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Save the Woodstock Playhouse The economy for the past two years has dealt a heavy blow to the Woodstock Playhouse. Up until the summer of 2008 we were able to consistently move forward, pay our mortgage and keep ahead of our bills. The ticket purchases of the 2008 and 2009 seasons did not meet budget expectations, nor did our fund raising events and projects. As we fell further and further behind we tried to book shows with more commercial appeal. The New York State Council On The Arts, who had granted us between $2000 and $3000 each year in the past, wasn't supportive of that type of programming and so we lost their support. For the summer of 2009 we only rented the theater and didn't book any shows ourselves so that we could minimize risk to our bottom line. It appeared to be a successful summer, but the lynchpins of the Garden Tour at the beginning and the British Car Show at the end of the season were the two events that got us through. We made most of our operating expenses, but not for the mortgages. In February 2010 one of our Mortgagors felt it necessary to begin foreclosure proceedings against the Woodstock Arts Board/Woodstock Playhouse. Both of the banks who hold our mortgages have been wonderful and supportive throughout all of our growth and even now our decline. They gave us as much leeway as they could. While we certainly understand this business decision, we realize that we have a small window of time to try and save the Playhouse. The mortgages add up to about $415,000 on a property worth $1,500,000 even in today's market. If by some miracle we could have those mortgages paid off, we could operate in the black. We've actually proven that for the past several years. Ticket sales, individual donations and fund raising events can support the general operations of the Playhouse, but not the general operations AND the $2700 a month needed for the mortgages. At least , not yet. We have a small volunteer Board. Please note that word - volunteer. Due to our size and the volume of work needed to run the theater during the summer - as well as tend to the planning and fund raising throughout the entire year, this is a working Board. Board's generally are responsible for raising money, setting policy and overseeing the paid staff running the theatre. Our volunteer Board tries to do all of the traditional Board duties, but we also must book the shows, run the shows, bartend at the shows, help to park the cars, clean the bathrooms, etc. You get the picture. As such, we burn out Board members quickly who can't devote the time necessary to be both a Board member and a quasi staff - albeit unpaid. The new Woodstock Playhouse has come an extraordinarily long way after starting as a grassroots effort in 1988. There have been no angels, no huge donors, just devoted Board members, local townspeople and some politicians who care a lot about protecting the property from commercial development and keeping it as a performing arts center as well as the dramatic entrance to this very unique small town - Woodstock, the Colony of the Arts. Dollar by dollar, the local folks have helped us to stay afloat. At this juncture, we need more help. A lot of it. We need more Board members who can lead this venue back to the original dream of a fully functioning year round performing arts center. The Playhouse needs to ultimately be able to finance a staff of people to run that venue so that the Board can concentrate on fund raising, policy making and long range thinking and planning. Perhaps, if the Playhouse could follow that path, there could be a home to many of the other arts organizations in Town - where each would retain their individual autonomy. Think about that! The Bird-On-A-Cliff Theatre Company could bring some Shakespeare inside for the winter, Performing Arts of Woodstock would have a home, the Film Festival would have a year round availability of showing films, and a central ticket office could be created in the building for everyone else in Town. In the grand scheme of things, $415,000 is a drop in the bucket. With a successful venue once again in operation, raising the money to fully enclose the space would then have a drive from a Board of Directors that could concentrate on just that - raising the money! In my heart, I can't think of the Playhouse project as being over. I know that there are people out there who feel as strongly as I do. We just need to all come together to make this work. The Boards from the Banks - Ulster Savings Bank & Rondout Savings Bank - plus the leading movers and shakers in Town - THIS IS THE WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE! It's not just another business. It's been in town in one form or another since 1928. Hallowed ground? Perhaps. I know that I have special and spiritual feelings every time I open a door there. It's time to step up and get the wheels back on the track. We need everyone's help to save this dream. If you would like to make a donation to the Woodstock Playhouse, please click on the button below and follow the instructions with our arrangement with Pay Pal. If you don't have a Pay Pal account, you can still use this service by supplying a credit card number on their secure server. All donations to the Woodstock Playhouse are tax deductible. Or you can send a check payable to the Woodstock Playhouse to this address:
The
Woodstock Playhouse
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