American Shakespeare Festival Theatre

1
American Shakespeare Festival Theatre

• A Strategic Business Plan Launch Proposal to
  re-open
• The American Shakespeare Festival Theatre
• Prepared Presented by
• Frank Tobin Enterprises
• April 1, 2010
• ASFT 2010 Proposals available online at
• www.americanshakespearefesstival.com

2
The Vision

• Present an annual classical theater repertory
  season highlighted by plays by Shakespeare and
  other great playwrights performed by a
  professional resident, multicultural ensemble of
  American theatrical talent
• (May-September)
• Establish a Classical Theatre Training Academy
  which will produce actors, directors, theatre
  artisans and craftsman to present the finest
  repertory classical theatre in the world
  (January-September)
• Present Special holiday theater, music and dance
  entertainments such as The Nutcracker and The
  Christmas Carol, etc. with special guest artists
  and local, regional and national co-presenting
  organizations
• (November-December)
• Offer presentations of classical music, pop
  youth-appeal attractions and community and
  corporate events
• (Year-round).

3
The Mission

• Position the American Shakespeare Festival
  Theatre as the crown jewel of American cultural
  life
• Create a uniquely American classical repertory
  theater company of actors and musical theater
  artists
• Produce classic and new plays and musicals which
  speak to contemporary American audiences of all
  ages
• Situate Stratford, CT as a preeminent cultural
  tourist destination on a par with Canadas
  Stratford Theater Festival and the Oregon
  Shakespeare Festival, drawing a potential annual
  audience of 400,000 attendees from across North
  America
• Collaborate with top-tier American performing
  arts organizations (theater/dance/opera/music) on
  shared programming and production expenses,
  through joint commissions and collaborations
• Utilize the cultural resources and educational
  assets of the American Shakespeare Festival
  Theatre to bridge the gaps in the communities of
  the greater Bridgeport-New Haven-Stratford region.

4
Objectives

• Finalize plans for the complete renovation and
  restoration of the ASFT property
• Explore partnerships with Connecticut non-profit
  higher education institutions to utilize the
  property year-round, finance property renovation
  and amortize annual maintenance
• Re-brand the American Shakespeare Festival
  Theatre as a world-class classical
  repertory-producing organization, featuring a
  resident acting ensemble of both distinguished
  American theater artists and our brightest new
  acting talent
• Revitalize Stratford, CT as a thriving
  arts-themed community by tapping into the
  financial returns which such a classical
  repertory theater company and a multi-purpose
  arts performing arts venue can bring to a
  community as witnessed by the Stratford Theater
  Festival in Ontario, The Berkshires and the
  Oregon Shakespeare Festival
• Institute a comprehensive educational outreach
  program for Connecticut residents of all ages
  through a May-June school matinee program

5
Strategies

• Engage Randall Duk Kim, Americas leading
  classical actor, and Anne Occhiogrosso as
  Co-Artistic Directors to build and train the ASFT
  resident professional company of American theater
  artists (April 15)
• Engage Frank Tobin as Management Consultant for
  the preliminary strategic planning / fundraising
  / property renovation phase of the project (April
  15)
• Develop ongoing relationships with Americas most
  distinguished theater artists who will be invited
  as Guest Artists for the summer classical
  repertory season
• Create additional arts-oriented multicultural
  programming for all ages (musicals, pop concerts,
  classical music events, youth-appeal events, etc.)

6
Action Plan

• Develop Feasibility Study Case for Support
  (June-August, 2010)
• Outreach to various state economic development
  bodies through Stratford Economic Development
  Council to explore funding possibilities
  (May-June, 2010)
• Formulate Governors Blue Ribbon Leadership
  Committee strategy with Stratford Arts Commission
  to (June, 2010)
• Fnalize theatre remodeling plans, review bids
  launch reconstruction (June, 2010)
• Meetings with prospects for F/R campaign
  potential members of Board of Directors
  (June-August, 2010)
• Assemble Artistic Friends of ASF Plan Summer
  Classical Theatre Evening Presentation
  (June-July, 2010)
• Report Feasibility Study findings (September,
  2010)
• Finalize ASFT 2011 Budget Projections (September,
  2010)
• Launch Fund Raising Campaign (September, 2010)
• Finalize plans for 2011 Season (October,2010).

