The National Theatre Annual Report

Introduction

For the seventh successive year, The National Theatre is presenting its Annual Report to the public via the Internet. The theatre has presented plays and musicals at the same location, three blocks from The White House in Washington, DC, since 1835. Today it is operated by the National Theatre Corporation, a not-for-profit, 501.c.3 cultural, educational and charitable organization, operated by a board of trustees and managed for the board by The Shubert Organization. It is a pleasure to review for you our attractions, programs and projects, and some particular events and achievements of this past fiscal year ~ the 169th season for this historic playhouse, the oldest continually operated Class-A legitimate professional theatre in America.

Management ~ Shubert

The mainstage, auditorium, ticketing and house were admirably overseen by our General Manager, Harry Teter, Jr., our Theatre Manager, Carol Hayes, and the House Staff and Backstage Staff of the National Theatre, including Director of Group Sales Greg Flood, Receptionist Vickie Lomax and Stage Door Security Chief Bob Lawrence.

The Shubert Organization has provided the National with first-rate bookings and impeccable management services, for which we are grateful. All profits from the Shubert Organization go directly to the not-for-profit Shubert Foundation, which supports a wide array of arts, cultural and other organizations in this metropolitan area and nationwide.

The Property

Chairs in all the boxes, as well as those in the Helen Hayes Gallery and Corporate Lounge are in the process of being recovered and refinished. The blue velvet, selected 20 years ago by famed scenic designer Oliver Smith (My Fair Lady), gave good service, and the chairs are being recovered in the same shade of blue. The white "Rio" chairs used for Saturday Morning, Monday Night and Summer Cinema were replaced with comfortable forest green plastic chairs. Only 60 of the original 120 Rio chairs remained. These will find further use with Arlington's Keegan Theatre Company. The computer system in the Executive Offices was replaced, and the used equipment found welcoming new homes in non-profit service.

Mainstage Productions

CATS, the show with more than nine lives - returned for another four weeks, September 30 through October 26. The feline entourage enchanted another generation of children, and seemed to please "children of all ages" as well. The musical numbers are still crowd-pleasers, and when Grizabella hits the haunting high notes in "Memory" the rafters still seem about to shudder and a chill still goes up the spine.

MAMMA MIA! returned. As the ad puts it "A mother... A daughter.. 3 Dads... And a trip down the aisle you'll never forget..." The show, playing its 2nd Washington engagement (both at the National), did brisk business for almost three months, from November 20, 2003 through Valentine's Day, February 14th 2004. Some of the previous cast members appeared; others were worthy replacements.

We also had a full house including many enthusiastic children and young people for the invitational Washington Premiere Showing of the eagerly anticipated HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN. Time-Warner installed two 35 millimeter projectors which ran duplicate copies of the film simultaneously so that in case of any breakdown involving one projector or reel of film, the alternate "safety" projector could immediately take over. A picnic supper catered by Dean & DeLuca in the Helen Hayes Gallery and Corporate Lounge preceded the showing.

National Players

The National Theatre was host once again this year to free performances for high school students of the Greater Washington Area, presented by National Players, in their 55th year of touring. The students enjoyed AS YOU LIKE IT on January 16, 2003. America's longest-running classical touring company, National Players is a subsidiary of the Olney Theatre Center for the Arts, and the Official State Theatre of Maryland. National Players is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Maryland State Arts Council as an educational outreach program of The Olney Theatre Center. The National Theatre is pleased to fund the performance here in our house.

IATSE Intern Program

The National Theatre is a supporter of the Training Fund of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local # 22, our own stagehands. The union conducts an ongoing schedule of workshops, both basic and advanced, in working venues including the National. The focus is on new technologies, and hands-on training with in-house equipment. The program addresses safe, efficient and effective use of theatrical equipment - sound, lighting rigging, etc. In the accompanying photo, the use of computerized lighting control is under study. A college certificate program for stage technicians is offered in partnership with Prince George's Community College.

