In November, a group of Patrons attended a special discussion with members of MTC’s senior staff, “More Than A Good Story: The Process of Play Programming at Manhattan Theatre Club,” featuring Director of Finance Jeff Bledsoe, Associate Artistic Director Mandy Greenfield, Director of Artistic Development Jerry Patch, and General Manager Florie Seery. This exclusive evening provided an opportunity for Patrons to get a glimpse into the collaborative process of programming an MTC season – from finding the script to determining a budget to negotiating contracts to liaising with artists. It also provided a unique opportunity for MTC staff to host Patrons at The Creative Center on West 43rd Street. In the intimate setting of one of MTC’s rehearsal studios, Patrons enjoyed complimentary Healdsburg Ranches wines and Fisher Nuts, and mingled with Jeff, Mandy, Jerry, and Florie who answered questions. The evening segued into a candid panel discussion about their roles at MTC, and ended with an extensive Q&A. Topics included but were not limited to: scheduling a season while factoring in extension weeks, co-productions and the growing need for out-of-town development, and assembling a creative team to achieve the best production of a play possible.

“I thought it gave us a very good ‘big picture’ of just how complex it is to put on a show, particularly when you have a subscriber base to which you’re committed to delivering a certain number of shows a season within a budget that’s influenced by everything from royalties to scenery. The other thing we learned was the sheer amount of coordination, and give and take, that goes into a production,” said Angel Patron Marshall Butler.

We look forward to a second installment in this new series of discussions in the New Year with more MTC staff members, including Artistic Director Lynne Meadow. Stay tuned for further details.

MTC Patrons provide significant support for MTC’s productions as well as the company’s extensive Artistic Development and Education Programs, with gifts of $2,000 and above, and enjoy a unique relationship with MTC, receiving benefits that include House Seats to all MTC productions.

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