Dexter Drama Club Booster Meeting Minutes
Dexter Drama Club Booster Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
6:00 PM ~ 7:15 PM – Dexter Dist. Library Basement Conference Room
7:30 PM ~ 8:30 PM – Dexter Pub - 8114 Main St, Dexter, MI 48130
2016-2017 Boosters
President*Kenneth Harvey✔
VP*Ruthann Mason✔
Cheryl Willoughby✔
Treasurer (drama accts)*Mary Caplon✔
Treasurer (non-profit)*Caitlynn Hoffman✔
Assist. Treasurer (sales)Yoko Yamada✔
Secretary *Mollie Kemp✔
Drama Director*Erin Palmer✔
Communications Coord.Jennifer Colby✔
Fundraising Coord./GraphicsJulie Wilson✔
Graphic Design Coord.**Julie Wilson✔
Hospitality – ConcessionsSamantha Kempf✔
Hospitality – Green RoomBeth Brooks✔
Hospitality – Tech WeekCheryl Beauregard✔
PhotographyRuthann Mason✔
ProgramsCathy Miller✔
PublicityTanya Mazurek
Set - CostumesJinelle Sherry
Set Design – ArtMarie Knoerl
Set Design - PaintingJoyce Oberg
Set Production*Ken Harvey (fall)✔
Unfilled (winter)
Unfilled (spring)
Sponsorships Coord. (Sales)Erica Ward
Sponsor Assist. (Post-sales)Unfilled
Set Build Coord.Randy Reich (fall)
Greg Kemp (winter)
Chris Calleja (spring)
SWAG Coord.Audrey Bergen✔
Technical Coordinator***Michael Baker
Thespian SocietyBeth Brooks✔
Tickets Sales Coord.Yoko Yamada✔
Ticket Sales Asst.Mary Caplon✔
Volunteer CoordinatorLisa Tessmer
Others in attendance: Juanita Turner (welcome!) and Amanda Webster
(*Executive Board, **Design art for posters, signs, t-shirts and street signs, ***Bio forms/Google Docs)
(Non-profit Board of Directors 2016-2017 – Director – Amanda Webster, President – Erin Palmer, V.P. Samantha Kempf, Treasurer – Beth Brooks, Secretary – Ken Harvey)
1)Booster Position Reports: Treasurer’s Report (10 mins.), Secretary, Publicity, others (5 min. limit.)
a)Treasurer: whenever possible receipts should be given to treasurers at each monthly meeting; reimbursements checks should be written at meetings whenever possible.
i)Drama accounts update - Mary shared a general update on money made through Treasure Island, Thespian, NYC trip, and Improv show. More figures and details are available online.
ii)Non-profit update - Caitlynn established Paypal account to replace Payschools. We will create buttons on the website for purchases. No need for opening individual Paypal accounts for parents - can use credit/debit cards instead, if preferred. Easier transition than was expected. Does anyone know someone who has website expertise, so that they could take over specific parts of the Drama website? Ken will put the request out.
iii)Reminders:
- All payments when possible need to be sent to Mary Caplon’s home address. Checks made out to the Dexter Drama Club.
- Reimbursements must be made through Caitlyn and the non-profit or get reimbursed via DHS. All actual receipts and a copy of the receipt must be given to Mary Caplon. All items purchased should be itemized. Each person should keep a copy of the receipt in case a receipt is lost.
b)President’s Report - nothing to report
c)Vice-President(s) report - nothing to report
d)Secretary - we have the meeting room reserved at the library through the end of this school year
e)Volunteer Coordinator - Lisa is cued up to do signups for Beauty and the Beast
f)Graphic Design
i) Designs and website are ready to go - waiting for the word from Erin. Designs for show are a bit ahead of schedule. No yard signs for winter show, due to snow banks and plowing.
ii) Discussion about colors for t-shirts and sweatshirts, and whether we want them to be uniform, as well as what colors the kids would be most likely to order. We do make a conscious effort to try not to repeat colors from show to show. We will make an option to have a bright color and a neutral color - can talk about at next meeting.
iii) Have we considered table covers with DHS Drama logo for ticket/concession/SWAG table?Erin may prefer to have sweats over table covers - sweats would be different cost, and table covers would come right from our budget. We can continue to talk with Erin about priorities.