College of Fellows

The National Theatre supports the Annual Meeting of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre, a distinguished honor society, by hosting a reception prior to the Inductees Dinner, which precedes a day-long meeting the next day at the Kennedy Center. The evening's theme this year was A Night in La Mancha with a performance by Danzamarina, which will appear in our Monday series next year. The College promotes and encourages the highest standards of research and creativity in educational and professional entertainment, through the recognition and honoring of distinguished service and accomplishments in the field of theatre by designers, directors, playwrights, producers and teachers of acknowledged national stature.

nationaltheatre.org - Website

The National first appeared on the Internet in 1995, among the first web presences for a theatre in the Greater Washington Area. The site received about 150,000 "hits" in its first six years. After a major overhaul in 2002, the site had registered 1,500,000 hits by the end of our last fiscal year, and added 1,370,000 more hits in this FY for a total of 2,870,000. Hits represent page visits by people looking for information on the theatre.

Current statistics are always available by clicking on the globe icon at the right bottom of the site's home page, www.nationaltheatre.org. The National Theatre is indebted to eXTReMe Tracking for making this service available pro bono.

Courtesy Email List

Several years ago, the theatre established an Email Information List. Messages are sent to the Trustees, Circle members, Staff, Shubert Management, and patrons who sign on. All receive information about our attractions and activities at the National. The list was established using the email program in Netscape Explorer. All "subscribes" and "unsubscribes" were entered manually by the Executive Director.

By mid-summer of 2003, the unwieldy list had grown to an unmanageable 2,500 subscribers. The addresses were moved to ListMail, a new computer program designed specifically to handle email mass mailings, popularly referred to as "E-blasts." By the end of September - with automatic sign-ups and resignations - the list has leaped to 9,300 members. All volunteered to receive our messages.

Dedicated Seat Program

Donors wishing to dedicate seats in the National Theatre may do so in return for a contribution. A handsome brass plate is affixed to the seat, with a dedicatory inscription provided by the donor. This program was envisioned and inaugurated by our late Treasurer, Margaret E. Lynn, and is now being administered by Betsy Libretta. Links inviting patrons to consider dedicating seats have been added to most pages of the website, and have engendered some interest and contributions from visitors to the site.

Films were shown at the National Theatre during the summer months at 6:30 p.m. on Monday evenings in the Helen Hayes Gallery, where the national portrait of Miss Hayes is displayed. Admission to these screenings ~ inaugurated in 1985 ~ was free. The films drew capacity crowds, and the audience ranged from teeners to seniors, Greater D.C. area residents and tourists. Our children's film again proved very popular . The theme was UNCOMMON COURAGE: FILMS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR and the series was an official event of America Celebrates the Greatest Generation, a 100-day tribute in connection with the new WWII Memorial in Washington. Projection Equipment was supplied again this year courtesy of Circle member Charles A. Fazio and Vision Digital Media.

JUN 14 - CASABLANCA
JUN 21 - MRS. MINIVER
JUN 28 - WATERLOO BRIDGE
JUL 12 - Watch ON THE RHINE
JUL09 - ABOVE SUSPICION

JUL 26 - SO PROUDLY WE HAIL!
AUG02 - LIFEBOAT
AUG09 - CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT
AUG 16 - BEDKNOBS and BROOMSTICKS

Alzheimer’s Adult Care Center
Bartholomew House
Bauer Recreation Center
Bethesda Senior Center
Bowie Adult Day Care
The Campagna Center
The Fossils
Friends House
Greenbelt Adult Day Care Center
Iona Senior Services
Jewish Community Center of Greater

Washington in Rockville
The Little Sisters of The Poor
Lincolnia Adult Day Health Center
Long Branch Senior Center
Lorton Senior Center
Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center
Misler Jewish Senior Program
Rockville Senior Center
Rockville Nursing Home
Shady Grove Adult Day Care
Waverly House