E S U O H D N U RO
G N I
S I R
ANNUAL REPORT FISCAL 2017
At the start of the 2016-2017 season, Round House kicked off a two-year partnership with Olney Theatre with an ambitious co-production of Angels in America performed in rotating repertory. Both plays were smash hits as patrons flocked to the theatre for this two-part epic. As the season continued, we extended Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley—a rare occurrence for a world premiere. On its heels, we tackled the largest musical we have ever put on stage, backed by a nine-piece orchestra. Caroline, or Change became the top-selling show in Round House’s history. Liz Duffy Adams' Or, celebrated the first professional woman playwright, Aphra Behn, and featured a trio of talented local artists. Round House closed out the season with August Wilson's How I Learned What I Learned—a compelling one-man show based on the playwright's early life. Critics applauded our artistic work. Round House shows were nominated for eight 2017 Helen Hayes Awards and received two awards—Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play. Washington Post theatre critic Peter Marks dubbed Round House, “the current meteor in DC theatre” and praised Round House for “moving steadily up the ranks of the DC-area’s top theatres.”
OUR MISSION Round House Theatre is a home for outstanding emsemble acting and lifelong learning. We seek to captivate audiences with stories that inspire compassion, evoke emotions, and demand conversation.
Dear friends of Round House, On behalf of the board and staff of Round House Theatre, thank you for being a part of our 2016-2017 Season. It was an exceptional year and we could not have done it without you. Our success is a reflection of the artists, patrons, and students who call Round House home. Our season lineup included a co-production of an American masterwork, a world premiere, a Tony Award-winning musical, a contemporary comedy, and a one-of-a-kind solo show. For the third consecutive year, we dedicated half of our season to works by women playwrights, continuing our commitment to playwright gender parity. Furthermore, we pushed ourselves as arts educators by advancing our Teen Performance Company through a new commission program for teen artists and audiences.
Our 15th annual Sarah Metzger Memorial Play, Beach Week by Diana Metzger, was the first commissioned play for our Teen Performance Company program. Students helped develop an original script alongside the playwright over a one-week workshop and debuted a world premiere on our stage after four months of fine-tuning through rehearsals. Round House’s 2016-2017 Teen Performance Company performed the world premiere of Beach Week to 1,120 audience members— breaking the record audience set last year by 25 percent. Round House’s 2016-2017 Season became the most attended and highest grossing season in our history, with a total audience of 42,293 patrons and ticket sales of approximately $1.6 million. Our education programs served an additional 3,279 students of all ages. That’s a total of 45,572 patrons and students who joined us in the 2016-2017 Season! As you read this Annual Report, we invite you to revisit your favorite moments of our 20162017 Season. We thank you for your loyal support and for joining Round House RISING. Looking forward, we promise to keep pushing boundaries as artists, growing as educators, and delivering you outstanding theatre for years to come. Sincerely, RYAN RILETTE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
ED ZAKRESKI MANAGING DIRECTOR
BY TONY KUSHNER DIRECTED BY JASON LOEWITH & RYAN RILETTE CO-PRODUCED WITH OLNEY THEATRE CENTER
SEP 7 - OCT 30, 2016
Round House Theatre partnered with Olney Theatre Center to co-produce a revival of one of the great masterworks of American theatre—Angels in America by Tony Kushner. In celebration of the 25th anniversary of this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning two-play epic, Round House and Olney assembled a talented cast of eight actors to perform both plays in rotating repertory over a sevenweek run—a collective six hours and 40 minutes of theatre. This collaboration was the first work in a two-year partnership with Olney Theatre to produce ambitious theatre in Montgomery County. The partnership has encouraged cross-pollination between audiences and has increased the number of patrons attending shows at both theatres. To further Kushner’s spirit of dialogue, Round House hosted four panels of experts to discuss the broader themes of Angels in America. Our first panel included scientists at the National Institutes of Health and connected to our region’s unique history with the fight against HIV/AIDS. Other panelists included civil rights advocates and legal scholars who chronicled the fight for LGBTQ civil rights, faith leaders who discussed sexuality and religion, and academics and theatre practitioners who reviewed the play’s own dramatic legacy. Sponsored in part through the generous support of Esthy & Jim Adler, Michael Beriss & Jean Carlson, and Judy & Leo Zickler.
