San Antonio Little Theatre, Inc. dba The Public Theater of San Antonio

The goals for The Public Theater are:
Goal #1: Ensure fiscal responsibility and accountability and retain the public benefit and community trust. Objective #1: The Public will sustain revenues that enable continues, planned growth through creating investment opportunities and provide positive patron experiences as well as partner/donor cultivation and acknowledgement.
Goal #2: Enhance the arts and culture in San Antonio. Objective #2: The Public Theater will increase brand awareness and attendance at performances by presenting productions with high artistic value that provide affordable entertainment appealing to the diverse population of San Antonio.
Goal #3: Operate the Public Prep Youth Academic Program. Objective #3: The Public will demonstrate the value of theater arts education for individuals and the greater community by sustaining a curriculum-based theater arts education program that includes onsite and outbound activities.
Goal #4: Sustainable growth in artist wages and professional staff. Objective #4: The Public will contribute to the economic growth of the local creative industry by creating employment opportunities and fair compensation for professional artists and staff.

2020/21 Strategies:
Strategy #1: Achieve FY21 earned and contributed revenue goals to present a 2020/21 Season of 11 productions and a new works festival consisting of 200 performances occurring over 52 weeks to a total patronage of 34,000.
Strategy #2: Increase season subscriptions, single ticket sales, and patronage of under-served populations through effective marketing, creative production alignments, and increased community engagement programming. Host six ‘Theater for All’ public preview nights, nine community education nights, four Theater REACH programs, and provide scholarships to 33% of students in camp-based educational programming. 15% of patrons (5,200) in FY21 will be from under-represented populations, low-income households, or disadvantaged communities.
Strategy #3: Provide year-round theater arts educational programming for youth. Courses will include sequential curriculum courses in acting, vocals, and dance, outbound educational programs for schools, camp-based programs, teen leadership group, and youth and adult Master classes.
Strategy #4: Sustain a local professional theater industry and contribute to the economic impact of arts and culture by generating over $800,000 in household income by providing employment opportunities to 300 individuals.

The Public Theater’s staff consists of 11 full-time and 8 part-time staff members. The organization has a senior leadership team that includes the CEO/Artistic Director, CFO/Business Director, Chief Development Officer, Chief Technical Officer, and Chief of Staff/Company Manager. Additional full-time creative team members include Costumer, Scenic Designer, and Scenic Technician. Education and engagement programs are overseen by an Education Coordinator. The front-of-house staff is led by a Patron Engagement Manager, who oversees a Box Office Liaison and part-time box office attendants and bartenders.

The senior leadership team includes:
George Green, CEO and Artistic Director, has over 30 years of theater leadership and management experience and has served as the Director of Development for Spokane Civic Theatre as well as the Executive/Artistic Director of The Modern Theaters of The Inland Northwest. A Veteran, he gained his business acumen as a marketing and promotion expert in the radio and print industry. George has been involved in the theatrical arts as an amateur and professional dating back to 1977.

Laura Michelle Hoadley, Chief Financial Officer and Business Director studied music and theater at the University of Louisiana at Monroe before joining Strauss Theatre Center as Operations Manager and Guest Director for YoungTroupe. Laura Michelle joined The Public’s team in 2011 as Box Office Manager, later promoted to the position of Operations Manager and eventually Business Director.

Jeff Morden, Chief Development Officer has a 30-year professional career in community-based and public service organizations. Jeff studied Communications at the University of San Diego and Saddleback College. Jeff’s broad, non-profit experience includes business development, program administration, fundraising, special events, community relations, contract monitoring and compliance.

Daniel ‘Doc’ Heggem, Chief Technical Director, has more than over 30 years of experience in theater operations and management. He studied and practiced lighting design throughout Southern California before moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2001 and relocating to Texas in 2016. Proficiencies include lighting design, rigging, house and stage management as well as facility and scene shop management. Doc is knowledgeable in Life Safety and ADA regulations and compliance, familiar with interpreting blueprints and electronic diagrams.

Courtnie Mercer, Chief of Staff/Company Manager, attended The University of Texas at San Antonio where she studied Kinesiology and Health. Courtnie has been active with multiple theater organizations and her experience includes guest services, box office management, marketing, and outreach. Skills include staff supervision, front of house operations, ticketing systems, collaborative programing, and choreography.

FY 19 (2018/19 Season) Accomplishments
• Increased Season Subscribers 15% from 1,400 in FY18 to over 1,600 in FY19.
• Increased total patronage by 26% from 27,000 in FY18 to 34,000 in FY19.
• Increased the total number of performances by 21% from 160 in FY18 to 194 in FY19.
• Increased exclusive Education Night performances from 5 to 8 and increased participation from 1,200 in FY18 to 2,800 in FY19.
• Established Master Classes for youth and hosted 7 sessions with 164 participants, including 36 on scholarships.
• Generated a total economic impact of $2.5 million for the community, including $1.9 million in household income and supporting 80
full-time equivalent jobs, as estimated by the Arts & Economic Prosperity Calculator from Americans for the Arts.
• Increased earned income by 51% and contributed income by 63% for total income of $1.7 million for FY19.
• 450 volunteers contributed almost 1,600 hours of service at an estimated workforce value of $40,000.


FY18 (2017/18 Season) Accomplishments
• In July 2017, The Public entered into a contractual agreement with Actors Equity Association (AEA) to become San Antonio’s first and
only regional AEA Small Professional Theater.
• Increased Season Subscribers more than 400% from 250 in FY 17 to more than 1,400 in FY 18.
• Increased total patronage 53% from approximately 19,000 patrons in FY 17 to more than 29,000 in FY 18.
• Increased accessibility and diversity of core product from 9 productions over 36 weeks in FY 17 to 12 productions over 52 weeks in FY
18.
• Increased total performances by 48% from 108 in FY 17 to 160 in FY 18.
• Increased employment of local and regional actors, musicians, and production crew members by 87% from 144 in FY 17 to 269 in FY 18.
• Increased attendance at Community Education Nights by 100% from 600 youth and disadvantaged community members at four public
performances to 1,200 at five exclusive educational nights.
• 500 volunteers contributed over 1,400 hours at an estimated workforce value exceeding $35,000.