DramaBiz magazine -Web Exclusive

Web Exclusive

Interview with Michael Galloway, managing director, Champaign Urbana Community Theatre

DRAMABIZ: I see the history of your theatre from your Web site, but can you give us a little bit more of a feel for what it is like in Champaign-Urbana? What kind of shows play well? What can you say about this community? How many seats? Number of subscribers?

GALLOWAY: CU is a great place to live, my family moved here in August of 2008 and have fallen in love with the area, and the weather so far has been very nice (it’s not 12 feet of snow). Our season consists of four Broadway-style musicals and starts in March and runs until October. The Virginia Theater seats 1,500 and we have over 4,000 subscribers. I really can’t say enough about this community, they have welcomed us with open arms. My wife (Wendy) and children (Chandra, Amanda, and Evan) have adapted quite well.

DRAMABIZ: Tell us about your theatre background? I understand that you were also the manager of a theatre in Cadillac, Mich.? Tell us how you came to be at Champaign-Urbana? What is your current title (Artistic Director, General Manager)?

GALLOWAY: I have been involved with community theatre in some way since 1978. I started acting with The Cadillac Footliters in Mich. My first role was The Guard at Emerald City in “The Wizard of Oz”and it snowballed from there. That laid the groundwork for a long career on the stage including acting school at American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City.

Over the years, my passion for the theater grew to encompass the business portion as well as the creative portion and I began to seek out a career that would allow me to pursue that passion with a growing company. In 2005, I was very fortunate to become involved with the Community Theatre Association of Michigan (CTAM). I was gratified to be elected Vice President of that organization in 2007, a big honor for me.

Last June, I was searching through the career opportunities listed on the AACT (American Association of Community Theatre) Web site and found the listing for Managing Director of Champaign Urbana Theater Company. I sent my resume, and here I am today!

DRAMABIZ: I understand you have an upcoming production of “Tommy” coming in May Can you fill me in on all of the details? Where did the idea come from? Why “Tommy?” How did you get Donnie[Kehr] to sign on? Isn’t this a big bite to take when just starting at the CUTC?

GALLOWAY: CUTC has secured the rights to perform “Tommy” as a concert version on May 17, 2009 since the royalties for this version better lend themselves to a fundraising endeavor. We will be performing the music with a bit of choreography in order to raise funds to support the general operation of the company during the current economic downturn.

Other non-profit community groups have performed concert versions of well-known musicals as fundraisers and they have been very successful. What better non-profit group to present “Tommy” in concert than a theater company whose season consists of four Broadway type musicals each season? It seemed to fit us so perfectly!

I have known Donnie Kehr for years; I met him when I was living in New York in 1989. When I called and asked him to support CUTC in this endeavor, he was extremely gracious and supportive. He carved time out of his extremely busy schedule (on Broadway in “Billy Elliott”) to help out!

Since I like to do things big not small, I am blessed to have the support of CUTC in this endeavor. We have an EXTREMELY talented group of people from which we can draw both on and off stage talent. The pre-audition buzz has already been very promising!

DRAMABIZ: How does “Tommy” fit with the rest of your season? What are you specifically doing to promote it? What budget do you have for promotions? How many shows do you typically do in a season? What else can your patrons expect for ’09? I understand that you are doing some other promotions tying in with breast cancer research. Can you elaborate on those as well?

GALLOWAY: “Tommy” is a fundraiser that will take place between our first and second productions. It is a one night affair with special incentives for sponsorships. We have invited Donnie Kehr, one of the original members of the Broadway cast of “Tommy,” to make a special appearance. We are also auctioning off some items that have been autographed by members of the original cast of “Tommy” including Donnie Kehr, Tony Award Winner Christian Hoff, Pete Townsend (from The Who) and others.

Our season runs from March through October. Our ’09 season consists of “Sweet Charity” in March, “Les Miserables” student production in June, “Annie Get Your Gun” in September, and “Jekyll and Hyde” in October. We typically run shows for one weekend, Thursday through Sunday.

One of the Promotions we have planned is a Think Pink Night in conjunction with “Sweet Charity”. On Friday night (March 27) $1.00 from each ticket sold along with proceeds from sales of special merchandise will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to support Breast Cancer Awareness and research.

