Summer Theatre Artistic Director Jack
Neary discusses the new season's offerings with Production Manager
Anna B. Labykina.
The Summer Theatre at Mount Holyoke will open on June 22 when the curtain rises on a zany courtroom comedy titled Sandbag, Stage Left, which will continue through June 26. The other ten shows being performed over the eight-week season are: Lost in Yonkers (June 29 - July 3), I Hate Hamlet (July 6 - 10), Ah, Wilderness (July 13 - 17), After-Play (July 20 - 24), Pygmalion (July 27 - 31), To Forgive Divine (August 3 - 7), and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (August 10 - 14). Cinderella (July 7 - 10), The Emperor's New Clothes (July 21 - 24), and The Ugly Duckling (August 4 - 7) are the productions planned for young audiences this year. Curtain time for all evening performances is 8 pm. Children's performances start at 10 am.
Although successful at filling seats under the tent and in the amphitheater and popular with its audiences, the summer theatre has been plagued by financial difficulties in the past. However, as it embarks on its twenty-ninth season, the theatre is "a work in progress approaching financial stability," according to new Executive Director Lenora Brandoli. Brandoli joined the theatre after working in sales and marketing in both the profit and nonprofit sectors and owning her own business. She and theatre board member Roger Allard, of Allard and Allard CPAs, have "established a firm budget and strong accounting practices," she says. "We are rebuilding our relationship with the College and are paying our current bills. We also are working on reducing our debt."
Since March, Brandoli has raised $62,000 in donations and sponsorships for the summer theatre, half of which has come from businesses and half from individuals, including many Mount Holyoke alumnae. The new executive director also plans to seek funding through grants and foundations; all forms of sponsorship support are needed. Jennifer Wirth Symington '87, president of the theatre's board, and other board members are working to restructure the board to include members with both arts and business orientations. In addition, in April the theatre hired Mary Ann Gallagher as marketing and development manager. She has already doubled the number of theatre advertisers.
Artistic Director Jack Neary, who has been with the theatre for twenty-three years, is happy to "focus on what goes on behind the curtain, rather than the books," he says. Staff representation from Mount Holyoke includes stage and screen actress and director Susan Greenlee Daniels '79, who is back this year as associate artistic director and head of children's programs. Robin Morrell is serving as production manager and Anna B. Labykina is the theatre's technical director.
The summer theatre box office is now open for walk-in purchases. The office can be reached at 538-3222.
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