When asked, as Marketing Director, how he overcomes some of the challenges the audience does not see, he simply replied, “WITH PATIENCE”! One challenge is, as Greg says, “trying to put forth the best professional performances possible with our limited budget. This often requires a lot of volunteer time from our 300 dedicated volunteers who work on their own schedules”. As many of you may know, I am very interested in festivals and events volunteer programs and efforts. For many of Ontario’s great festivals and events it is critical to have these volunteers! Greg tells me … “We have approximately 300 dedicated volunteers who help by doing a number of things, everything from sewing costumes to painting sets to working Front of House. We hope we are keeping them happy! We offer two volunteer appreciation nights throughout the summer where our volunteers are treated to a social hour with refreshments, a few kind words from our Chairperson, and two free tickets to a performance”. I myself am still volunteering at Lang Pioneer Village in Keene this year and in part, the appreciation they give me does encourage me to continue. A “thank you” goes a long way in my books! Speaking of books, the attendance at the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival was up over 8% for 2010, and I wondered to what Greg thought they might attribute this to? Simply Greg says … “Word of mouth! We do produce high quality outdoor professional theatre in the most beautiful of locations. We treat patrons to an enjoyable evening at a reasonable cost. When people visit us, they leave telling their friends how they NEED to see a show!" My final question for Greg for this edition of THE INSIDE SCOOP was asking if they encouraged the youth of today to attend performances. Indeed Greg was quick to respond by saying … “YES!! Children 12 & under attend FREE!! We also offer the Young Artist Training Program. More info can be found on our website, www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca.” You really should attend an outdoor performance this season. You can get your own INSIDE SCOOP! a treat not to be missed for sure!
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