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December 21, 2015Howdy Y'all,
One of the things that makes the role of President so rewarding is the chance to talk to you, our loyal patrons. Each summer, we hear from hundreds of G&S lovers from far and wide who travel to the Wortham to share in the experience of traditional Gilbert and Sullivan operas, and who appreciate the opportunity to see a piece of British history today in Houston.
As the year draws to a close, we want to thank you for your continued support and reflect on our successes. We never would have imagined that the initial launch of an alumni concert and fundraiser would have met with such resounding success as we had in February. We raised well over $30,000 for the Society as a supplement to our annual giving, which put us in a very sound position for the summer season. Thank you! Without your participation and attendance, this event could not have happened. We look forward to 2016 when we enhance the experience, given our lessons learned and your feedback, and intend to please yet again! Please look for additional communications about the specifics, but do save the date: April 10, 2016!
As the spring progressed, we saw a strong response to auditions for Pirates. And we're always looking to add new faces to our cast, and would love your help drumming up the choristers you know who are hiding in the wings! A strong chorus from which to draw our understudies is not only our best insurance policy for the season, but also the best way to create the future for the Society. Please encourage the next generation to give it a go, even if it is their first experience with us!
We heard from many of you that this was our best Pirates yet, and one of our best productions altogether. We couldn't agree more! From the strength of this year's chorus to the brilliance of the principals, it was a wonderful production to experience. And how about that set! We are deeply indebted to our fellow Savoyards with the Lamplighters in San Francisco for agreeing to share the expense of swapping our Ruddigore set for their Pirates set. We are always looking for these types of efficiencies and to mutually support partner organizations, both here in Houston and around the globe.
We also heard that many of you were thrilled to be able to select your own seats when purchasing tickets. Our sincere thanks go out to Houston First, the organization that operates the Wortham Theater, for their expertise in making this transition a reality. We appreciate everyone's patience while we made the switch, and we're taking the lessons we learned to make next year's production run even smoother. Thank you for your flexibility as we made this transition and as we continue to improve upon your experience for the years ahead!
And as 2015 winds down and holiday events fill our schedules, we're glad to take time to reflect on all that we have accomplished this year. We could never have attempted any of our endeavours without your enthusiasm, heart, and love for Gilbert & Sullivan. Our people, our purpose and our passion for what we do makes all the difference and I cannot thank you enough! The power of the stories we share, and memories we create, will bind us together in this endeavor for years and decades to come!
Thank you again for your support of the Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society. We look forward to bigger and better things in 2016, and seeing you around at our events! If you're in the giving mood during these holiday times - or if you'd like to be able to take a deduction on your 2015 taxes - please consider a gift to the Society to support our mission to bring quality light opera to all Houstonians, be that through our annual July production, the support of up-and-coming artists with college scholarships or our outreach efforts to summer camps, school groups and assisted living facilities. We would not be able to continue these efforts without your support.
See you in 2016!
Steve Robbins
President