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The National Theatre Annual Report
The State of the Corporation Go to Reports from Other Years 170 YEARS, AND STILL GOING STRONG!
This is our ninth electronic issue of the National Theatre Annual Report. This theatre
has presented plays and musicals at the same location, three blocks from
The White House in Washington, DC, since 1835. A commercial playhouse
until 1974, it is now a not-for-profit, 501.c.3 cultural, educational
and charitable organization, operated by the trustees of the National
Theatre Corporation, 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 MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS
The irrepressible
Dame Edna Everage returned to the National, garnering another excellent
review. Many confirmed fans and many new admirers gave the Dame
boistrous curtain calls, as they were pelted with gladiolas by Dame Edna.
Barry Humphries, "Manager" and "channeler" of the
Dame, was in top form. Some of the comic ploys from the Dame's past
appearance here were re-played. However, with new audience "victims"
and "volunteers from the audience," as well as timely ad-libs
pegged to the moment, the performance remained fresh. The show was
devised and written by Barry Humphries. Production design was by Brian
Thomson. Lighting design by Jane Cox. Sound design by Dan Scheivert. Costumes
by Will Goodwin, Stephen Adnitt. Choreography by Jason Gilkison. Lyrics
by Barry Humphries and Wayne Barker. Music by Wayne Barker.
TIMELINE TICKETPLACE
APPRECIATION
FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR - THE NATIONAL THEATRE CIRCLE Circle Members contribute a minimum of $1,500 each year, which helps make a variety of free outreach activities possible. We are continually grateful for their ongoing support. Members of The National Theatre Circle as of September 30, 2006: American
Medical Association, Lee J. Stillwell Names in pale blue above are Internet links. THE
PROPERTY NATIONAL
PLAYERS
IATSE INTERN TRAINING PROGRAM
By mid-summer of 2003, the unwieldy list had grown to an unmanageable 2,500 subscribers. The addresses were moved to ListMail, a then-new computer program designed specifically to handle email mass mailings, popularly referred to as "E-blasts." With automated sign-ups and resignations, the list has grown from 9,300 members in September of 2004 to 13,500 in September of 2005. We feel the list is particularly valuable since all of these members self-subscribed, welcoming email information from the National Theatre on a continuing basis. THE
DEDICATED SEAT PROGRAM
MONDAY
NIGHT AT THE NATIONAL The series is sponsored by the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation and the trustees of the National Theatre. On the bill for this fiscal year were the following presentations:
SATURDAY MORNING AT THE NATIONAL
Our next-door neighbor, Marriott, has been our supporting partner in these programs with generous grants since they began in 1975. We are extremely appreciative for 30 years of corporate sponsorship of this program by MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC., and THE J. WILLARD AND ALICE S. MARRIOTT FOUNDATION.
SUMMER CINEMA: BILLY WILDER:AMERICAN
ORIGINAL
Performers from the National Theatre appeared at these venues during the year:
HALF-PRICE AND FREE TICKET PROGRAMS
DISABLED SERVICES ARCHIVE
CAPITAL FRINGE FESTIVAL
COMMUNITY AFFLILIATIONS
ARTS ON FOOT
MISSION
TRUSTEES, OFFICERS &
ADMINISTRATION
THE
CORPORATION Respectfully submitted with my personal thanks to our trustees, to every member of the staff of the National Theatre, to our National Theatre Circle and other loyal supporters, and to thousands of patrons who enjoy performances here, and who provide the motivation and inspiration to keep this marvelous theatre alive.
Main Contents
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The National Theatre Corporation,
a 501.c3 nonprofit institution managed by The
Shubert Organization.
|
On
December 7, 2005, the National Theatre celebrated its 170th year.
It was on this date in 1835 that the theatre first opened its doors.
Instead of a party for our supporters or ourselves to mark the occasion,
we had an Anniversary Celebration for 170 high school and college theatre
students and their teachers. They were our guests, with Orchestra seating
for LES MISERABLES. They stayed following the show for
a birthday party with the cast in the Helen Hayes Gallery. The young
people present came from The Duke Ellington School for the Arts, City
at Peace, The Levine School, American University, Georgetown University
and Howard University.
this
past fiscal year ~ the 170th season for this historic playhouse,
the oldest continually operated Class-A legitimate professional theatre
in America.
