Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2023 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$7,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Merely Players Community Theatre, Inc AKA Merely Players
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
September 2022
End Date
May 2023
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Blue Earth
Brown
Faribault
Nicollet
Le Sueur
Martin
Sibley
Waseca
Waseca
Blue Earth
Brown
Faribault
Nicollet
Le Sueur
Martin
Sibley
Waseca
Waseca
Project Overview

Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details

They will present their 2022-2023 season of performances including “Winnie the Pooh”, “The Nerd”, and “Oklahoma” held at Lincoln Community Center and “Cabaret” at the Kato Ballroom. Funds will be used for artist fees, publicity, and production expenses.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Tom Davis Barna: writer, director, producer and actor, has created many theatrical and musical productions, staged readings, and published works as a children's author; Carolyn Borgen: musician and string bass instructor and board member of the New Ulm Figure Skating Club; Julie Forderer: retired elementary and special education teacher at United South Central Public School, Wells, choreographer for school musicals and community theater events; Kristie Gaalswyk-Pomerenke: Web Editor at University of Minnesota Extension, former Education Coordinator at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, and a board member for the Martin County Area Foundation and Fairmont Community Education; Karen Krause: visual artist, retired school counselor and art teacher, and a member and instructor at the Waseca Art Center; April Malphurs: glass artist and art teacher at Le Sueur Henderson schools and for community art camps in St. Peter and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts; Larry Pint: board member of the Minnesota Association of Community Theaters, member of American Association of Community Theater and New Prague Arts Council, and past board member for Curtain Call Theatre; Dana Sikkila: visual artist and the Executive Director of the 410 Project Gallery, Mankato; Bethany Steffl: Principal, music, art, and choir teacher at St. Raphael School, Springfield, Board Member of the Springfield Community Theater, and a jewelry artist; Sandy Sunde: retired Language Arts teacher and high school musical director, member of Uniting Cultures Community Theater Board and CAPP-Comprehensive Arts Planning Program; Bethany Truman: southern regional representative for the Minnesota Hip Hop Coalition and serves on the board for The Mankato Makerspace; Mark Wamma: Music Director and Operations Director for Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra, teaches violin and viola, and a founding member of the Two Rivers Community Orchestra and River Valley String Quartet.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Tom Davis Barna: writer, director, producer and actor, has created many theatrical and musical productions, staged readings, and published works as a children's author; Carolyn Borgen: musician and string bass instructor and board member of the New Ulm Figure Skating Club; Julie Forderer: retired elementary and special education teacher at United South Central Public School, Wells, choreographer for school musicals and community theater events; Kristie Gaalswyk-Pomerenke: Web Editor at University of Minnesota Extension, former Education Coordinator at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, and a board member for the Martin County Area Foundation and Fairmont Community Education; Karen Krause: visual artist, retired school counselor and art teacher, and a member and instructor at the Waseca Art Center; April Malphurs: glass artist and art teacher at Le Sueur Henderson schools and for community art camps in St. Peter and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts; Larry Pint: board member of the Minnesota Association of Community Theaters, member of American Association of Community Theater and New Prague Arts Council, and past board member for Curtain Call Theatre; Dana Sikkila: visual artist and the Executive Director of the 410 Project Gallery, Mankato; Bethany Steffl: Principal, music, art, and choir teacher at St. Raphael School, Springfield, Board Member of the Springfield Community Theater, and a jewelry artist; Sandy Sunde: retired Language Arts teacher and high school musical director, member of Uniting Cultures Community Theater Board and CAPP-Comprehensive Arts Planning Program; Bethany Truman: southern regional representative for the Minnesota Hip Hop Coalition and serves on the board for The Mankato Makerspace; Mark Wamma: Music Director and Operations Director for Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra, teaches violin and viola, and a founding member of the Two Rivers Community Orchestra and River Valley String Quartet.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2021, First Special Session, chapter 1, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2023 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$7,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$149,260
Direct expenses
$156,260
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The number of Minnesotans who are able to participate in the arts increases. The quality, types and number of arts opportunities in our region, and the organizations or venues that offer them increases. Real or perceived barriers to arts participation and arts access are identified and addressed. New relationships with members of groups that have traditionally been underserved by the arts or by the applicant organization are built. The variety and number of festivals and traditional arts activities in our region/state increases. Audience members, production cast and crew, and Board and staff members will complete our survey. The General Manager will distribute and compile the results that will be presented in written form to the Board and the final report for this grant. Ticket sales reports will be generated for each production and compared to the previous season to determine changes in attendance.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Our Survey was provided both written and digitally. From the responses to our survey, we are able to compile a list of types of shows that our community would like to see. These requests are shared with the play selection comittee, the Artistic Director,

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
Achieved proposed outcomes
Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

Recipient Board Members
Lauren Atchley, Kendra Braunger, Murphy Grotewold, Laura Jans, Maggie Maes, Crystal Olson, Sarah Olson, Callie Sonnek, Keith Steinke, Sarah Tetzloff
Project Manager
First Name
Susan
Last Name
Olson
Organization Name
Merely Players Community Theatre, Inc. AKA Merely Players
Street Address
PO Box 11
City
Mankato
State
MN
Zip Code
56002
Phone
(507) 388-5483
Email
info@merelyplayersmn.org
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency
Location

105 22nd Avenue NE, Suite A
Waseca, MN 56093

Phone
Project Manager: Anna Pollock
507-833-8721
Email the Agency
Location

105 22nd Avenue NE, Suite A
Waseca, MN 56093

Phone
Project Manager: Anna Pollock
507-833-8721
Email the Agency