Welcome to the second edition of the Members News! 

I hope you enjoyed last month’s info.  Please be sure to let me know if you have anything you would like to include in this forum.  If you want to share a special upcoming event involving our members or something theater related that might be of interest to folks, please send me a note at membership@ptplayers.com.

On October 8, 2020 the Board met for its monthly meeting.  Here are some of the highlights from that meeting:

• Financial reports were presented as well as a budget analysis.  The Budget Analysis listed current bank balances as well as on going expenses.  We calculate that we have about 10 months of financial reserves to keep us going
• Productions – Producer/Director meeting being planned for January.  However, this may shift depending on our theater re-opening.  Discussion was held and the Board is considering postponing the opening of the theater until June/July time frame.  We will continue to monitor the COVID guidelines for a timeline for opening.  We are aware that other groups are doing limited performances and we will continue to watch these events to see how they handle the event and if there are any repercussions to the performances.
• Education – lots being planned here!  The committee is working on upcoming virtual classes, discussions and performances.  One upcoming project is Director’s Cut sessions (similar to “Inside the Actor’s Studio”) featuring many of our “stellar” directors The team has also planned several classes including Musical Theater Tips and Tricks for Auditions (led by Chad Mildenstein), Make Up Classes (led by Kaitelyn Dieguez) and a producer’s workshop (led by Kathy Mead).  Classes will have a cost of $10 and will be done by Zoom meetings and the Director’s Cut sessions will be on YouTube Channel -donations for these sessions will be gratefully accepted!  The committee is also looking into adding Cabarets to the entertainment.  Keep an eye out on Facebook for dates and times of these wonderful events!!  And in case you missed it, there was a dramatic reading of “The Importance of Being Earnest” on October 9, 2020.  You can still access this wonderful reading on the Port Tobacco Players YouTube page.
• Cultural Diversity, Belonging and Accountability Council – Shemika Berry presented a very enlightening talk about micro aggressions.  It made me much more aware of how small words can bring big hurt.
• Membership - still working to get the information form ready to send out to update the membership database.  We will get this out just as soon as we can.  Please watch for it and complete it so we can be sure our database is current before elections come up!
• Public Affairs – La Plata is not holding its Scarecrow competition this year (boo-hoo!)  but will be doing a Small Business Saturday event on November 28, 2020 from 10AM to 5PM.  A few businesses will do in person experiences.  PTP will be doing a virtual store for people to purchase tickets and items.  We will also accept donations this day.  More details to follow.
• Facilities – Patio paving is done and it’s GORGEOUS!  If you happen to go by the back of the theater and look – it will give you an idea of the beauty that is yet to be seen inside the theater.  Flooring and ceiling tiles have been purchased for the front of house, sound system is being installed, wall covering for theater area is done.  We are still planning a “sneak peek” of the changes.  We’ll let you know when that will happen. 

Board meetings are open to membership to observe.  Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 7PM.  If you would like to observe, please contact facilities@ptplayers.com.  Chris will send you a link to the meeting.
On a sad note, the Players lost long time member Nancy Gasparovic on October 3, 2020.  She is greatly missed by her many friends in the PTP family.  Here is a lovely write up of her life.

Ticket prices for Musicals have been raised to $20 for Adults and $18 for Seniors, Students and Military.  This increase was made because of the rise in the cost of putting on musicals.  The royalties, script/orchestral rentals and general overhead has been going up a lot in the last few years and we need to increase the prices to patrons to help cover the costs.

The 301 Derby Dames are sponsoring a “Trunk or Treat” party at the Charles County Fairgrounds on October 24, 2020 from 6-9pm.  PTP will be sponsoring a “trunk”.  Admission is free and it’s a drive through event.  Please consider supporting the 301 Derby Dames and vote for the PTP trunk as the best!

If you are interested in running for the board, please send a brief note to president@ptplayers.com.  The note should state who is being nominated and contain the signatures of 2 current regular members and the signature of the nominee.  Please watch for more details on the nomination and election process.

Looking for ways to support Port Tobacco Players during our closure (we can sure use it!)?  Here are some possibilities:

1) Regular donations can be made through our website.  Any amount is certainly welcome.  If you like, you can specify where your money goes.  Maybe you can help pay a month’s electric bill?  Telephone bill?  Put the money towards the sound system?  Your choice!

2) Purchase items from our Amazon Wish List (discussed last month). Go to ptplayers.com -> “Support” -> “Donate” -> and then scroll down to see the many ways you can support your theater!

