WHAT A YEAR! WHAT A SEASON! The Capital

The Newsletter of the Kitchen Theatre Company is Sponsored by
A Conversation from the Kitchen
July 2010
WHAT A YEAR! WHAT A SEASON!
memories. And CHESAPEAKE, now on stage, is a delicious
combination of thought-provoking discussion about the
making and support of the arts, the power of change and
an unconventional take on life, death, and afterlife. What a
perfect finish to the Clinton House era. What a season!
Who could have predicted how much would happen in
these past twelve months? We knew we were entering new
territory with the purchase of the building and the start of
our first capital campaign. We also knew we had planned an
exceptional season and we were thrilled with how it unfolded.
I want to look back at this past season and also update you
on the campaign.
The Capital Campaign History & Update
KTC’s capital campaign was launched in March 2009 with a
goal of raising $950,000 for the purchase and total renovation
of the building at 417 W. State/Martin Luther King, Jr. St.
We increased our goal to $1.2 million in October 2009 to
accommodate project design changes that would make the
project serve the theater and the community even better. The
project received its first boost when all members of our board
of directors made gifts to lead the effort. Two critical gifts also
propelled the project forward: a bequest from the estate of
Judith Holliday and a gift by the children of Percy Browning
in honor of both her lifetime of philanthropic efforts and
her birthday. In all, more than 250 individuals and families,
foundations, and area businesses supported the renovations
of our new theater. We are overwhelmed by the generosity
and encouragement the Kitchen has received from this
amazing community. On June 24, 2010, we announced that
we had reached the $1.2 million goal! We thank everyone for
helping us reach this milestone.
Final Season in the Clinton House Wrap-Up
The 2009-10 Season zipped by,
and as I look back I am amazed at
the breadth of work we produced.
SECRET ORDER introduced
us to a new playwright, brought
Tony Roach back to the Kitchen,
and included the Kitchen Theatre
debut of Roy Clary. FIRST DAY Anne Letscher & Eric Gilde in
Last Train to Nibroc
was simply extraordinary. The
amazing all-movement, all-percussion, totally fresh new play,
started so many conversations all season long. LAST TRAIN
TO NIBROC with Anne Letscher and Eric Gilde took us back
to sweeter times. The return of PRECIOUS NONSENSE
kept us laughing in the January cold. SPEECH & DEBATE
introduced four new actors to the
KTC audiences and gave us an
updated look at teenagers today.
IN THIS PLACE… touched
every heart. We also produced
one original musical for general
audiences, PARK PLAY, and a
remounting of I HAVE A SONG
TO SING O! Guest artists Vijai
Michelle Hurst in
In This Place...
Nathan, Darian Dauchan, Alice
Eve Cohen, Lee Chamberlin, and Tim Miller added their
unique voices to the season. Brian Dykstra’s HO! served up
an off-beat holiday treat and LOSING MYSELF offered
my personal and fond look back on many years of Kitchen
Volume IV, Number VI
Volunteers Needed for Moving to the New Space
In this whirlwind summer we are working day and night on
the new building. Crews of volunteers have been helping us
paint the interior; so much is changing every day. We are on
target to move into the space and very busy getting ready.
We need a new wave of volunteers to help us pack, transport,
unpack and organize in the new theater. If you have already
volunteered but haven’t heard from me, please drop me an
email. I have a lot of plates spinning.
Here’s the plan:
•Week of July 12th − Pack up the costume and props
collection and begin to transport them to the new building.
Need help folding, sorting, and packing. Requires the ability
to lift clothing on hangers. Also our current storage is stuffy,
so no one with allergies should volunteer. (We are looking
forward to the spanking new facility.)
•Week of July 19th − Move all the lighting equipment.
Requires the ability to carry large items, climb stairs, and
possibly a ladder.
•Week of July 26th − Continue to move with the intention
of finishing by August 1st.
To help, please email me at [email protected].
PRIVATE LIVES
Opening the New Theatre & the New Season
What a delight to present the much beloved classic comedy,
PRIVATE LIVES, as the first production in our new theater.
Whether you have seen it many times or have never had the
pleasure, PRIVATE LIVES always feels bracing and brainy.
Could it be that we all relate to the passions of Amanda and
Elyot? Is it that we always find Sibyl and Victor’s predicament
of being caught in the mishmash of Amanda and Elyot’s
battle delectable? Perhaps the combination of civility and
obsession tickles us because we relish the extremes of spousal
relationships? This play is loved by all: actors for its juicy
and complicated plot; directors for the play’s enormous
challenges; designers for the demands of creating a world
that is real yet extreme; and audiences for the laughter and
look in that wonderful mirror
the play holds up to us
all. The Kitchen Theatre
Company’s production will
be directed by Margarett
Perry, with set design by
Kent Goetz, and lighting
design by E.D. Intemann. It
introduces to the KTC stage
newcomers Carol Halstead,
Tobias Burns, Emily Bennett and welcomes back veteran
favorites Camilla Schade and Brian Dykstra. I am lifting my
champagne glass and waiting.