LES
MISERABLES - December 6, 2005 through January 21, 2006
DAME
EDNA: BACK WITH A VENGEANCE - February 21, 2006 through
March 5, 2006
HOT
FEET - March 6, 2006 through April 13, 2006
DISNEY
LIVE! MICKEY'S MAGIC SHOW - May 18 through May 21, 2006
MONTY
PYTHON'S SPAMALOT - June 6 through July 9, 2006
The
National Theatre once again this year funded free performances for high
school students of the Greater Washington Area, presented on our mainstage
by 
The
National Theatre is a supporter of the Training Fund of the International
Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local # 22, the union to
which our own stagehands belong. The union conducts an ongoing schedule
of training 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. A college
certificate program for stage technicians is offered in partnership
with Prince George's Community College. Stagehands in the photo are
shown adjusting rope lines and pulleys set into the steel grid high
above the stage. Safety is paramount here, since heavy pipes and pieces
of scenery will be attached to the lines. 
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 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, educators,
performers, playwrights and producers of acknowledged national stature.
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 began registering more than 1,000,000 hits
each year. We had 1,370,000 hits last year, and nearly doubled
that number with 2,130,000 hits this year, for a total in all
years of more than 4,000,000. Hits represent page visits by people looking
for information on our site.
In 2000 the theatre established an Email Information List. Messages are
sent to patrons who specifically request inclusion.for 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.
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.
Our
Monday FREE music, dance, comedy and drama showcase continued to attract
eager and talented performers as well as enthusiastic audiences from across
the Greater Washington Area. The season boasted world premieres of three
original one-act plays.
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 teens to seniors, Greater D.C. area residents and tourists. Our children's
film again proved very popular. The theme - BILLY WILDER: AMERICAN ORIGINAL
was part of the American Originals city-wide summer celebration presented
by Cultural Tourism DC. Projection Equipment was supplied again this year
courtesy of Circle member Charles A. Fazio and Vision Digital Media.
Signed
performances enhanced our attractions for the hearing impaired this year.
We also had narrations for the visually impaired which were provided by
volunteers from The Metropolitan Washington Ear (MWE). In addition, infrared
hearing amplification and wheel-chair locations are available for all
mainstage shows.
In
1975 there were no records of the past at the National Theatre. Since
then, programs, photographs, posters and other artifacts and memorabilia
have been donated. The collection is lovingly conserved by the volunteers
who work in the theatre Archive. Contributions of materials related
to the National Theatre, particularly pre-1950, are always welcomed.
We found some rare National Theatre posters and playbills on eBay this
year. Although the limited space in our crowded storage precludes the
accommodation of researchers, the staff attempts to answer all mail,
email and telephone research questions from authors, historians, authors,
relatives of past performers and employees and theatre aficionados.
The
National Theatre participated this year in the Inaugural Year of the
CAPITAL FRINGE FESTIVAL. The National's entry was four performances
featuring mentalist ALAIN NU. The performances were offered free to
the public. With audiences arriving as much as an hour before shows,
all seats were filled, and it was necessary to turn away scores of people
at every performance. Nearly 100 efferent performances were part of
the Festival, and its overall success seemed to assure its continuation
as an important annual arts event in our national capita l..
The
National Theatre is member of 
STAGES
FOR ALL AGES
In September of 2003, Saturday Morning at the National was once again
- pardon the pun - the "Kick-Off" event for Arts On Foot,
the downtown arts promotion developed and produced by the Pennsylvania
Avenue Quarter Neighborhood Association. "Passports" distributed
at the National and other places were stamped as families and individuals
traveled among the many galleries and theatres which participated with
special programs. Barrymore Eagle was on hand at the National for our
Saturday Morning shows, posing for photos with happy children and pleased
parents.
The
goal off the National Theatre Corporation is to keep Washington's historic
"Theatre of Presidents" open and offering top-quality live stage
attractions in the nation's capital. Additionally, through our outreach
programs, we bring free performances and other services to the public.
The National Theatre Corporation was established in 1974. No governmental
grants are received by the theatre either for its maintenance, or for
its productions or outreach programs and services.