g)Publicity - Cheryl said that the billboard by Mill Creek will be up in January - Dr. Monson will advertise the show with students who are clients - usually goes by priority, who’s available - no date set yet for this photo shoot
h)Fundraising Coordinator - no update
i)Green Room
i)On the days Beth shops, it takes her about 6 hours between shopping, preparing, transporting, setting up, etc. Would be tough for someone who works during the day to take on this job, making this set-up difficult to sustain into the future. Discussion about catering vs. potluck vs. current plan. Caitlynn spoke to her experience with getting catering for a group of kids - worked well and was simple. Lots of discussion about pros and cons of each option. If we are going to look into catering, we need to get it priced out, and we have $2000 ($3000 if we include the tech weekend budget). Another option is to have parents bring food to kids, with exception of tech weekend. We could welcome donations to a green room table. And, maybe we don’t need to serve on the weekends of shows, because kids are coming from home and will have had the chance to eat. Outcome: eliminate green room (families may provide food for table on a donation basis only, no need for sign up). Parents will be notified that they will be in charge of afternoon/evening food for the kids. We will announce this change at the mandatory parent meeting. Price for participation will not be reduced; the $20 previously designated for food in the play fee will be absorbed and used in other areas.
j)Tech Weekend Food - Subway seemed to work out well.
k)Concessions - new cart was helpful. Audrey suggested taping floors to show where people could form lines - would expedite sales.
l)Programs/Sponsorships - Erica is undecided about whether she will take on this role. Cathy has some ideas about who to ask - groomers, hair salons - to go with theme of show.
m)Ticket sales
i)Making permanent signs for ticket/swag/concession sales. Need ideas. Would like to produce templates by the next meeting 12/13. Have signs completed by January meeting on 1/10/2017. Can we buy easels or stands for some areas?
ii)Yoko talked about using a rope to prevent patrons from going into certain areas.
iii)Again, taping floors to indicate where lines should start and flow could be helpful.
n)SWAG sales - DVDs will be out this Saturday.
o)Set building
i)Greg and Erin are talking about set specifics.
ii)Set building will begin on December 10. May not be able to place pieces on stage because of other CPA use.
p)Photography
i) Ruthann has had a delay in getting photos uploaded to the website - students in charge of website are not always able to move promptly; more evidence that we could use an adult “web guru” who would have time to work more quickly
ii) Ruthann has paid Bowden (old photographer) to have pictures released
q)Busch’s Cash for Education - Jen P. - a Dread Scholars account has been set up, and you can indicate your student’s name/s, and it will be subtracted from child’s Payschools - will be useful for trip accounts and Thespian trips and memberships. Also, parents could designate funds to Dexter Drama, which would go to general Dexter Drama budget. Busch’s money can’t be applied to Drama fees, as those will now be payable on Paypal.
2)Old Business:
a)Ticket sales:
- Update on comp ticket policy - everyone will pay from now on, including teachers; should we charge for infants who will be on laps? Maybe revisit this.
b)Managing tools in scene shop: Martin is organizing our tools, but we need to make sure that we have materials on hand. The miter saw is up and running again!
c)DCP is using Copeland for current show - hitch is that all equipment needs to be moved in and out after each show/rehearsal. But, Ken said the area is looking clean.
3) New Business
a)Handicap access at the CPA - will use ramp down by band room and set up a ticket table for those with a need for handicap access; could get word out at parent meeting, and could also include this on Drama website. Also, we might be able to have wheelchairs available at front doors. We have a sandwich board, and we will need a handicap sign - Erin can laminate this at school. Caitlynn will have sign made at Sam’s.
b)Concern about safety at strike - props kids working in pairs, and they were using ladders unsafely and trying to get totes down from shelves. Kids need to be taught about safety with props and ladders.
c)B&B Mandatory Parent Meeting date Tuesday, 11/29 - 6:30pm new parents, 7:00 veteran parents.
d)Cheryl W. is on the Dexter Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee. They are interested in donating to Dexter Drama - discussed possible options - perhaps tech training, table covers. Yoko can get estimates to Cheryl on table covers.
4) Next Meeting: Tuesday, December 13, 2016, 6 PM at the Dexter District Library/7:30 at the Dexter Pub