Historic Clinton House, 116 N. Cayuga St., Ithaca, N.Y. 14850 • Office (607) 272-0403 • Tickets (607) 273-4497 • Fax (607) 272-0944 • www.kitchentheatre.org
20th Anniversary Season Subscriptions on Sale Now
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
With our move we have re-vamped our production schedule
and made some changes. There has been some confusion
about subscriptions, dates, how to subscribe and more. I
hope the FAQs below will help.
What is different about the 20th Anniversary Season
Subscription?
The biggest difference is that we are including a choice
of 11 events: ten productions and one conversation series
called AROUND THE KITCHEN
TABLE. Subscribers can
choose all ten (and get
“Around the Kitchen Table”
as a complimentary add-on)
or choose six or eight of the
events.
Is there any change in subscriber benefits?
Subscribers continue to get VIP treatment: free ticket
exchange, priority seating, special subscriber-only events
and reduced ticket prices for single tickets when bringing
guests to the Kitchen.
The form looks different. Can I get help filling it out?
Absolutely! You can call or come to the Clinton House
between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. We are
keeping the side door on Seneca Street open. Take the
stairs or the elevator to the first floor and walk through
the gallery to the KTC office. It’s best to call ahead (2720403) so we know you are coming. It is hard to monitor
the door with New Roots School’s summer schedule.
What about my seats? I loved where I was in the
Clinton House, will I have the same seats?
Seating in the new space has a much better curve. Your
seat numbers may change, but we will do everything we
can to give you the same view you enjoyed at the Clinton
House. The exciting change in the layout is that we have
diagonal seats on both sides of the center section that
have excellent views and we anticipate these will be very
popular. These sections are much better situated than
the current diagonal seats in the Clinton House. The
new seats will be installed in early August. We will let
you know after that happens so you can see for yourself.
And, of course, we will make adjustments in your seating
choices when needed.
Take a Seat!
Be a leadership donor in our Bold New Space Campaign. For a
pledge commitment of $2,500, payable over 2 years, you can sponsor
a comfortable seat in our beautiful new State Street home, and play a
starring role in our $1.2 million capital campaign.
Are the dates and runs of the plays different?
I think everyone knows that our move to the new space
was motivated by a strategic plan to further stabilize the
Kitchen Theatre Company. Our expansion to 99 seats
is central to that plan. I also think everyone knows that
at the Kitchen we are extremely diligent about financial
planning and budgeting. We hope to fill every seat next
season, but we are being conservative in our estimates. So
we are running some plays for four weeks, some for three,
and some for two weeks. We have left some time to add
performances if the demand requires.
What does this do to my choice of which week I
attend?
With a new schedule for us, there will be a learning curve.
We anticipate that with plays that have two-week runs
we will need to combine Week 2 subscribers with Week 3
subscribers; – some seats will be preferred by two parties.
We will do our best to give everyone seats as close to their
preferences as possible. This phenomenon will occur
four times during the season: DANCING WITH THE
CCO, THE BROTHERS SIZE, SHE, and MARY’S
WEDDING. I hope you will see this as an opportunity to
view a production from a slightly different prospective.
What is the BEST deal?
For our 20th Anniversary Season we are offering a Full
Season Subscription for $200, which means $20 tickets
for each production – our best price. And we are throwing
in our new AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE as a
complimentary extra. I hope you will choose this option
so you can enjoy the full menu at the Kitchen.
What is AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE?
Over the years, many subscribers have enjoyed informal
conversations at Meet the Artist events − special talks
about a play or a discussion about its themes with
creative teams and community members. This season we
are planning a series of conversations with guests that
include directors, actors, and designers working on the
productions, as well as community experts addressing
the issues and challenges raised by the season’s plays. We
expect these will be lively and interactive and enhance
your experience. You can choose AROUND THE
KITCHEN TABLE as one of your subscription choices.
If you choose a full-season subscription you get these four
events on us.
Special Event July15th
Your generous sponsorship will be recognized
on a special plaque at the venue as one of
our 99 seat sponsors, and you will also be
acknowledged in the season program
booklets as a leadership donor. A seat
sponsorship is a terrific gift for that
person who has everything or as a
tribute to a loved one.
you
We saved seat!
a great
Pledge forms are available in
the KTC lobby, or online
www.kitchentheatre.
org/support. For more
information call the KTC
office 607.272.0403.
Thursday, July 15th, 6:30pm
in the Clinton House prior to performance
Frank Robinson from the Johnson Museum
joins Rachel Lampert in a lively conversation
about “Where Do Art and Politics Meet?”
Historic Clinton House, 116 N. Cayuga St., Ithaca, N.Y. 14850 • Office (607) 272-0403 • Tickets (607) 273-4497 • Fax (607) 272-0944 • www.kitchentheatre.org