Our third play of the season was the rolling world premiere of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon. Round House Theatre was one of three theatres nationally to debut this new play featuring characters from Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice. Bookish heroine Mary Bennet captured the heart of the aloof Arthur de Bourgh in this charming romantic comedy about family, love, and defining yourself beyond social customs. Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley was so popular with audiences that we extended the production by one week and closed on Christmas Eve. Sponsored in part through the generous support of Pasternak & Fidis.
BY LAUREN GUNDERSON & MARGOT MELCON DIRECTED BY ELEANOR HOLDRIDGE
NOV 23 - DEC 24, 2016
Round House continued a celebration of Tony Kushner with the production of his musical, Caroline, or Change, with a score by Jeanine Tesori ranging in styles from 1950s pop to blues to klezmer. As the largest musical Round House has ever produced, this Tony Award-winning masterpiece was a smash hit among audiences and became the highest-grossing show in Round House history. Round House welcomed Signature Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner to direct this powerhouse musical that showcased 17 actors and nine musicians from across the Washington, DC metro area. Musicians played live on stage for every performance, offering a unique opportunity for Round House audiences to experience this sung-through musical with the original nine-piece orchestrations. Sponsored in part through the generous support of Heidi & Mitch Dupler and Marion Ein Lewin.
MUSIC BY JEANINE TESORI BOOK & LYRICS BY TONY KUSHNER DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY MATTHEW GARDINER MUSICAL DIRECTION BY JON KALBFLEISCH
JAN 25 - FEB 26, 2017
Madcap comedy Or, by Liz Duffy Adams was our fifth play of the season. Set in 1660s Restoration England with echoes of the 1960s in America, this playful farce told the semi-biographical tale of England’s first professional woman dramatist, Aphra Behn, as she shifted her career from spy to playwright for King Charles II.
BY LIZ DUFFY ADAMS DIRECTED BY AARON POSNER
APR 12 - MAY 7, 2017
A modern variation on the Restoration Era’s comedy of manners, Or, provided an optimistic commentary on how theatre and politics intersect to open hearts and minds and to unite the masses. Round House audiences laughed uproariously as three of the best comic actors in the Washington, DC area portrayed seven characters slamming doors, changing costumes, and pivoting effortlessly from role to role. Sponsored in part through the generous support of Bonnie & Alan Hammerschlag, Shugoll Research, and Thorn Law Group.
BY AUGUST WILSON CO-CONCEIVED AND DIRECTED BY TODD KREIDLER
JUN 7 - JUL 2, 2017 To conclude the season, Round House presented August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned, a theatrical memoir about the personal journey of one of America’s greatest playwrights. Co-conceived and directed by Wilson’s longtime friend and collaborator Todd Kreidler, this gripping solo show recounted Wilson’s personal journey as a struggling writer in Pittsburgh’s Hill District in the 1960s. Provocative and smart, with biting humor and heartfelt anecdotes, audiences and critics alike heaped praise on this final show of the season. A loving tribute to one of the greatest American artists of the 20th century, this special play offered a glimpse into Wilson’s life and the many people who inspired his work. Actor Eugene Lee, a selfproclaimed “Wilsonian Warrior” who has performed all but two of August Wilson’s plays, gave a powerful performance as the renowned playwright. Sponsored in part through the generous support of Bruce & Ann Lane.
The Teen Performance Company is a pre-professional program that provides selected high school students a full season of individual training and mentorship by Round House professional artists. The program culminates in the annual Sarah Metzger Memorial Play, a production which is directed, designed, stage managed, and performed by teens. Round House covers the full cost of the program, so that students can participate for free. This season, Round House celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Sarah Metzger Memorial Play. In recognition of this milestone, we made a 10-year commitment to commission original works for this unique program. These new plays will feature characters ages 13-19 and tackle age-appropriate material while also capturing teen voices. To accomplish these objectives, Teen Performance Company members participated in a one-week workshop with the playwright to shape the script into a new teen comedy.
