Huntington Senior Director of External Relations David Dalena recently spoke with Sita and Anik Merchea and Rumena Manolova and Alex Senchak, two couples that were instrumental in The Hunt’s founding. The following is an excerpted version of their conversation. Read the complete version and learn more about The Hunt and its perks online at huntingtontheatre.org/TheHunt. How did you first become involved with the Huntington?
SEEKING A NEW GENERATION OF HUNTINGTON SUPPORTERS THE HUNTINGTON’S 35 BELOW PROGRAM IS ONE OF MANY INITIATIVES TO MAKE THEATRE ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL, OFFERING $25 TICKETS TO ANY PERFORMANCE AND HOSTING RELATED PRE AND POST-SHOW EVENTS FOR PATRONS AGED 35 AND UNDER. THIS FALL MARKED THE LAUNCH OF THE HUNT, A SPECIAL ANNUAL GIVING PROGRAM FOR YOUNG DONORS. THE HUNT’S GOAL THIS SEASON IS TO RAISE $10,000 TO BE THE SCENIC DESIGN PRODUCTION SPONSOR FOR BECOMING CUBA, AND AS OF THIS PRINTING, THEY ARE MORE THAN HALFWAY THERE.
Rumena: After we moved to Boston, we got tickets to the Huntington’s amazing production of Candide. It was one of the best things we had ever seen, and we knew we needed to come back. Alex: Our families have always supported the arts, and having a theatre of the stature of the Huntington in our new city made us feel at home. Anik: We began attending 35 Below events as a way to see great theatre and meet new people. Sita: The Huntington quickly became something we cared about. Huntington shows are so great, and 35 Below and The Hunt are perfect ways for us to be a part of a major Boston institution. In your eyes, what makes the Huntington unique? Rumena: We love that by operating the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA the Huntington is an anchor for other theatre companies, and we love being able to attend theatre right in our own neighborhood. I’m so impressed with the artistic world that the Huntington creates. As a business person, much of my time is spent figuring out solutions to complex financial and legal challenges. I’m fascinated by how directors, designers, and actors address the challenges of telling complex, human stories with such creativity. Why have you taken on a leadership role as a 35 Below Ambassador and in The Hunt? Anik: It’s a great privilege to be on the ground floor of a new grassroots effort at an established cultural organization. We’ve been lucky to become personal friends with the Huntington’s amazing artists and lucky to be able to help build a tremendous community of other theatre lovers that we’re thrilled to be a part of. Sita: We’ve found that our backgrounds and skills really differ from those we meet at the Huntington and that they can really help complement its efforts to build support from a new generation.
Alex Senchak and Remena Manolova
Sita and Anik Merchea
Alex: Being donors and members of The Hunt gives us a stake in Boston and makes us more a part of the community. Seeing great performances, meeting others who share our interests, and going to restaurants after performances and talking about what we’ve seen — sharing these great experiences together has made us closer as a couple. Any final thoughts? Sita: I encourage anyone who is culturally curious to come to the Huntington to see its great work. I suspect you’ll be motivated to get involved, just as we were. Rumena: Socially, intellectually, artistically — the Huntington engages all of our senses. Attending feels like a gift that I would like to share with other members of my generation. Alex: We’re so proud to take a stake in the Huntington, and we would encourage everyone to join us. To read the full interview visit huntingtontheatre.org/thehunt
18
BOX OFFICE 617 266 0800