American Shakespeare Festival Theatre

1. American Shakespeare Festival Theatre A proposal to re-open The American Shakespeare Festival Theatre Prepared for Mayor James Miron and the Town Council of Stratford, CT Presented by Frank Tobin & Associates May 7, 2008 ASFT Proposals available online at www.newphoenixtheatre-la.com:

2. The Vision • Within three years, establish the American Shakespeare Festival Theatre and Stratford, CT as America’s premiere performing arts / professional theater destination through: • 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 (April-September); • Presentations of both classic and new American plays and musicals (October-November / January-March); • Special holiday theater, music and dance entertainments such as The Nutcracker and The Christmas Carol, etc. with special guest artists and co-presenting organizations; (November-December); • Hosting engagements or residencies of national and regional performing arts organizations such as Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet Company, Philobolus, Connecticut Opera, etc., (October-April); • Year-round presentations of classical music, musicals, pop & youth-appeal attractions and community and corporate events.

3. The Mission • To position the American Shakespeare Theatre Festival as the crown jewel of American cultural life; • To build a uniquely American classical repertory theater company of actors and musical theater artists; • To produce classic and new plays and musicals which speak to contemporary American audiences of all ages; • To situate Stratford, CT as a preeminent cultural tourist destination on a par with the Stratford Theater Festival in Ontario, The Berkshires and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, drawing a potential annual audience of 400,000 attendees from across the US and Canada; • To collaborate with top-tier American performing arts organizations (theater/dance/opera/music) which have historic ties with the ASFT on shared programming and production expenses, through joint commissions and collaborations; • To utilize the cultural resources and educational assets of the American Shakespeare Festival Theatre to serve as a bridge between the communities of all ages and cultures of the greater Bridgeport-New Haven-Stratford region.

4. Objectives • Complete the renovation and restoration of the American Shakespeare Festival Theatre property; • 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; • Develop both new and classic plays and musical theater “product” for Broadway, national tours and co-productions with other resident theater companies across the US; • Institute a comprehensive educational outreach program for residents of all ages of Connecticut and the New England area.

5. Strategies • Engage Randall Duk Kim, America’s leading classical actor, to build and train a resident multi-cultural, professional company of American theater artists to perform the great classical theater repertory; • Engage Tony Award-winning director Jack Hofsiss (The Elephant Man) to develop and produce a new American musical theater lab and to direct star-studded revivals of American classic plays and musicals; • Explore collaborations with performing arts institutions with historic ties to the ASFT (The Juilliard School of Theater, Music and Opera, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet Company, The Kennedy Center, etc.); • Develop ongoing relationships with America’s most distinguished theater artists who will be invited as “Guest Artists” for the summer classical repertory season and the fall/winter season of American plays and musicals; • Create additional arts-oriented multicultural programming for all ages with outside booking agents, promoters and producers (musicals, pop concerts, classical music events, youth-appeal events, film festivals, arts & crafts events, etc.).

6. Action Plan • Develop Feasibility Study & Case for Support (June 15); • Outreach to various state economic development bodies & arts organizations through the Stratford Economic Development Council and the Stratford Arts Council to explore funding possibilities (June 30); • Formulate Governor’s Blue Ribbon Leadership Committee strategy with Stratford Arts Commission (June 30); • Finalize theatre remodeling plans, review bids & launch reconstruction (June 30); • Meetings with prospects for F/R campaign & potential members of Board of Directors (July-September) • Assemble Artistic “Friends of ASFT” and plan Fall Community Cultivation Benefit Event (August 15); • Report Feasibility Study findings, announce Budget Projections & launch Fund Raising Campaign (September 15); • Finalize off-season events and bookings (September 30); • Community Cultivation & Fundraising Kick-Off Theatre Event (pending renovation completion);

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 a season of classical of plays and musicals, joined by distinguished guest artists, on the 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 (250-399 seats), or a venue in Stratford which will be devoted to producing new plays; • Star-driven revivals of American plays and musicals, along with London imports; • A New American Musical Theatre Laboratory; • 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. Year-Round Schedule • ASFT CLASSICAL REPERTORY SEASON - April 15-September 7 (21 weeks / 8 performances per week (Tues-Sun with matinees Sat. & Sun.); • FALL MUSICAL PRESENTATION – September 15 –November 1 (4-6 weeks / 8 performances per week, Wed-Sun, with matinees Sat. & Sun.; • HOLIDAY DANCE ATTRACTION (The Nutcracker) -November 15-December 15 (4 weeks – 6 performances per week, Thurs.-Sun., with matinees. Sat. & Sun.; • HOLIDAY THEATRE PRESENTATION (A Christmas Carol)December 15-January 6; 3 weeks - 8 performances per week with matinees on Wed., Sat. & Sun.; • COMEDY TONIGHT - January 21-March 1; 6 weeks – 8 performances per week, Wed.-Sun., with matinees Sat. & Sun. .A star-driven double bill of two popular modern American classics in repertory; • NEW MUSICAL THEATRE LAB – March 15-30; 2 weeks – 4 performances per week of new American musicals; • THEATRE FOR TOMORROW’S AUDIENCES--Year-round troupe will present theatre workshops and seminars.

