Project Grant - Round 3

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$2,500
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Kimball Community Playhouse
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
July 2013
End Date
July 2013
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Stearns
Meeker
Wright
Stearns
Meeker
Wright
Project Overview
KCP Summer 2013 Production of "Footloose"
Project Details
Kimball Community Playhouse will be performing the musical production Footloose on July 19, 20 and 21, 2013, on the Kimball, Minnesota High School Cafetorium stage. This will provide adults and students quality, affordable performance, production, and patron opportunities not otherwise available locally.
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Chris Rasmussen: art teacher for 35 years at Foley Senior High (retired), Minnesota Citizens for the Arts Board Member and College of Saint Benedict's/Saint John's University Fine Arts Programming Advisory Council Member; Mike Carlson: Foley High School Art Teacher, potter; John Stander: Executive Director of Elk River Arts Alliance, career school administrator; Janice Courtney: arts advisor/Assistant Director of Saint Cloud State University Program Board; Helene Woods: nonprofit and public administrator, Board Member of the Monticello Arts Council; P.J. Fanberg: Executive Director of Land Of Lakes Choirboys of Minnesota, management, fundraising, Human Resources, mission-guided organizational planner; Leslie Hanlon: Director of Fundraising and Marketing for the College of Saint Benedict's/Saint John's University Fine Arts Series.
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Chris Rasmussen: art teacher for 35 years at Foley Senior High (retired), Minnesota Citizens for the Arts Board Member and College of Saint Benedict's/Saint John's University Fine Arts Programming Advisory Council Member; Mike Carlson: Foley High School Art Teacher, potter; John Stander: Executive Director of Elk River Arts Alliance, career school administrator; Janice Courtney: arts advisor/Assistant Director of Saint Cloud State University Program Board; Helene Woods: nonprofit and public administrator, Board Member of the Monticello Arts Council; P.J. Fanberg: Executive Director of Land Of Lakes Choirboys of Minnesota, management, fundraising, Human Resources, mission-guided organizational planner; Leslie Hanlon: Director of Fundraising and Marketing for the College of Saint Benedict's/Saint John's University Fine Arts Series.
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2011, First Special Session, chapter 6, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$2,500
Other Funds Leveraged
$7,060
Direct expenses
$9,560
Administration costs
$830
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Kimball Community Playhouse would measure success from the July, 2013, musical theater production of Footloose by 40 individuals, including students and adults, participating in the audition process. An additional 20 people, including students and adults, would be recruited in either crew or production volunteer positions. The cast would include 5-10 first time theater performers, either students or adults. A new mentorship program would be established where students learn various crew positions from experienced adults. At least 2 educational opportunities for students to serve in crew, non-paid positions would offered. Ticket sales would increase from past musical productions by 25%. Of that 25% ticket sale increase, 25% would be first time theater patrons. Audience satisfaction would be evaluated by distributing simple 3 question surveys when patrons purchased student/senior or adult tickets at the door. A survey return rate of 80% would be considered successful. Of the 80% of returned surveys, 80% of those would rate their experience as favorable. One new Kimball Community Playhouse Board Member would be would be recruited due to their positive experience with Footloose from an artistic and production standpoint. Kimball Community Playhouse would gain 5 new donors or a total of $500 in donations.Kimball Community Playhouse would measure the success of the outcomes stated for the July, 2013, production of Footloose using several methods. The audition process includes individuals completing audition forms that clearly ask for any prior theater experience. Those audition forms are collected by the artistic director prior to to auditioning. They would be counted to determine the total number of people that auditioned. The number of individuals who auditioned that had no prior theater experience would also be tallied. The new mentorship program for student crew members would be advertised on audition posters posted locally and in surrounding communities, in advertising in local publications, on the Kimball Community Playhouse website and on Facebook. Copies could be the new student crew mentorship program being advertised could be submitted for validation. The number of students would be recorded and those students could be asked to fill out a small form asking about the positive outcomes of their experience. Ticket sales from the past 5 Kimball Community Playhouse musical theater productions could be tallied and an average determined. Ticket sales from Footloose would then be compared to the average for the last 5 years and the increase could be ascertained. A survey would be handed out to individuals purchasing or receiving student/senior or adult tickets at the door when tickets are purchased. That survey would be extremely simple and would contain 3 questions: 1) Have you ever attended a theatrical production before; 2) Would you rate this Kimball Community Playhouse production of Footloose as favorable, unfavorable or no opinion 3) Would you recommend this production to a friend or family member. There would also be a spot for comments. This survey would accomplish several things. It would allow Kimball Community Playhouse to determine the approximate number of first time theater patrons. The number of surveys collected could be counted and compared to the number of student/senior or adult tickets sold. The number of surveys collected that indicated they would consider the production as favorable would also be tallied. A survey response of on opinion would not be counted. New Kimball Community Playhouse Board Members recruited as a result of a positive experience with Footloose could be asked to fill out a small form indicating why they decided to join the Kimball Community Playhouse Board of Directors. The addition of a new Kimball Community Playhouse Board Member after the production could be verified by providing a production playbill that lists current board members and the new board member form. Likewise, the production playbill would also list current donors. Documentation could be provided after the production that indicated when new donors made their contribution.

Measurable Outcome(s)

We had 29 people audition for roles and were able to cast all 29. Our goal was 40, however six of them were first time theater performers which met our goal of introducing over five. An additional six had never done a production outside of a school performance. This successful outcome was measured by counting and reviewing audition forms. We exceeded our goal of mentoring two students in crew positions by involving four students in crew positions that were new to them. We were also able to involve four adults in crew positions that were unfamiliar to them. The effectiveness of these educational opportunities were evaluated through personal interviews and feedback. In additional, information regarding the availability of crew mentorship opportunities was added to the Kimball Community Playhouse website. Kimball Community Playhouse exceeded its goal of increasing ticket sales by 25% from recent productions, by increasing ticket sales by approximately 40%. Ticket sales were greater than they have been in 6 years and total ticket sales were 437 for three performances. For the last 5 years, ticket sales for three performances have averaged 315. To determine the level of the increase, tickets sales from performances from the last 5 years were tallied and averaged, then compared to the most recent production. Kimball Community Playhouse recruited three new board members, exceeding their goal of recruiting one. Acceptance of their new roles as Kimball Community Playhouse Board members is currently verbal. New board members will begin their term in January 2014, and their participation will be noted in meeting minutes from that meeting. Kimball Community Playhouse was able to increase its donations by $1000 from the previous year, by receiving two $500 donations from local organizations that have not previously supported Kimball Community Playhouse at that monetary level. Acknowledgement of them as donors was noted in the production playbill.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Jody Markgraf, Robin Dockery, Kelly Traurig, Lana Vossen, Judy Dahle, Bill Hoeft, Kris Latcham, Kenzie Traurig, Megan Bisilia
Project Manager
First Name
Kelly
Last Name
Traurig
Organization Name
Kimball Community Playhouse
Street Address
PO Box 508
City
Kimball
State
MN
Zip Code
55353-0508
Phone
(320) 493-4765
Email
info@kimballcommunityplayhouse.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

P.O. Box 458
220 4th Ave North 
Foley, MN 56329

Phone
Project Manager: Leslie LeCuyer
320-968-4290x 3