TEEN PERFORMANCE COMPANY 15th Annual Sarah Metzger Memorial Play BY DIANA METZGER DIRECTED BY ALEX HADDAD
LIFELONG LEARNING
After-School Residencies Our After-School Residencies provided themebased enrichment programs beyond the school day. In 2016-2017, Round House served 69 students in grades K-5 at three partner schools—East Silver Spring, Rolling Terrace, and Woodlin Elementary. Students explored every aspect of theatre, from acting to design to play creation, pushing their creative boundaries and learning new skills.
Student Matinees Our Student Matinee program welcomed school groups to the theatre at designated weekday matinees held exclusively for students. We offered a student matinee for each professional production and our Sarah Metzger Memorial Play. Each performance was followed by a postshow discussion with artists and Round House Education staff to allow students to ask questions about the production and the creative process. In 2016-2017, we welcomed 268 students to the theatre through this program.
As part of our mission, Round House is a home for lifelong learning. Through our many education programs, we are committed to providing opportunities for students of all ages to learn about and participate in live theatre. Our education and outreach programs served more than 3,000 students in 2016-2017.
Student Ticketing During the 2016-2017 Season, 713 students attended Round House productions through our FREE PLAY and Teen Night ticketing programs. The goal of these programs is to make theatre more appealing and accessible to teenagers by removing cost as a factor and by creating a casual and comfortable social environment. Our FREE PLAY program provided free tickets to teenagers for any performance of any Round House show. Teens were able to select the performance of their choice and can attend multiple shows per year through this program. In its second year, our Teen Nights program encouraged students to attend with peers and to socialize with members of our Teen Performance Company and other high school students at designated Friday night performances. Round House hosted four Teen Nights to bring teens together to eat dinner, attend a show, and interact with artists.
Through the support of generous donors, Round House was able to offer more than $3,000 in need-based summer tuition waivers to low-income families. Our Days Off! Spring Break and Summer Camps served 843 students in 2016-2017.
Professional Training
Classes For Youth Round House offered onsite classes for youth of all ages at our Silver Spring Education Center. In addition to introductory classes, Round House also offered a 10-week Young Artist Performance Company for students in both grades 4-5 and 6-8, with previous theatre experience. Students created characters through acting classes and rehearsal, incorporated elements of design, and brought an established text to life in a final performance for friends and family at the end of the session. Now in its second year, Young Artist Performance Company bridges our introductory courses and our pre-professional Teen Performance Company program.
Round House Theatre is a professional development resource for artists. In 2016-2017, Round House held five specialized workshops in stage combat that were attended by 66 professional artists from across the Washington, DC area.
Days Off! Spring Break and Summer Camps Round House offered our Days Off! programming for students in grades K-5 during spring break when Montgomery County Public Schools were closed. Over the summer, Round House held 11 weeks of summer camp for students in grades K-12 led by teaching artists with years of professional experience. Students were grouped by age and each session was themed so that students could return week after week. A multi-disciplinary approach encouraged students to explore personal areas of interest and to demonstrate talent.
Classes for Older Adults At Round House, it’s never too late to explore a passion for theatre. Our senior adult students are among our most dedicated artists in training— and some have been for 20 years! Students in this program attended dress rehearsals of Round House shows and participated in classes throughout the year. Class topics included theatre fundamentals, devised theatre, and performance technique.
SPECIAL EVENTS London Tour Round House patrons embarked on a five-day tour of London’s West End, led by Round House Artistic Director Ryan Rilette and Managing Director Ed Zakreski, for the second year in a row. The group attended four plays at venues throughout London’s theatre district—A Man of Good Hope at the Young Vic Theatre, Amadeus at the National Theatre, The Entertainer at the Garrick Theatre, and Oil at the Almeida Theatre. Rilette led private conversations for the group with Mandisi Dyantyis and Lungelo Ngamlana of the Cape Town-based Isango Ensemble; Michael Billington, theatre critic for The Guardian; and Ella Hickson, playwright of Oil. The group also enjoyed a special tour of the Abstract Expressionism exhibit at the Royal Academy of the Arts led by senior historian Graham Greenfield.
