Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2024 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$9,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Merely Players Community Theatre, Inc. AKA Merely Players
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
In Progress
Start Date
September 2023
End Date
June 2024
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Blue Earth
Brown
Faribault
Nicollet
Le Sueur
Martin
Sibley
Waseca
Watonwan
Blue Earth
Brown
Faribault
Nicollet
Le Sueur
Martin
Sibley
Waseca
Watonwan
Project Overview

Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details

They will present their 2023-2024 season of plays, including: ?Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!", ?Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None", ?Aristocats", and ?9 to 5 the Musical". Funds will be used for artist fees, publicity, and supplies.

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; Justin Ek: visual artist known for his murals, paintings, and work with area youth, and founder of the Mankato Day of the Dead Celebration and the Mankato Art Crawl; 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; Moni Harper: musician with the Fairmont City Band, the Trimont Centennial Band, and the bugler for Fairmont VFW and Legion Honor Guard, and has served on the Boards for Fairmont Opera House and Civic Summer Theatre; Michael Looft: City Administrator for Winthrop and is an integral part of the Bavarian Blast music festival, New Ulm; 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; Randy Mediger: retired principal and teacher and charter member of LeSueur Community Theater; 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; Dave Wahl: singer, actor, and former musician, and an active board member of the Springfield Community Theatre; 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; Justin Ek: visual artist known for his murals, paintings, and work with area youth, and founder of the Mankato Day of the Dead Celebration and the Mankato Art Crawl; 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; Moni Harper: musician with the Fairmont City Band, the Trimont Centennial Band, and the bugler for Fairmont VFW and Legion Honor Guard, and has served on the Boards for Fairmont Opera House and Civic Summer Theatre; Michael Looft: City Administrator for Winthrop and is an integral part of the Bavarian Blast music festival, New Ulm; 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; Randy Mediger: retired principal and teacher and charter member of LeSueur Community Theater; 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; Dave Wahl: singer, actor, and former musician, and an active board member of the Springfield Community Theatre; 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
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2024 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$9,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$108,140
Direct expenses
$117,140
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The number of Minnesotans who are able to participate in the arts increases. Quality, type and number of arts opportunities and groups/venues that offer them increases. New relationships are built with groups that are traditionally underserved by the arts. Number of Minnesotans who engage in arts education and learning opportunities increases. Increase quality, types and groups that offer arts education and learning opportunities. Audience members, production cast and crew, and Board and staff members will complete our survey. The General Manager will distribute digital versions of the survey via email, and QR code scanning. Paper copies of the survey will be made avalible to anyone upon request. The General manager will compile the results that will be presented 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. Volunteers will be tracked and all volunteers learning a new skill will be noted in an excel form. Depending on the production and audience, specific questions may be added.

Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

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