One of our more recent steps has been to create a Facebook for CUTC. Along with newsletters and e-news, Facebook has allowed more people easy access to our website (www.cutc.org) and helps keep the community involved in all of our events.

DRAMABIZ: How do you raise the funds necessary to put on these sorts of productions? How has the economy played into your thinking? What is your revenue ratio (contributed to earned)? Has that changed over the years? (Not sure of this as being new and didn’t get an answer on time)

GALLOWAY: CUTC raises funds through several different avenues. For example, each production—including “Tommy”—is supported by sponsors from various financial levels. Each monetary level of sponsorship comes with perks. The bigger the sponsorship, the more perks. Perks can range from preferred seating to afterglow parties to special mentions in the curtain speech, etc.

We also have several other creative avenues for raising funds: Singing Valentines, Traveling Murder Mysteries, and theatre education series for adults and children, and of course, grants. Although with these hard economic times, the grants can be hard to come by.

Another way to support the operations of CUTC is through “in kind” trade. Many companies cannot support an outside organization with money, but can support with their product or service. CUTC can in turn put that company in the playbill, mention them in a curtain speech, put them on/in advertising for productions, etc.

DRAMABIZ: Tell me about the facility. Is it owned by CUTC? Where will you be staging the performances of “Tommy”? Why is that in a different location?

GALLOWAY: We run our shows at the Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign. This facility is currently owned by the Champaign Park District. Since 1921, The Virginia Theatre has been a landmark in the business district of Champaign, and in the history of the region. For 75 years, the 1,525 seat theatre has offered entertainment as a vaudeville house, live theatre, and movie house. After over three decades of operating primarily as a movie house, the Theatre made the return to live performances in May of 1991 with a live theatre/concert called “Songs of America”. In the summer of 1991, The Champaign Urbana Theatre Company produced “The Music Man” and has been the resident theatre company since, producing over 60 large scale productions in the space. In January of 2000, the Champaign Park District joined in the efforts to save this prized landmark. After assuming control of the theatre, the Park District has embarked on a massive renovation plan to bring the facility back to its original glory.

“Tommy” will be staged at Parkland College in Champaign. The 300 seat theatre provides a more intimate setting for a show like this. Parkland’s theatre department is also able to provide sound and lighting staff from their student body, and has been very accommodating for this production.

DRAMABIZ: Tell me about your relationship with Donnie. How did that get started? Can you share a little of Donnie’s background for our readers?

GALLOWAY: Like I said earlier, I’ve known Donnie since the late 80’s when I used to work at the China Club as a stage manager & lighting designer in New York; we hit it off quite well and became friends. When I was thinking of” Tommy” I thought, “Wow, it would be so cool to have Donnie here as a guest to help us out and raise some money for the theatre”. I called him and he agreed. I couldn’t be more excited to have him here for the event.

“Donnie grew up in New York City and made his Broadway debut at age 12 in “LEGEND”, a play starring F. Murray Abraham. Other Broadway credits followed such as the original pinball lad in “The Who’s TOMMY”, in 2003 he co-starred with Toni Braxton in Elton John and Tim Rice’s, “AIDA” on Broadway. Donnie created the role of Norm Waxman on Broadway in “Jersey Boys” and is currently in the Broadway hit production of “Billy Elliot”.

Donnie is the Founder and Executive Producer/Director of Rockers On Broadway the flagship production of The PATH Fund, Inc., a foundation he created to give artists of all kinds an avenue to share their unique talents while helping raise money for charities that benefit the arts and entertainment communities that inspires their livelihood.

As a musician, along with his brothers, Michael and Steven, Donnie co-founded in the late 1980s the band “URGENT”. His film credits include: “Geppetto” (2000), “Chaplin” (1992), “Wall Street” (1987), “Saturday Night Fever” (1977)” (from donniekehr.com)

DRAMABIZ: Can you describe a typical season? Do you use the theatre to produce in-house productions or do you use it as a rental house for traveling shows or other theatre groups in your area?

GALLOWAY: Our typical season consists of four Broadway type musicals. The season runs from March to October. Our last two seasons were 2007 “Once on This Island”, “Ragtime”, “Beauty and the Beast”, and “Man of La Mancha” our 2008 season had ; “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Bye Bye Birdie”, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, and “Little Shop of Horrors”.

We rent the Virginia for our productions as we are the resident theater company.

DRAMABIZ: How many people on your staff?