Dinner On Stage
Broadway in Bethesda
Our second annual Dinner On Stage honored Round House Board Treasurer Cathy Bernard for her contributions to Round House and the greater arts community in Montgomery County. The theme of "Colored Lights" was a special nod to Fred Ebb—Cathy’s uncle and half of the legendary Kander and Ebb musical theatre duo.
We held our third annual Broadway in Bethesda Gala on May 13, 2017. The sold-out event drew 400 Round House supporters to the theatre for an evening of entertainment that raised more than $220,000 in support of Round House programs.
Angels in America cast and crew members led backstage tours that provided a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the artistic and technical challenges of tackling this two-play epic. The evening concluded with knockout musical performances by Felicia Curry, Alyssa Wilmoth Keegan, and Nova Y. Payton.
The night began with cocktails and an elegant dinner for event sponsors. All guests then gathered in the theatre for an exciting program that started with a performance of original songs by LEA, the 2017 winner of the Bernard/Ebb Songwriting Awards and continued with a live auction. As our headline performer, we welcomed legendary Tony Award winner Ben Vereen to the Round House stage. Steppin’ Out with Ben Vereen entertained guests with song, dance, and personal stories drawing from Vereen’s 40-year career on Broadway, film, and television. His singular performance featured a special tribute to Broadway, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis, Jr. The night concluded with a dessert reception with guests mingling in the Round House lobby.
FINANCIALS
STATEMENT OF FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES REVENUE & SUPPORT
Performance
65%
Education
12%
Development
10%
General and Admin Capital Campaign
7% 6%
EXPENSES
Earned Revenue
$
1,998,915
Performance
$
3,796,956
Grants & Contributions
$
1,330,489
Education
$
684,904
Capital Campaign Contributions
$
2,747,901
General & Admin
$
402,755
Development
$
605,507
Capital Campaign
$
323,301
$
5,813,894
In-Kind Support
$
1,204,079
Special Events
$
342,254
Investment Revenue
$
56,679
$
7,680,423
Total Revenue & Support
Total Expenses
$1,866,894 CHANGES IN NET ASSETS FY 2017
Our artistic and educational programming accounts for 77 percent of our total expenses.
REVENUE AND SUPPORT TOTAL TICKET SALES Contributed
53%
Earned
26%
In Kind
16%
Special Events 4% Investment Revenue
1%
$2,000,000 $1,600,000 $1,200,000
As a nonprofit arts organization, Round House raises funds from many sources to supplement earned income from ticket sales, tuition, and concessions. The majority of our support comes from generous contributions by individuals.
$800,000 $400,000 0
We increased our total ticket sales by 50 percent in our 2016-2017 Season compared to our 2015-2016 Season. That's a 65 percent increase from our 2014-2015 Season.
