Raising the Curtain on the New RSP Board
Runaway Stage Productions is pleased to announce its new Board of Directors. Along with many familiar names, you will notice that we have been fortunate to add several individuals who are generous enough to share their talents, passion and vision with the RSP family. This restructuring of the Board further enables our positive outlook, aggressive goals for the future, and will allow RSP to bring about many exciting changes. Here are some examples:Freeing up our Artistic Directors to focus on producing even more exciting and entertaining productions.
Improved Web Site and box office tools for more ease of use and the addition of a "pick your seat" reservation process.
Expanded Youth Musical Theatre Workshop programs
Expanded educational reach through High School ROP's and college internships
Expanded marketing reach to new communities in the greater Sacramento area
Working towards a theatre home of our own!
As we move forward down this new path, we hope you will consider becoming a part of the RSP vision. We are still looking to fill two board positions, Marketing Director and Director of Education (see the end of this article for descriptions). If you love community theater and have skills and experience in either of these areas, please consider joining the RSP Board. For more information on how you can participate in this exciting time of growth for RSP, please visit our website, www.runawaystage.com, select Contact Us and then select Karen Day.
Bob Baxter - Producing Director
Bob has worked on most of the performing stages in Sacramento including the Sacramento Music Circus, The Magic Circle Repertory Theater, Sacramento City Actor's Theater, Davis Musical Theater Company, Chautauqua Playhouse, and the Sacramento Theater Company. As Producing Director for Runaway Stage Productions, as well as other theatre companies, Bob has presented shows as The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, Saturdays Warrior (11 state western tour), Grease, The Pirates of Penzance, Same Time, Next Year, Annie, Snoopy, the Elly award winning Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and the Elly award winning La Cage Aux Folles. In 2000, Bob served as Producer of Lost In Stars - the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Project for the California Musical Theatre, and as the CFO for the League of Sacramento Theatres, an organization created to advance theater arts. Runaway Stage Productions is a passion for Bob - the goal is to produce, along with the other volunteers, designers, directors, technicians and performers, the best theatre possible.
Lillian Baxter - Artistic Director
Lillian Baxter (Artistic Director, Costume Designer, Storybook Children's Theatre Producer) is a founding member of RSP. Lillian is an award winning costumer, playwright, and director, having won multiple Elly Awards over her eleven years with RSP. As Artistic Director, Lillian has played a key role in successfully developing RSP, specifically guiding the artistic vision and helping to create the costume "look" of the productions. As Storybook Children's Theatre producer/director and playwright, Lillian has developed and maintained a creative environment where actors can workshop new works and revive older scripts, always raising the bar and bringing RSP to a higher level of entertainment.
Susan Davini- Secretary
Susan Davini is the newly appointed Secretary of the RSP Board. She has been involved with RSP for a couple years, first as the parent of a performer, and now as parent, Board member, and Box Office volunteer staff. Susan is the Associate Executive Director of Human Resources for Stanford Home for Children, a non-profit social services agency, and has been working in that capacity for over 7 years. Susan has also been the treasurer for several non-profit organizations, and is highly committed to mission driven, community-focused work. She brings 15+ years of Human Resources experience, as well as over 5 years of volunteer board experience to her new role with RSP. She is the parent of 3 amazing young adults and is looking forward to exploring her own interests, such as RSP development.
Karen Day - Executive Director
In 1998, Karen and her daughter Christina, performed in RSP's production of ANNIE. That wonderful experience led to the next few years of becoming more involved in RSP administration and operations, and in 2002 joined the RSP Board of Directors specifically helping to manage publicity, media relations, and develop the RSP Partner Program. She has also continued to work on the artistic side both as an actress and Assistant Director in numerous productions. With her profession as a Technical Project Manager of Software Development, Karen brings a passion for business planning to this organization and is actively working to build an executive board that will open new doors for RSP in our community.
Tim Herrera - Board Trustee
Tim Herrera joined the RSP Board in January and was drawn to the company by his two children, Ben and Amy, who have performed in both Broadway Stage and Storybook productions. Tim is the Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education. He’s a former reporter and anchor for KCRA TV, a former newspaper columnist for the Elk Grove Citizen and is the author of four humor books on family and parenting.
Shaleen Schmutzer-Smith - Director of Fund Development
Shaleen is an Elly award winning actor and director with a passion for all things theatre! She originally came to RSP to do “The Odd Couple” in 2004. In 2007 she happily became a part of the Storybook Children’s Theatre family and will be appearing in her 4th children’s show in May (It’s the next best thing to working at Disneyland!) In addition to her Board duties, she assists with prop acquisition/construction for all RSP productions as well as assists with show publicity. Shaleen is a 1995 graduate of the California State University, Chico (B.S. Business Administration), a 1998 graduate of the University of Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (J.D.) and is currently Staff Counsel for the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Lorie Symon - Finance Director
Lorie Symon brings over 20 years of non-profit arts experience to RSP, having been involved with pre-professional dance companies on both the teaching and executive director level. Her former students are currently preparing for careers in the arts thru college programs or are already performing on Broadway or on National Tours. Ms. Symon is a CPA and Human Resource Manager in the corporate world, and looks forward to working with RSP to build a responsible financial management program.