GALLOWAY: The day-to-day operations are run by the Managing Director (me) with the support of one or two part time interns. The operations are supported by the Board of Directors who oversees the Managing Director’s rights and responsibilities. We also have a large group of dedicated volunteers who oversee areas like costumes, props, set pieces, scripts, volunteer recruitment, etc.

DRAMABIZ: What systems do you use to help with the business operation of the theatre? What computer software does your organization use and for what purpose? How do you sell tickets?

GALLOWAY: To run the day-to-day office procedures, we use much of the “mainstream” office programs: QuickBooks, Microsoft Office, Paypal, and Ticket Leap (for some events).

The Virginia handles our physical tickets through their box office.

DRAMABIZ: What is the single most reason for your success thus far?

GALLOWAY: Man, that is a hard question to answer, I have to say friendship. Throughout the years I have had a great support system to help me get where I am today. It’s not all “ME.” Many people have helped me grow and mature through theater both on and off stage. Carol Kushion, who was my first director in theatre, became my music teacher in high school, and is now one of my closest friends; Jim Hagberg who really got me involved in theatre and took me under his wing and showed me the way to being on a board and learning the “other” side of theatre (thanks, Dad!). Mary Jo DeNolf and Betsy Willis from the Community Theater Association of Michigan (CTAM) really helped prepare me for the position that I have now, and remain two of my “trusted advisors”. Of course the biggest supporter has been my wife, Wendy. She has kept me in check in a lot of tough times and I love her for it! There are so many that have helped me get here. And as you’re reading this, I tell you now; learn from your peers and co workers as much as you can! Do research and take it all in…

DRAMABIZ: What is the toughest part of your job?

GALLOWAY: The toughest part at this point is finding creative ways to “stretch the dollar.” While we are a non-profit organization, we are still a business and need to make every dollar count. Theatre is seen as a luxury and, unfortunately, people are feeling the crunch. A large part of my daily routine is ensuring that the money we bring in on a daily basis generates a satisfying product for the community we serve.

DRAMABIZ: Are you a union theatre?

GALLOWAY: CUTC is not Union, but the venue where we do our shows is union and we must schedule and employ several union people for every production we do at the Virginia.

DRAMABIZ: What is the biggest lesson you have learned and what advice would you be willing to share with someone on doing the promotional tie-ins that you do?

GALLOWAY: Always keep an open mind and think outside the box. Theatre is a creative outlet—when the season is announced, my very first thought process is how to market each show and finding sponsors that can relate to those shows. For example, if “Willy Wonka” were in our season, I would pursue a candy maker to underwrite that production; or a beauty salon to sponsor a production of “Hairspray”.

The biggest lesson I have learned is to have your shows underwritten before the season gets under way. If it’s possible, always keep one season ahead of yourself. As Executive Director of the theater company in Michigan, that was my major concern and my biggest challenge. The reasons I like to have shows underwritten before the season is announced to the public are 1) We can ensure our revenue and 2) the underwriters can have the maximum benefit from a whole season of advertising.

DRAMABIZ: What is the most inspirational experience you have ever had in theatre and why?

GALLOWAY: I am inspired every day by people’s dedication to the craft, but I must say the experience that stands out most in my mind is visiting the rehearsal for “The Who’s Tommy” 15th anniversary reunion show this past December. I was able to witness professionals gathering together, creating greatness, and loving what they do.

It was humbling to be so warmly welcomed by the cast. Donnie introduced me as a friend involved in community theatre who was a big fan of “Tommy” and at that moment the cast welcomed me with applause. To be able to stand next to a Tony Award winner (Christian Hoff) and have an actual conversation—just two guys talking about their passion, the theatre, was something I’ll always remember. That day has inspired me to work harder and become more focused in my profession because I want to be able to give people what they gave me that day.

DRAMABIZ: Is there anything else you’d like me to consider for this article?

GALLOWAY: I would like to add one more thing; I have to say a big thank you to my family. Jobs like this are never 9-5 (even in the office); sometimes I think its 24/7. I’m so glad and fortunate that my wife Wendy is involved in the theatre and very understanding. My two daughters also love to be involved as my oldest Chandra has been in productions on and off stage since she was 5, Amanda at 8 is now starting to want to be on stage, and my son Evan will be next on the drum kit or choreographing a number for dad, just you wait.

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