7
The Program

• The American Shakespeare Festival Theatre will
  remain faithful to its founding mandate of a
  multicultural, resident acting ensemble of
  American theatre artists which will perform an
  annual summer season of classical of plays and
  musicals, joined by distinguished guest artists,
  on the ASFT Mainstage
• Key to the ASFT approach is the development of a
  classical training academy which will be geared
  towards the building of a resident company which
  will train the actors of the future
• A junior acting company will perform for young
  audiences on a temporary stage on the ASFT lawn
• Future plans call for the creation of a permanent
  outdoor secondary performance venue (300-499
  seats), or a venue in Stratford which will be
  devoted to producing new plays, musical cabarets,
  etc.
• Offer programming of popular music and concert
  offerings, outside bookings of musicals and
  plays, etc.
• Educational and community outreach programs for
  audiences of all ages, both on and offsite.

8
ASFT Summer Schedule

• 2011 July (2 shows / 4 weeks)
• -- 7 perf. per week
• -- Tues.-Sun. with Sat./Sun. matinees
• -- Apprentice Company production on lawn
• 2012 July/August (4 shows / 7 weeks)
• --7 perf. per week
• --Tues,-Sun. with Sat./Sun. matinees
• --2 Apprentice Company productions on
  the lawn
• --Pre-season school matinees
• 2013 June/July/August (7 shows / 10
  weeks)
• --Theater Restoration complete / Re-opening
  
• --7 perf. per week
• --Tues,-Sun. with Sat./Sun. matinees
• -- Pre-season school matinees
• -- 2 Apprentice Company productions on the
  lawn

9
Partnerships

• Explore partnerships with organizations with
  historic ties to the ASFT The Juilliard School
  of Theater, The Kennedy Center
• Explore co-productions with New York area
  theatres, other regional theatres, commercial
  producers, musical theatre-producing entities and
  opera companies
• Explore musical theatre and opera presentations
  with The Connecticut Opera, regional opera
  companies, etc.
• Explore special holiday-themed dance
  co-presentations with The Connecticut Ballet,
  Boston Ballet, etc.
• Develop relationships and educational programming
  with Connecticuts elementary, middle and high
  school system as well as area colleges and
  universities.

10
Start-Up Budget

• PHASE ONE 6 months April 15-October 15, 2010
• --Feasibility Study Stakeholders Survey
• --Creation of Governors Blue Ribbon Committee
• --Creation of ASFT Board of Directors
• --Explore state regional funding sources
• --Kickoff Fundraising Campaign
• --Re-open ASFT with special stage presentation
• --Supervise remodeling of ASFT property
• ESTIMATED PROJECTED COST 350,000 (not
  including renovation costs)
• PHASE TWO 12 months October 15-April 15, 2010
• --High profile Fundraising campaign
• --Tourism Industry Outreach Marketing
  Initiatives
• --Prepare marketing, PR Sponsorship Campaigns
  
• --Launch Actor Training Academy
• --Staffing ramp-up
• --Additional stage presentations as needed
• ESTIMATED PROJECTED COST 500,000

11
Operating Budget

• Phase One (6 months) 350,000
• --Consultant Fee
  
• --Fundraising Costs
• (includes special gala presentation
• --Fixed Theatre Operating Costs
• Phase Two (12 months) 500,000
• --Consultant Fee
  
• --Fundraising Staff/Office Cost
• --Fundraising Costs
• (includes 2 stage presentations)
• --Artistic Staff
  
• --Fixed Theatre Operating Costs
• Phase Three (Option 1 -- 4 week season) 4M
• Phase Three (Option 2 -- 7 week season 6.5M
• Phase Three (Option 3 -- 9 week season 7.5M

12
Fundraising Schedule

• Phase One April 15-October 15, 2010 (6 months)
• TARGET 3 million pledges to match TOS
  appropriation
• --Feasibility Study Stakeholder Consensus
• --State-wide and regional Cultivation Meetings
• --Form Governors Blue Ribbon Committee
• --Form Board of Directors
• --Explore alternative funding sources
• --First stage presentation (August)
• Phase Two October 15, 2010-April 14, 2011 (6
  months)
• TARGET 3.5 million pledges to match 3M TOS
  3M)
• --Launch Leadership Campaign for Major Gifts
• --Secure state regional Foundation Support
• --Devise state/regional Corporate Giving
  Strategy
• --Outline medium and small giver campaign
  strategy
• --1-2 stage presentations for fundraising
  cultivation
• Phase Three (April 15, 2011-October 15, 2011 (6
  months)
• TARGET 1.5 million