9. Partnerships • Explore partnerships with organizations with historic ties to the ASFT – The Juilliard School of Theater, Music and Opera, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, The New York Shakespeare Festival; The Williamstown Theatre Festival; • 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 co-productions with The Connecticut Opera, Sarasota Opera, regional opera companies, Santa Fe Opera, etc.; • Explore special holiday-themed co-presentations with The Connecticut Ballet, Boston Ballet, etc.; • Collaborate with our neighbors at The Yale Rep, The Hartford Stage, The Westport Playhouse and the O’Neill Playwrights Conference and Musical Theatre Workshop on joint programming and presentations; • Develop relationships and educational programming with Connecticut’s elementary, middle and high school system as well as area colleges and universities.

10. Start-Up Budget PHASE ONE – 6 months: June1-December 1 --Feasibility Study & Stakeholders Survey; --Creation of Governor’s 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: $$200,000-225,000 PHASE TWO – 12 months December 1-December --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: $650,000-675,000

11. Operating Budget Phase One (6 months) $200,000-225,000 --Consultant Fee --Fundraising Costs $ (includes special gala presentation --Fixed Theatre Operating Costs Phase Two (12 months) $650,000-675,000 --Consultant Fee --Fundraising Staff/Office Cost --Fundraising Costs (includes 2 stage presentations) --Artistic --Fixed Theatre Operating Costs Phase Three (Option One/21 weeks) $12,000,000 Phase Three (Option Two/12 weeks) $8,000.000 Phase Three (Option Three/8 weeks $6,000.000

12. Fundraising Schedule Phase One – June 1-Dec. 1 (6 months) TARGET: $8-9 million --Feasibility Study & Stakeholder Consensus; --State-wide and regional Cultivation Meetings; --Form Governor’s Blue Ribbon Committee; --Form Board of Directors; --Explore alternative funding sources; --First stage presentation (Sept.-Oct.?) Phase Two - Dec.1’08-Dec. 1’09 (12 months)- TARGET: $5 million) --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 (Dec.1-Season Opener) TARGET: $3 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 Canada’s 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 ASFT’s 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; --Educatioal 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 Connecticut’s Artist-In-Residency Program and Connecticut School’s H.O.T. (Higher Organized Thinking Program); --Special Shakespeare curriculum (Shakespeare in Love, All’s Fair in Love & War, etc. ) will take the classics from the page to the stage; --ASFT school matinee program either 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 Frank Tobin - Producer, Consultant, Fundraiser, Manager, Publicist, Marketer 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.ng.” Anne Occhiogrosso – One of America’s 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 Shakespeare’s First Folio. Charles Bright – Manager & Producer and formerly Co-Founder and Managing Director of American Players Theatre, Spring Green, WI Jack Hofsiss – Director / Producer of New American Musical Theater Lab – was the youngest person ever to win a Tony Award (The Elephant Man) and is one of America’s foremost developers of new plays and musicals

16. Frank Tobin & Associates • Rose Tobin Bradshaw’s 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/Chicago’s 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. • Margaret Tobin Heneghan has more than 14 years’ professional writing and communication strategy experience, specializing in public relations, investor relations and corporate communication. Formally trained as a journalist, Ms. Heneghan received her Master's degree from NYU's Graduate School of Journalism and has honed her skills at several major U.S. corporations including Tribune Company, Hewitt Associates and Equity Office. Ms. Heneghan serves as the team’s communications specialist.

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 16 week Season King Lear The Merry Wives of Windsor Macbeth A Midsummer Night’s Dream A Comedy of Errors Tug of War, (a Roman comic farce with music) (In repertory) June 1-September 30 Tuesday thru Saturday Eves. at 7:30 PM Matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 PM Tickets $20-$65 Flexible Ticket Packages Available * Subscribe Now! Group Rates available & Student matinees Special discounts for students and seniors www.americanshakespearefestival.org