During Arena Stage's 58th season the theater faced the difficult challenges of the economic crisis early on, and after the conclusion of its 2009 fiscal year, Arena reports the books have closed in the black. While the financial success, in the face of such an unpredictable year, is paramount to the strength of Arena and its future, the theater also succeeded on and off the stage this year in numerous, exceptional ways.
"The list of achievements contributed by the staff, artists, board of trustees and supporters of Arena this year-Part One of Arena Restaged, our first full-season away from our D.C. theater campus-is remarkable," comments Artistic Director Molly Smith. "In the same way in which we've ‘Restaged' ourselves geographically, we've restaged the way we work artistically and administratively. Despite the financial circumstances surrounding the theater this year, Arena has been stable. "
Balanced Budgets in the Black
Arena Stage has concluded its fiscal year with a slight surplus. Due to the proactive measures that the board and staff leadership implemented in the fall of 2008, The company was well equipped to meet the challenges of the current economic crisis. The company continued to produce the highest quality work while remaining dedicated to financially sound business practices. "One of the things that attracted me to Arena Stage was the ambition of the artistic mission paired with the fiscal discipline of the staff and board," commented Edgar Dobie, Arena Stage's new Managing Director. "To inherit a balanced budget from a company producing top quality work is truly a gift in today's world."
Return to Broadway
For the first time since 1979, two productions that were recently produced by Arena Stage were on Broadway at the same time: Moisés Kaufman's 33 Variations starring Jane Fonda and Next to Normal featuring the entire Arena cast. The Broadway production of 33 Variations was nominated for five Tony Awards, and won for Best Scenic Design of a Play. Next to Normal received 11 nominations and took home three awards including Best Score, Best Performance of a Leading Actress in a Musical and Best Orchestrations.
These two productions will be followed by a recent tour seen at Arena Stage: Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking, which is scheduled to open on Broadway Fall 2009.
This brings the count of productions with a life on Broadway after one at Arena to 13. Previous productions include: Execution of Justice, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, K2, Tintypes, The 1940's Radio Hour, Loose Ends, A History of the American Film, Zalmen or the Madness of God, Boccaccio, Moonchildren and The Great White Hope.
New Leadership
The Arena Board of Trustees appointed Edgar Dobie as the new Managing Director of the theater in March 2009. With roots in non-profit theater management in the U.S. and Canada, Dobie is a Tony Award-winning commercial producer who began working with Arena at the end of March. Dobie succeeded Interim Managing Director Guy Bergquist, who led the theater after former Executive Director Stephen Richard left in Spring 2008 after 17 years with Arena Stage.
Carmel Owen was hired as Chief Development Officer. Owen is responsible for the Fundraising efforts of both the Arena Stage Annual Fund and the completion of the Next Stage Campaign. Owen comes to Arena Stage with 25 years experience in fundraising with organizations like the Children's Defense Fund, the Girl Scouts of the USA and Columbia University.
The Mead Center: On time and On budget
Though this spring brought extended days of rain, which delayed scheduled work on the construction site, the renovation on the Southwest D.C. theater campus remains on time for an opening date in the Fall of 2010. The project is also still on budget. The multi-purpose campaign total goal remains $125 million.
New Theaters and Neighborhoods
Arena began producing at the historic Lincoln Theatre in Northwest D.C. during the fall of 2008, bringing four productions with runs of severAl Weeks each, to a venue which primarily features one or two evening performances.
After producing for a full year in our temporary venue in Crystal City, the Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division and the Commission of the Arts commissioned a study conducted by the Crystal City Business Improvement District that revealed The company brings $3.614 million in additional revenue to Crystal City, with restaurants reporting positive growth rates between 7 and 20 percent after Arena Stage's arrival.