Dr. Steve Winlock - Board Trustee
Dr. Winlock is currently the Associate Superintendent of the Elk Grove Unified School District. In this capacity, he plans, directs and implements PreK - 6 Education for 39 schools. He has authored numerous articles and training materials on Leadership and Parent Involvement in Education and is a facilitator for various districts in problem solving, community involvement, and mission planning. Steve holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California. He is also a musical theatre performer and soloist singer, and was on the Board of Directors for California Musical Theatre for several years. Steve has been a strong proponent of RSP and what it offers to the Sacramento Community and is very excited to join their Board of Directors.
(OPEN) - Director of Education
Develop specific goals and programs for the Education branch of RSP. Collaborate with Director of Fund Development in preparation of grants focused on Youth Education in the Arts, work with local education personnel to build ROP/Internship programs, and work with RSP Artistic Staff to plan and manage Youth Musical Theatre Workshops.
(OPEN) - Marketing Director
Develop Marketing Strategies, Campaigns and Tools that support RSP's goals of revenue growth and further expansion of our patron base. Additionally, manage Media Relations with local print, radio, and TV personnel.
Top
STORYBOOK CHILDREN’S THEATRE PRESENTS SLEEPING BEAUTY
Adapted by Lillian Baxter
Music and Lyrics by Ray Fisher
Performances: Saturdays, May 10, 17 & 24, 2008 at 12noon and 2pm at the 24th Street Theatre
Sleeping Beauty, The Musical, is the latest offering from the award winning Storybook Children’s Theatre. Don't miss this wonderful telling of the classic fairytale completewith silly fairies, a dashing prince, the King, and Queen, the Evil Fairy and some wonderful music and audience participation as only the Storybook Children’s Theatre can do.
At Princess Astoria's christening, the King's aide makes a huge blunder by forgetting to invite one of the kingdom's fairies to the event. The fairy, Zorilla, takes offense and curses the princess to prick her finger on a spindle and die on her 18th birthday. One of the other fairies alters the curse so that Astoria will fall asleep until she is awakened by her true love. Eventually, the prince awakens her with a kiss and they all live happily ever after.
So, gather the family together and join us for this very special show! Get your tickets today, at www.runawaystage.com or call (916) 207-1226. All tickets are only $5 and this is a show the whole family will enjoy.
Top
2008 Season Tickets Still Available
Season Tickets are still available for the remaining 4 shows of RSP's 2008 Broadway Stage Series at a discounted price of $60. You will also enjoy all of the following subscriber benefits:
THE BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE - All season subscription orders are filled before individual ticket orders, giving you the best locations available at the time you make your season ticket holder reservations.
GUARANTEED RENEWAL PRIVELEGES in seasons to come, guaranteeing your tickets before any new subscribers.
BRING A FRIEND FOR LESS - Purchase up to 4 additional single tickets to any show at the discounted "House Seat" price - the lowest price we offer to VIPs (based on availability, limited quantity per performance).
EXCLUSIVE INVITATION-ONLY EVENTS- You're at the top of our "A List" to be invited to special events and parties.
2008 BROADWAY STAGE PRODUCTIONS
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (May 2 – 25, 2008)
Millie Dillmount, a fearless young lady fresh from Salina, Kansas, determined to experience Life, sets out to see the world in the rip-roaring Twenties. With high spirits and wearing one of those new high hemlines, she arrives in New York to test the "modern" ideas she had been reading about back in Kansas: "I've taken the girl out of Kansas. Now I have to take Kansas out of the girl!"
NUNSENSE (July 11 – August 3, 2008)
The Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, and they are in dire need of funds for the burials. The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show, so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for the eighth grade production of “Grease.” Here we meet Reverend Mother Regina, a former circus performer; Sister Mary Hubert, the Mistress of Novices; a streetwise nun from Brooklyn named Sister Robert Anne; Sister Mary Leo, a novice who is a wannabe ballerina; and the delightfully wacky Sister Mary Amnesia, the nun who lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head.
EVITA (September 5 – September 28, 2008)
Loosely based on the life of Eva Peron, the charismatic wife of post-World War II Argentine president Juan Peron, Rice's compelling story of one woman's rise from poverty to power is complemented by Lloyd Webber's colorful music as propelled by vigorous Latin rhythms. The showstopper, of course, is "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina," but the score is full of gems, including "On This Night of a Thousand Stars," "Oh, What a Circus," and "Another Suitcase in Another Hall."
SOUND OF MUSIC (Oct 31 – Nov 23, 2008)
When a postulant proves too high-spirited for the religious life, she is dispatched to serve as governess for the seven children of a widowed naval Captain. Her growing rapport with the youngsters, coupled with her generosity of spirit, gradually captures the heart of the stern Captain, and they marry. Upon returning from their honeymoon, they discover that Austria has been invaded by the Nazis, who demand the Captain's immediate service in their navy. The family's narrow escape over the mountains to Switzerland on the eve of World War II provides one of the most thrilling and inspirational finales ever presented in the theatre.
(All shows and dates subject to change based on performance rights availability.)
For questions or further information please e-mail us at Boxoffice@runawaystage.com, call (916) 207-1226 or visitwww.runawaystage.com, click “Box Office” and then “PurchaseSeason Tickets.”
Top
Runaway Stage would like to express its sincerest thanks to our 2008 Partners, recognized below. Please consider becoming a Patron of the Arts and joining this exciting team. For more information on the Patrons and Partners Program, and to discover other ways in which you can help Runaway Stage Productions, visit our website at www.runawaystage.com or call 916)207-1226.
