ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure (From L to R: Wyatt McCall, Sankofa B. Soleil and Shannon Cothran) OUR MISSION Inspired by the intelligence and emotional wisdom of young people, we create professional theater, foster inclusive community, and nurture meaningful learning through the arts. B GOVERNING Mike Gibbons (PRESIDENT) Mary Tonkin (VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY) John D. Weil (CFO) Lou DeSorbo LETTER FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT Josh Knopp Darci Madden Jason McAdamis Ellen Norrenberns Leslie Peters Melissa Posten DEAR FRIENDS, Don Reeves Tom Schunk The 2018-2019 fiscal year was characterized by substantial We could not operate without the financial support of our David Weber Coleen Williams change and growth. In the past year, our Board, led by former community partners and individual donors. We extend Julia Flood* Board President Jason McAdamis, was busy supporting new our deepest gratitude for the more than $730,000 of Joe Gfaller* fundraising efforts and leading the search which led to the hire contributions, a more than 3% increase from the *ex officio, non-voting of our new managing director, Joe Gfaller, who began this previous year. Without you, our work could not be possible. summer. In addition to a number of new faces on both Board Again, I am honored to be serving as the Metro Theater EMERITUS and staff, we also saw the expansion of our educational Marlene Birkman, Ph.D. Company Board President for the 2019-2020 season and look programming, which reached 118 schools in 53 unique zip Terry Bloomberg forward to seeing our community continue to strengthen and codes within the St. Louis Metro Area. Our dedicated staff Mary Ellen Finch, Ph.D. grow. Thank you for choosing to be part of our story and for has our mission clearly in sight and as a core part of the St. Louis Susan Gamble theater community, we continue to thrive and grow. We ended helping to make St. Louis better for each generation to come. Nancy Garvey the year with a solid financial position and the memory of so Camille Greenwald many smiling faces from our audiences. SINCERELY, Marcia Kerz Daniel Jay My spouse grew up in the New York City theater community, so Ken Jones both she and our two college age young adults have seen just Ellen Livingston what an impact our performances have had on our community James R. Moog members. New York has nothing on us! It is an honor to be able Susan W. Nall, Ph.D. to reach so many people and share the art of theater with them. Mike Gibbons | Board President Joseph M. Noelker Peggy O’Brien Anabeth C. Weil FOUNDERS Zaro Weil Lynn Rubright METRO THEATER COMPANY | ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 1 LETTER FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DEAR FRIENDS, At the center of every Metro Theater Company season are stories A favorite moment came during the run of The Hundred Dresses that move us. Our 46th season revolved around strong girls: at the Grandel Theatre. MTC’s first sensory-friendly mainstage a young Frida Kahlo discovering her own strength as the first girl performance happened during this run, a performance designed at an all-boys, science-based school; a very modern Alice finding especially for individuals with autism spectrum disorders, sensory her voice in a surreal rock & roll Wonderland; and Wanda Petronski, sensitivities, or other disabilities. The artists and staff provided a Polish immigrant whose response to the bullying of her peers modifications intended to make the experience of traveling to the changed the lives of her classmates forever. theater and viewing the performance welcoming, inclusive, and relaxed for these young people and their families. During the Many stories are depicted in Metro Theater Company productions Q+A session after the performance, the actors asked the young on the stage. For the artists, staff, and board of MTC, however, people whether Wanda’s story resonated with them. A young it is the unseen stories that happen in the audience during a man rose and nervously began to tell his story of being bullied at performance, in the lobby after the play, or in schools in school, the name-calling, the hitting, and the kicking. When he response to a residency that make our work so meaningful. finished, the actors praised him for his bravery in sharing his story Thousands of young people, educators, and families shared in a and the audience burst into applause. His courage opened the Metro Theater Company experience during this season, and many floodgates, and a lively discussion ensued between the actors and stories linger in our hearts: the excitement of two young girls audience, who shared their experiences, challenges, and triumphs engaged in lively conversation, in Spanish, with an actor following with each other. The energy and excitement as they left that day a Frida Libre performance in their school