free shows attract audience members of all ages and types, which challenges a troupe. to create the sort of theater that is accessible to everyone. Too often, theatrical ventures are designed as sermons to the choir -- those who do theater have a pretty good idea of their audience, so they will tailor productions to the beliefs and attitudes of that fairly small group. The problem with this is that sometimes theaters seem to have spent more time sec~-guessing what their audiences might like to see, and not enough time creating accessible and vital theater works. outside, where theater is open to anyone, the audience is made up of all the types you might find in a crowded BART car, so it's impossible to second-guess, and the emphasis has to be on making theater a more universal experience. And, when it comes down to it, that's the sort of theater healthiest for all of us. UP THE BIG RIVER WITHOUT A PADDLE: I got an e-mail from a reader who had enjoyed the Best of Broadway presentation of "Big River," the Huck Finn musical performed by deaf and hearing actors in sign language and voice. The voices of the deaf actors were provided by speaking actors, creating a captivating new dimension to the production. But what was being done didn't immediately register with everyone, the reader observed. "As I was standing In line for the restrooms during intermission," she wrote, "an efderty lady (it was a Wednesday matinee ... almost the entire audience was elderly) asked how I was enjoying the play. I told her I thought It was fabulous. "She agreed, but said 'I don't quite get this ventriloquist thing they're doing. I know it must mean somethin9, but I don't really understand w~y they have so many ventriloquists...' fttalntaining my composure, I explained that the actors who weren't speaking were deaf, and the others were VOidn9for them. She was very gratefUl, and she thought that the second act would probably make more sense after our talk. ... , Pat Crilig is tIHl Tttr1e$ ~r attic. ReadJ him at 9ZS'-945-4736 or pcraig@cctlmes.com. e 2004 C,mtraCostaTimes.coDl and wire service sources, All Righls Reserved, bup:/lwww,oontracostatimes,L'Olll http://www.contracostatimes.com/mldlcctimes/entertainmentlcolumnists/pat_ cralgm15f~.~~. .\'f~.W'.