13
Economic Benefits

• The Stratford Festival of Canada
• 50 million annual budget, with 41 million in
  box office revenue and 9 million in grants,
  donations and marketing partnerships
• 600,000 annual audience
• 145 million impact on Canadas gross domestic
  product and approximately 125 million on the
  local economy
• The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland, OR
• 24 million annual budget
• 400,000 annual attendance
• Attendees stayed an avg. of 3.7 nights with an
  avg. daily expenditure of 116
• 163 million economic impact on the state of
  Oregon, of which 56 million was realized by the
  local economy
• Shakespeare Company, Lenox, MA
• Celebrated its 28th anniversary by embarking on a
  16 million capital campaign to build a replica
  of the Rose Playhouse on its 63-acre property
• Received a one-time 1 million federal
  appropriation through a special U.S. Senate
  resolution, led by Sen. Ted Kennedy. 

14
Educational Resource Community Benefits

• ASFTs 2-fold mandate To Entertain and To
  Educate
• --Classical Actor Training Program will also be
  offered to the professional student actor on a
  tuition basis
• --Educational Outreach Program will build
  Relationship Synergy with theatre audiences
  through seminars and workshops geared to all ages
  both during the regular season and off-season
• --ASFT to work with Connecticuts
  Artist-In-Residency Program and Connecticut
  Schools H.O.T. (Higher Organized Thinking
  Program)
• --Special Shakespeare curriculum (Shakespeare in
  Love, Alls Fair in Love War, etc. ) will take
  the classics from the page to the stage
• --ASFT school matinee program in April/May or
  September
• --ASFT programs curriculum designed for Special
  Need Juveniles Youth at Risk
• --Special ASFT focus on senior citizen population
  low-income populations of region
• --ASFT Theatre for Young Audiences program
  throughout annual summer season

15
The Principals

• Randall Duk Kim - Universally acknowledged as
  the greatest classical actor of his generation,
  Randall Duk Kim has been the standard bearer for
  classical theater repertory in America for over
  three decades, playing leading roles in
  Shakespearean works and the great classical
  theatre repertory at such distinguished venues as
  American Conservatory Theatre, The Guthrie, Yale
  Rep and The New York Shakespeare Festival, among
  others. Formerly Co-Founder Artistic Director
  of American Players Theatre, Spring Green, WI,
  where he portrayed over two dozen leading roles,
  including Hamlet, Shylock, Falstaff, Lear, Romeo,
  Brutus, Titus Andronicus, Petruchio, Puck, and
  many others.
• Anne Occhiogrosso One of Americas foremost
  directors and respected teachers of Shakespearean
  and classical theater texts, Anne was formerly
  Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of American
  Players Theatre, Spring Green, WI, alongside
  Randall Duk Kim. Anne is universally acclaimed
  for her groundbreaking study and textual analysis
  of Shakespeares First Folio.
• Frank Tobin - Producer, Consultant, Fundraiser,
  Manager, Publicist, Marketer

16
Frank Tobin Associates

• Rose Tobin Bradshaws philanthropy consulting
  practice is focused on the arts and
  community/economic development.  Ms. Bradshaw
  worked for 15 years in corporate philanthropy,
  most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer
  for the Deutsche Bank America Foundation where
  she managed an annual grants budget of 17.5
  million dollars.  In 2003, she became Director of
  Development for Local Initiatives Support
  Corporation/Chicago. In concert with
  LISC/Chicagos Board of Advisors and senior
  management, Ms. Bradshaw prepared and implemented
  a fund-raising and public relations program that
  raised 30 million from corporate, philanthropic,
  public and private sources. More than 45 of the
  campaign donors were first-time supporters of
  LISC. Ms. Bradshaw continues to provide
  consulting services for LISC, most recently
  securing a 500,000 grant from the Atlantic
  Philanthropies which she translated into a 30M
  campaign..

17
Frank Tobin

• Areas of Expertise
• Producer
• Management
• Publicist
• Consultant
• Fundraiser
• Marketing
• Education Community Outreach

18
The Season

• Grand Re-Opening!
• American Shakespeare Festival Theatre
• Randall Duk Kim and Anne Occhiogrosso,
  Co-Artistic Directors
• Inaugural 4 week Season
• The Merchant of Venice
• The Merry Wives of Windsor
• A Midsummer Nights Dream
• (In repertory)
• June 30-July 30, 2011
• Tuesday thru Saturday Eves. at 730 PM
• Matinees Saturday and Sunday at 230 PM
• Tickets 20-65
• Flexible Ticket Packages Available Subscribe
  Now!
• Group Rates available Student matinees
• Special discounts for students and seniors
• www.americanshakespearefestival.com