$1,631,654 TOTAL TICKET SALES IN FY 2017
$1,084,375 TOTAL TICKET SALES IN FY 2016
$986,286 TOTAL TICKET SALES IN FY 2015
DONOR SUPPORT DIAMOND CIRCLE ($ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 +) Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County Maryland State Arts Council
P L AT I N U M C I R C L E ($ 5 0 , 0 0 0 – $ 9 9 , 9 9 9) Cathy S. Bernard The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Heidi and Mitch Dupler
GOLD CIRCLE ($ 2 5 , 0 0 0 – $ 4 9 , 9 9 9) Michael Beriss and Jean Carlson The Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation MARPAT Foundation Linda Ravdin and Don Shapero Share Fund The Shubert Foundation
S I LV E R C I R C L E ($ 1 0 , 0 0 0 – $ 2 4 , 9 9 9) Margaret Abell Powell Fund of the William S. Abell Foundation Esthy and Jim Adler Lorraine and Doug Bibby Clark Charitable Foundation The Cora and John H. Davis Foundation Pam and Richard Feinstein Bonnie and Alan Hammerschlag Daniel Kaplan and Kay Richman
Bruce and Ann Lane Family Fund Jeffrey and Carolyn Leonard Marion Ein Lewin J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation Nora Roberts Foundation Pasternak & Fidis The Rowny Foundation Hank Schlosberg, in honor of Paul Mason, Mark Shugoll, and Marion Ein Lewin Sulica Fund Thorn Law Group, PLLC Bernard and Ellen Young Judy and Leo Zickler
BRONZE CIRCLE ($ 5 , 0 0 0 – $ 9 , 9 9 9) Elaine Kotell Binder and Richard Binder Don and Nancy Bliss Don and Jan Boardman Dimick Foundation Ann and Frank Gilbert Susan Gilbert and Ron Schechter Graham Holdings Company John and Margaret Hauge Henry B. & Jessie W. Keiser Foundation Judy and Brian Madden Paul and Zena Mason Scott and Louise Melby Susan and Bill Reinsch Kevin Roberts Dian and Steve Seidel Mark and Merrill Shugoll Patti and Jerry Sowalsky
Mier and Cathy Wolf Anne and Robert Yerman Lynda and Joseph Zengerle
COPPE R CIRCLE ($ 2 , 5 0 0 – $ 4 , 9 9 9) Keith and Celia Arnaud Ellen Bortz Frances Chyatte City of Rockville Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts Jan* and Jim Eisner Laura Forman and Richard Bender Carole and Robert Fontenrose Eric Glantz and Jessica Nassau Neil R. Greene and Ellen G. Miles Robert E. Hebda Paul Henderson Linda Lurie Hirsch Kensington Park Senior Living Community Heidi and Bill Maloni Montgomery County Executive’s Ball Sally J. Patterson Joram and Lona Piatigorsky Glenn Rosenthal Margaret Ross Robin Sherman Alan and Irene Wurtzel Margot and Paul* Zimmerman
F E L L OWS ($ 1 , 5 0 0 – $ 2 , 4 9 9) Clement and Sandra Alpert Designated Endowment
Marla and Bobby Baker, BakerMerine Family Foundation Jeffrey Bauman, Beech Street Foundation Thomas and Kathleen Fingleton Fleishhacker Foundation The Greene-Milstein Family Foundation Mindy Hecker Robbins and Giles Hopkins Erin and Mark Kopelman Barry Kropf Frank* and Joanne Lavin Lerch, Early & Brewer Anne & Henry Reich Family Foundation, Lee G. Rubenstein, Co-President Amy Selco and Kevin Keeley Pamela and John Spears The Weissberg Foundation
B E N E FAC T O R S ($ 1 , 0 0 0 – $ 1 , 4 9 9) Anonymous Nancy and Dan Balz Sue Ann and Kenneth Berlin Wendy and Eben Block Jere and Bonnie Broh-Kahn Eileen and Paul DeMarco Bill and Donna Eacho Victoria Edouard Paul and Shauna Fitzgerald Arlene Friedlander Carol Sue and Chris Fromboluti Susan and Peter Greif William L. Hopkins and Richard B. Anderson* Margaret Johnson Richard Kasten
Ellen Kohn Jodie Levin-Epstein and Barry Zigas Maureen and Michael McMurphy Brad and Holly Mendelson Jeffrey Menick Lynn and Philip Metzger Martha Newman Patricia Payne and Nancy Firestone Toni A. Ritzenberg* Evelyn Sandground and Bill Perkins Harriet and Howard Shapiro David and Peggy Shiffrin Eugene* and Joan Shugoll The Silsbee Family, in memory of Judy Silsbee Linda and Steve Skalet Susan Socolof Susan and John Sturc Marna Tucker and Lawrence Baskir Kathy and Bob Wenger Roger Williams and Ginger Macomber Andrew A. and Marcia D. Zvara
A DVO C AT E S ($ 5 0 0 – $ 9 9 9) Rachel H.M. Abraham Natalie Abrams Anonymous Kate and Stephen Baldwin Nan Beckley Ellen L. Berman Marian Block and Ed Rosie Trevor Boothe Audrey Bredhoff Gizelle Bryant Patricia Bryant Jennifer Burton Susan and Dixon Butler Fred and Jane Cantor Lynn and Bill Choquette Jean Cohen Louis Delair, Jr. Clare Evans Dr. Julie M. Feinsilver Stuart and Beverly Greenfeig Ed Grossman and Rochelle Stanfield Martha Horne Glen and Lauren Howard Reba and Mark Immergut Larry and Sue Jeweler Clifford Johnson and Margaret Roper Chuck Knauss and Ann McLarty Tom Lansford The Honorable Isiah Leggett and Mrs. Catherine Leggett Winton Matthews, Jr.
