2013-2014 Annual Report Las Casas Foundation is dedicated to the development of the performing arts through education, scholarships and the restoration and preservation of historic theatres. Founded in 1988, Las Casas is funded through Foundation memberships, the generous support of donors, corporations and grants. It has awarded $485,000 in scholarship funds to deserving students in the field of performing arts since 2009. 2013-2014 Board of Directors Jocelyn Straus Martha Avant Founding Chairperson Aliza Cantu Bill Crow Frank Z. Ruttenberg Eric Dupre’ Chairman Carmen Goldberg George Hinchey Kevin Parman Steve Johnson President John D. Likovich Charline McCombs Lifetime Friends Linda Guerra Tillery David Nicolson Sunny Blumenthal Vice President Sue Ann Pemberton Clifton J. Bolner Peggy Penshorn Mary Margaret McAllen Jay Higginson Bonnie Reed Pat Wheeler Treasurer Kathy Rhoads Barbara Richmond In Memory Of Valerie Samaníego Finch Michael Schaefer Bob W. Coleman Assistant Treasurer Lisa Swann Elaine Honigblum “Lainie” Kaufman Don Thomas Laura G. Richmond Chris Turner Secretary V.T. “Skip” Wood When Las Casas Foundation was founded in 1988, none of us envisioned where we would be today. This year marked a number of milestones for Las Casas. We celebrated the 100th year anniversary of the elegant Charline McCombs Empire Theatre fêting its namesake in a star-studded evening; we honored the hard work and commitment of our founding chairperson, Jocelyn L. “Joci” Straus, as we dedicated our beautiful theater complex “the Joci Straus Performing Arts Center;” and applauded the amazing talent of our San Antonio youth through the Las Casas Performing Arts Scholarship Competition, awarding over $100,000 in scholarship funds to deserving high school students, bringing the total amount of scholarships awarded since the program began to nearly $500,000. As we look back to where we started and how far we’ve come, it is a fantastic reason to pause and be grateful for the opportunity we have to continue to impact the San Antonio performing arts community. On behalf of Las Casas, thank you for your generous contributions and your support as we continue our mission. This year also marks the opening of the new Tobin Center. We at Las Casas look with great pride at the ever-expanding landscape for cultural arts in our city, which was envi- sioned by Las Casas over a quarter century ago. As many of you have heard me state before, great cities are not remembered by their industry or commerce, or the wealth of their community, but rather by their contribution to the arts. Through your commitment and support of Las Casas, each of you has helped to enrich our city and elevate our community to one of the greatest in our country. We pause for just a moment to reflect and enjoy the memories of our accomplishments that could only be achieved with your great generosity and knowing that with your continued support, we will reach even greater achievements in the future. Frank Z. Ruttenberg Chairman of the Board, Las Casas Foundation 2013 GALA HONORING JOCI STRAUS Jocelyn L. “Joci” Straus, Founding Chairperson of Las Casas Foundation, was recognized at the 2013 Gala, which also featured the multinational operatic pop vocal group, IL DIVO. The evening honored her lifetime achievements, vision and leadership in making the Majestic Theatre and the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre the treasures they are today. During the gala program, it was announced that the downtown San Antonio Performing Arts Center, as the two theatres were collectively known, would be renamed the Joci Straus Performing Arts Center. Proceeds from the evening, a total of more than $425,200 directly benefited the Las Casas Performing Arts Scholarship Competition. 2014 EMPIRE THEATRE’S CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION HONORING CHARLINE MCCOMBS The Empire Theatre turned 100 in 2014 and Las Casas Foundation celebrated the theatre by honoring its namesake, Charline McCombs, during a star-studded gala that spanned both the Majestic and Empire stages. The night began with cocktails in the rotunda and dinner on stage of the Majestic Theatre, and wrapped up with an original production, “Opening Night,” created for occasion and emceed by six-time Emmy® winner, Bruce Vilanch, at the Empire Theatre. All proceeds from the evening, a total of more than $424,000, directly benefited the Las Casas Performing Arts Scholarship Competition. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS 2013 SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION 2013 marked the fifth annual Las Casas Performing Arts Scholarship Competition, where 24 students vied for $85,500 in scholarship funds. David Bologna of Austin, who placed first in the Dance category, was named the overall winner, and was awarded a total of $15,000 in scholarship funds to assist with his performing arts education. Overall Winner Vocal $5,000 – Ashton Cleer David Bologna, $4,000 – Jordan Hogan $15,000 total winnings $3,000 – Daniel Loftus $2,000 – Matthew Hernandez Monologue $1,500 – Allison Gillespie $5,000 – Joseph Monsour $1,000 – Amanda Price $4,000 – Zack Walker $3,000 – Emilia Baker Dance $2,000 – Asel Swango $5,000 – David Bologna $1,500 – Kelsi Morse $4,000 – Christina Poenisch $1,000 – Katherine Tompkins $3,000 – Destiny Nedrick $2,000 – Rachel Nine Duet Acting $1,500 – Brooke Griffin 5,000 each – Alfred Gomez $1,000 – Amber Ludwig and Emily Kendric $4,000 each – Kathleen Kinlin Linda Guerra Tillery/AT&T and Zoe Windham Essay Award Winners $3,000 each – Rebecca $1,000 – Franchesca Brieg O’Connor and James Ybarra $1,000 – John Davis 2014 SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION During the sixth annual Las Casas Performing Arts Scholarship Competition, 25 talented high school seniors battled it out for $100,000 in honor of the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre’s 100th Birthday. In the end, Joshua Riding of San Antonio took the top prize of $15,000 after shining bright in the Monologue category. The remaining talented performers claimed $85,000 in scholarship money as well as two trips to the prestigious National High School Musical Theater Awards (the “Jimmy’s”). Thanks to our donors, this year’s $100,000 was the largest sum of scholarship money to be awarded to college-bound high school seniors since the program began in 2009. For the first time ever, KLRN filmed the competition, producing a show about the competition that was broadcast twice on KLRN and is now available to view online at www.klrn.org. Overall Winner Vocal $5,000 – Madeline Chancey Joshua Riding, $15,000 $4,000 – Michele Yamin total winnings $3,000 – Aaron Taylor $2,000 – Konnor Callender Monologue $1,500 – Cameron Kauffman $5,000 – Joshua Riding $4,000 – Renelle Wilson Dance $3,000 – Daniel Quintero $5,000 – Ashley Olson $2,000 – Anna Connelly $4,000 – Ashton Schifani $1,500 – Sydney Watt $3,000 – Madelene Hall $2,000 – Andrea Lopez Duet Acting $1,500 – Kaitlen Jung $5,000 each – Hailey Medrano and Jonathon Stone Linda Guerra Tillery/AT&T Essay $4,000 each – Christian Parrish and Award Winners Samuel Wittlinger $1,500 – Chloee Abigail Leos $3,000 each – Jorge Espinoza and $1,500 – Corbyn Sprayberry Marlowe Romero “Jimmy’s” $3,000 & trip to NY – Aria Braswell $3,000 & trip to NY – Aaron Taylor $1,500 – Christopher Heron $1,500 – Michele Yamin BEHIND THE SCENES “Behind the Scenes,” Las Casas Foundation’s latest educational effort, provides students unique experiences, paired with a performing arts curriculum, to encourage their interest in the performing arts. Partnering with ACE Theatrical Group, Las Casas Foundation organized and sponsored the program for the 2013-2014 school year. Thirty students from the theater arts programs at SAY Sí and The Playhouse San Antonio participated in the inaugural year of the program, which included educational program- ming on two Broadway shows in San Antonio at the Majestic Theatre shows, Peter and the Starcatcher and Wicked, as well as other activities to ignite a life-long love of the performing arts. The program is designed to give the students a full range of theater experiences, from enjoying live shows and meeting members of the cast and crew, to seeing what it takes behind the curtain to bring a production to life. The idea is to spark a love of theater and engage the students so that they embrace the performing arts and become active members of the performing arts community, whether on stage, behind the scenes or in the audience. IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT National High School Musical Theater Awards/The Jimmy Awards The Las Casas Performing Arts Scholarship Competition is now a RAP (Regional Award Program) for the National High School Musical Theater Awards. After proving their talents through their performances during the 2014 Las Casas Performing Arts Scholarship Competition, Aria Braswell and Aaron Taylor of San Antonio were awarded the opportunity to participate in the National High School Musical Theater Awards, fondly called the Jimmy Awards, in New York City. While in the Big Apple, Aria and Aaron experienced private coaching with the industry’s top professionals and were treated to a talkback with Tony-award winning lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz, tickets to Kinky Boots (2013 winner of Best Musical at the Tony Awards), a talkback with the cast after the show, a special dinner at Sardi’s and much more. Both Aria and Aaron received great crowd responses at the finale event at the Minskoff Theatre in New York City. National Arts Star Award In November 2013, the American Foundation For Arts Education honored Las Casas Foundation with the National Arts Star Award for our positive impact on arts education. Presented annually to individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact on arts education on a national or regional level, the National Arts Star Awards raise awareness of the need for an arts education in America’s public schools, celebrate the contributions of advocates and supporters of the arts in America’s public schools, and the creative and academic achievements of schools, school districts, teachers and students in the nation’s public school arts programs.