cafeteria, the squeals of was palpable, and pride and confidence were evident on the face delight as the neon caterpillar rocked out her number or as the of the young man who started the conversation. It reminded us rainbow unicorn made her magical entrance in Wonderland: all of why we do what we do. Inspired by young people, we Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure, the warm expressions of gratitude build inclusive community, which strengthens all of us. from University City 2nd grade teachers in response to the MTC Thank you for everything you do to make this deeply satisfying Education team’s social studies residency, which supported both work possible. We truly could not do any of it without you. the academic and social/emotional learning of their students, and the astonished recounting by a SLPS social worker of the young instigator-of-trouble who used techniques that he learned from SINCERELY, Say Something, Do Something to break up a fight. Julia Flood | Artistic Director 2 LETTER FROM THE MANAGING DIRECTOR DEAR FRIENDS, What an exciting time it is to be here at Metro Theater Company! I extend my hearty thanks to all who made the successes of I officially came on board as MTC’s new Managing Director in our 2019 fiscal year possible – including MTC’s staff and board, early September, after the fiscal year in this annual report had each and every generous supporter and school that opened their concluded—but putting it together in partnership with the team doors to us, and of course my two predecessors, former Interim at MTC has made clear to me what an extraordinary impact Managing Director JoAnne LaSala and former Managing Director MTC has made in our community. Matt Neufeld. Without their leadership, our most recent fiscal year would not have concluded as it did, and we would not be During our 2019 fiscal year, MTC expanded so much of positioned for a period of great growth at MTC. what it does best. Thanks to St. Louis County Public Health Department’s ReCAST initiative, our violence prevention program Thank you all for welcoming me so warmly into this wonderful Say Something, Do Something grew from impacting students organization. I look forward to charting a wonderful future with at just one school to equipping young people with the tools to you in 2020 and beyond! change cultures of violence around them at over thirty schools. With Frida Libre, Wonderland, and The Hundred Dresses, SINCERELY, tens of thousands of young people expanded their world view through the power of live theater, building critical skills of empathy and understanding that they will carry into adulthood. Plus, thanks to the abiding support of so many, MTC once again ended the year “in the black.” Joe Gfaller | Managing Director MEET THE TEAM Julia Flood Karen Bain Phoebe Richards Erik Kuhn Lauren Brooks Jennifer Lin Artistic Director Education Director Teaching Artist Fellow Technical Director/Production Manager Development Associate Content Marketing Specialist Joe Gfaller Gen Zoufal John Wolbers Sarah Thompson Liz Sondhaus Nate Beaird Managing Director Resident Teaching Artist Producing Associate Director of Communications Audience Development and Staff Accountant and Media Community Engagement Manager METRO THEATER COMPANY | ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 3 2018/2019 SEASON PRODUCTIONS Total of 43 performances for 36 schools Total audience of 8,834 Audience was 91% Children 41.3% AFRICAN 38.2% AMERICAN WHITE 2.7% 2.9% ASIAN OTHER 14.9% HISPANIC OR LATINX SEPTEMBER 10 - NOVEMBER 2, 2018 DECEMBER 2-30, 2018 Each year, the season kicks off with a touring production. By bringing the show to the students Part theater, part rock concert, Wonderland took all of the classic at their schools, Metro Theater Company is able characters from Lewis Carroll’s beloved tale and elevated their story to share the power of live performance with a into a timely and lively exploration of self-actualization. Director population that has largely never experienced it. amie McKittrick and music director Lamar Harris led a racially diverse cast of multi-talented actor-musicians in playing an eclectic mix of e Inspired by the childhood of legendary Mexican verything from classic rock to ska to punk. The story of 7-1/2-year-old painter Frida Kahlo, Frida Libre is the uplifting Alice running through Wonderland in search of her own inner musical story of young Frida, who plans to become a voice was a hit with schools and delighted audiences of all ages. doctor, and her new friend Alex, who secretly wishes to be a wrestler. Thrown together on a Frida Libre (From L to R: Jamie McKittrick, Rahamses Galvan, Hailey Medrano science project about metamorphosis, the two and Jacob Cange) go on a delightful journey in this musical performance that features original songs and explores the meaning of transformation, Hanukkah Hullabaloo bravery, understanding, and acceptance.