3) With the Holiday Season coming up, your purchases through Smile.Amazon.com can result in a donation to PTP.  Click here to set PTP as your charity on Amazon, or: set up a Smile.Amazon account (if you don’t already have one!), log in, select your charity (Port Tobacco Players) and Amazon will send us a percentage of your purchase price.

4) PayPal has identified PTP as one designated for the PayPal Giving Fund.  That means that 100% of any donation given through PayPal will go to us.  They will no longer deduct processing fees.

5) Brick Pavers – It’s never too late to get a brick with your name, memory, comment on it!  Click here for information on how to purchase one!

6) Purchase PTP apparel!  We have hats, scarves, shirts, sweatshirts – all embroidered with the PTP Logo!  Great Christmas presents!  Click here to shop.

Help me keep you informed.  Let me know what’s happening and what you want to hear about.  I will do my best to research your ideas and get you information.

– Carol Charnock, Membership Chair

Hello! Welcome to our new Members News series!

We (the Board of PTP) hope to use this space to keep the membership up to date on board actions, upcoming events, highlights of members doings, and anything you might want to hear about! You can let me (Carol Charnock) know what you want to hear about by contacting me at membership@ptplayers.com.
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On September 15, 2020 the board met for its monthly meeting. Here are some highlights from that meeting:

• We are still financially solvent (always a good thing!) and since we no longer have a renter, will not be required to pay property taxes on the building. A good savings for us!
• Carol Charnock was voted onto the board as the new Chair of the Membership Committee.
• There is a Reader’s Theater performance of “The Importance of Being Earnest” recording which will be shown virtually in the near future. Watch our Facebook page for details of performance times!
• Due to COVID shutdowns, our one act performance of “True Colors” in an international competition in Canada was postponed until 2021. We have, though, been asked to submit a video performance of a shorter work by Kim Bessler entitled “Hide and Seek” for another competition. It is currently cast and will be filmed in the coming weeks. Good luck cast and crew!
• The Public Affairs Committee and the Membership Committee are making a concerted effort to improve our membership database. We will be posting a link to a form to have our membership provide us with current information for the database.
• Many renovations are underway. With the exception of the stage tower, all roof issues have been addressed. The side wall coverings have all been removed and carpet has been installed on the walls – it looks wonderful! Facilities has received the architectural plans for the Expanded Lobby (to include the Dry Cleaners space) and they have been presented to the La Plata Planning Department. We are waiting on the Planning Department’s response. The renovations for the expanded lobby will begin when those plans are approved. Once the renovations for the expanded lobby are completed, the plan is to use the front window as a “museum” to highlight some of our past performances, awards, etc. In order to protect the display from the sunlight, the board authorized the purchase of a canopy to go over that window. There will also be one purchased to go over the door to the right of the old ticket booth. If you would like to help with the renovations, you can check the Facility Calendar to see what renovations are planned, or navigate the website from ptplayers.com -> “About Us” -> “Facilities” -> “Facility Calendar.” Or you may contact Chris Magee (Facilities Chair) directly at facilities@ptplayers.com.
• We will be addressing the issue of a standardized program format for our productions.
• Our ticketing agent, Vendini, has been purchased by AudienceView. Mike Gahan is working with AudienceView and by November, we will have transitioned to that company’s program. Details will follow next month when we see exactly what the changes will entail.

Board meetings are open to membership to observe. Our next meeting will be on Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 7:00 PM. If you would like to observe, please contact facilities@ptplayers.com. Chris will send you a link to the meeting.

Did you know that PTP has an Amazon Wish List? You can help us out by purchasing (for the theater) items like hand wipes, plastic cups, trash bags, tools/accessories for the shop, batteries for our headsets, etc.!! In order to see our wish list and make a purchase, click here or navigate the website from ptplayers.com -> “Support” -> “Donate” -> and then scroll down to see the many ways you can support your theater!

We are going to do a Facebook Live tour of the theater to let you know about the renovations that have been done so far. Our Facilities Chair, Chris Magee, will give us an update of the changes and the comments will be open for questions. There will also be some FAQs for your information. If you have questions you would like addressed during the tour regarding the renovations, please send those questions to me at membership@ptplayers.com and I will forward them to the team. We will keep you informed when the tour will be presented.

Please help me keep you informed by keeping me informed! Let me know what you want to hear about, whether the information provided is of interest to you, and/or how I can help you get involved with the theater. This is OUR community theater – let’s stay connected!
– Carol Charnock, Membership Chair