Sponsor MeetingLeadership Conference 2013

Welcome

WELCOME TO THE CAPITAL PLAZA

As with other moves, we may experience some growing pains today – please bare with us.

Today’s Leadership is the largest ever – 400 delegate. Thank you for sacrificing your time

and resources to attend.

A brief look at the State of MST

• Currently 124 High School Troupes, 9 Junior Thespians

• 3 new troupes affiliated in the last 2 months

• Missouri continues to be active leaders in Educational Theatre – Debbie Corbin on the National Board.

• Missouri continued to be one of the larger ones at the ITF festival in Lincoln every year.

Thank you!

• Thank you for helping us to grow – this year’s conferences are (both Leadership and State) are the largest ones ever. We look forward to bringing a great educational theatre conference opportunity to more Missouri ITS students.

• One of the ways we can do this is through the active involvement of our sponsors. Thank you to those of you who presented workshops or productions. Thank you in advance for performing your adult delegate duty – it helps make everyone’s conference experience smoother.

Conference 2014

• The decision to split the conference

• A new option for meal plans – no longer an all or nothing.

• Pricing benefits for being a Thespian

• Expanding the IE Showcase

• New Scholarship activities – Callback Breakfast

• New ballots for both IE and IO

• Minor tweaks for other activities/events

Some other reminders• We continue to tweak activities and policies to gain the most

advantage, the safest, and most cost effective conference for the most number of students.

• In order to reduce potential mistakes in the future we ask that you do not use old forms or assume “it’s always been done this way so…”

• We have tried to increase the amount and timely manner in which we send/post information for you and will continue to try to do so. (Note: sometimes we are at the mercy of other non-MST board members for this)

• Related to the above - please remember all the members of the board hold the same jobs you do – theatre teachers who have classes to teach and productions to direct like you do. It is not always possible for us to answer you as quickly as you/we would like. .

Broadway tastes – Off Off Off Broadway budget

• In an effort to be more cost effective and limit any raises in the conference fees we are going to have to make some hard choices may be doing some or all of the following:• Limiting the number of shows that perform/load in and out

as a Main Stage• Eliminate or change swag items • Limit the technical elements that are allowed to perform

for One Acts or consolidate to a few basic items that are provided on site

• Eliminate programs we are currently running that are high in cost but low in student interest.

• Changing the schedule to use time and spaces differently and more cost effectively

Expense Breakdown• Scholarships - $3.12 (4%)

• Office/Conference Supplies - $1.12 (1%)

• Chapter Travel - $.97 (1%)

• State Conference Expenses (not counting Guest Artists) - $47.99 (64%)

• Guest Artists (Meals, Travel, Hotel) - $4.48 (6%)

• Website - .70 (1%)

• State Board Expenses - $2.02 (3%)

• State Non-Conference Specific Student Activities - $4.94 (7%)

• Advocacy - $.48 (1%)

• Awards, GA Stipends, and Honorariums - $8.10 (11%)

• NOTE: none of the above takes board members donations (usually unofficial) into account

Financial Report

• Treasurer’s Report

• Please make sure in the future you update your bookkeeper’s W-9• Many schools sent payment to Debbie

Corbin/Branson• Ken Franke can send you an electronic copy of this if

needed

• Reminder that you can print off paid invoices on-line.

Financial (cont.)

• Due to venues requiring pre-payment of goods and services we can no longer wait for your PO’s check to arrive – we need the funds well before conference to pay for the conference.

• Next year any school/troupe who owes money (either registration or hotel) on Jan 1st be charged a 20% rate for the ‘loan’ MST had to extend to the troupe to cover their pre-conference expenses. (NOTE: this is not inclusive of late/change fees).

• No credit card hold needed – however no amenities either

Financial Future• We are well past the guarantee we gave of $75

registration fee and have charged this same amount for years while costs for the conference continue to go up drastically- however we are committed bringing the best conference at the lowest price possible. The board discussed the registration cost during the May meeting.

• In the past colleges subsidized us greatly – and due to the financial climate of higher education these funds are no longer available to us. In addition we did not always get the anticipated quality of goods/services we were being charged for.

• Moving to a convention site in a major city means more students can experience it and means a more inclusive conference experience – but also means a higher cost of goods and services. Again – we appreciate the fact that we (the board) are stewards of MST student’s money and will continue to work to be worthy of that honor.

Some anticipated ‘tweaks’

• Hotel reservations – specifically uniform forms are necessary for all of us to use. Also keeping to deadlines and minimizing last minute changes.

• Conference registration of events – in making it easier for the troupe sponsors we made it significantly more difficult for the event chairs. We will work to find a happy medium.

• Main Stage/One Act Adjudication process – what is in the informational packet (venue info and guidelines), how many ‘free’ drops will be allowed if not selected, what will be allowed/provided for performing schools, when schools are notified.

Priorities for 2013-14

• Create a policy within our organization for an increased presence of our Alumni who wish to remain active and use their skills to help run the conference in order to encourage a continuing involvement after graduation.

• Continuing to increase the number of active ITS troupes in the state – and increase the level of state participation of those troupes.

• Continue to increase the number of Jr. ITS troupes in the state and the number of them attending our state conference.

• Continue to bring the largest and most efficient conference possible for the largest number of students.

• Explore potential funding options and/or sponsorships to help continue to bring activities to conference but keep costs low for our students.

Future Sites

• Next year we will be back here at the Renaissance Grand. Hotel costs will remain the same.

• 2015 and 2016– Downtown Kansas City. Hotel costs will be slightly higher.

• 2017-2020 – Under advisement. Will be announced in at the 2015 conference.