Doug and Mary Beth McDaniel Jan and Charles McNamara Rona and Allan Mendelsohn Ina Milton Stacy Murchison Catherine and Patrick O’Reilley P. David Pappert Mark and Teresa Plotkin Posner-Wallace Foundation Julie and Ron Redfern Sheldon and Barbara Repp Sandy Reznick* Ryan and Christy Rilette Dr. Susan C. Robertson Dr. Cynthia Rohrbeck Steven M. Rosenberg and Stewart C. Low III Linda Ryan Gene Samburg and Mickela Gay The Honorable Robert Sharkey and Dr. Phoebe Sharkey Michelle Six Luanne and Marc Stanley Shellie Steinberg Lucinda and Stephen Swartz Tenleytown Trash Tom Tinsley Helene and Philip Tucker D. M. W. Ed and Judy Zakreski *in memoriam
M AT C H I N G G I F T C O M PA N I E S Ameriprise Financial, Inc. GE Foundation IBM SunTrust Foundation Synchrony Financial Tegna
IN-KIND DONORS 7 Locks Brewing Cabot Creamery of Vermont Chevy Chase Florist Clyde's of Chevy Chase Denizens Brewing Co. Doyle Printing & Offset Co. Henry’s Sweet Retreat Honest Tea Company Jaleo Kapnos Kouzina Morton's The Steakhouse PassionFish Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza Seasons 52 Shugoll Research TapaBar Vamoose Whole Foods Market Zeke’s Coffee Zivaara
2 01 6 -2 01 7 B OA R D O F T R U S T E E S Mitch S. Dupler, President Sally J. Patterson, Immediate Past President Susan Gilbert, Vice President Cathy S. Bernard, Treasurer Erin Kopelman, Secretary Michael Beriss Douglas M. Bibby Elaine Kotell Binder Laura Forman Ann Gilbert Kimberly Gilbert Eric Glantz Bonnie Hammerschlag Steve Joyce Daniel Kaplan Bruce S. Lane Marion Ein Lewin Heidi Maloni Paul Mason Susan Freeman McGee Scott Melby Linda J. Ravdin Ryan Rilette Kevin Roberts Mark Shugoll Patti Sowalsky Mier Wolf Ed Zakreski Judy Zickler
I M AG E C R E D I T S Cover: Photo of Dawn Ursula by Danisha Crosby. ANGELS: Photo of Tom Story and Jon Hudson Odom by Danisha Crosby. MISS BENNET: Photo of Katie deBuys, Katie Kleiger, and Miranda Rizzolo by Grace Toulotte. CAROLINE: Photo of Nova Y. Payton by Grace Toulotte, photo of Nova Y. Payton by Jason Sherwood OR: Photo of Gregory Linington and Erin Weaver by Grace Toulotte. HILWIL: Photo of Eugene Lee by Grace Toulotte. Financials: Photo of Katie Kleiger by Grace Toulotte. Donor Support: Photo of Erin Weaver and Holly Twyford by Grace Toulotte. Round House Theatre is supported in part by funding from the Montgomery County government, the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC).