PacRep Artistic Director Stephen Moorer Announces $6 Million Capital Campaign for the Renovation of the Main Stage Theatre, Golden Bough Theatre

ABSTRACT: During Appearances at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 4, 2008, PacRep Artistic Director Stephen Moorer gave an update on the Golden Bough Capital Campaign; a Campaign to raise $6 million for the renovation of the main stage of the Golden Bough Theatre. He introduced Jim Bennett, the first hired staff member for the Capital Campaign, who spoke to the public about his background, experience and goals for live theatre at the Golden Bough Theatre. Stephen Moorer closed by stating that we have “just entered the schematic design portion,” and “over the next three to six months, we expect to be making a number of presentations before you, meeting with city staff, meeting with neighbors, trying to come up with the best project we can all accomplish.”

City Council
Regular Meeting
March 4, 2008

VI. Appearances
Anyone wishing to address the City Council on matters within the jurisdiction of the City and are not on the agenda may do so now. Matters not appearing on the City Council’s agenda will not receive action at this meeting but may be referred to staff for a future meeting. Presentations will be limited to three (3) minutes, or as otherwise established by the City Council. Persons are not required to give their names, but it is helpful for speakers to state their names in order that the City Clerk may identify them in the minutes of the meeting. Always speak into the microphone, as the meeting is recorded on tape.

PacRep Artistic Director Stephen Moorer:
"Madam Mayor, City Council Members, Members of the Public. I just want to give you a brief update on the Golden Bough and the PacRep Theatre...a real quick update on the Golden Bough Capital Campaign, which is still in its early stages. We’ve completed the pre-design portion of the Campaign; we’ve completed our donor feasibility. At our January Retreat the Board of Directors of PacRep Theatre, the Board committed to a $6 million concept of a Capital Campaign which would focus on the main stage theatre. We’re not anticipating or even thinking of adding seats…As I’ve said, we’ve committed to a $6 million project, and as of this week, we’ve actually raised just over $1 million towards that $6 million goal. And even more exciting news, we’ve brought on our first staff member for the Capital Campaign. I’d like to introduce today a former director of development for the SPCA, a former development director of Hospice, Jim Bennett."

Jim Bennett:
"Thank you Mayor and Members of the Council. I feel like I’ve come home. I started my career many years ago as a grad student at the Dallas Theatre Center. My background is theatre. The Army came along and I like many of you choose the Monterey Peninsula as your home and as a native Texan that was quite a big deal for me. I did theatre here on the Peninsula and then went on the road directing shows and landed in southern California and came back, what I felt like home. Then I worked in the theatre some and went to work and changed my life and my attitude about animals and worked for seven years as the Director of Development with the Humane Society, the SPCA here. And then went to Hospice. Thirteen years I’ve been working in that field as a fundraiser. People usually don’t get into fundraising on purpose. And I was working at a theatre in Los Angeles and the Artistic Director asked me if I was interested in doing some fundraising. Well, I said I don’t know much about it but I’ll try something. And so now I met Stephen in 1984. I had moved back to the Peninsula. He ran the concessions at the now defunct California Repertoire Theatre. And I was the struggling development director. And lo and behold, 24 years later, I’m the newest member of the team for PacRep, a place, where those of you who have attended, I’m sure all of you have, where magic happens. And the live theatre world is magic. And Carmel is so blessed to have this theatre and we’re so blessed to be a part of the community. And I look forward to some exciting, challenging times, as we make a difference in this community by enlarging and increasing, not only for the actors, but for the community itself, a wonderful experience in live theatre. Thank you for letting me introduce myself to you."

PacRep Artistic Director Stephen Moorer:
"In closing, we’ve just entered the schematic design portion, where we’re actually get into the nuts and bolts, what this is going to be, what its going to look like, working with the city planning staff, working with our neighbors, trying to solve all the various issues that everyone is concerned about on both sides of the curtain. So over the next three to six months, we expect to be making a number of presentations before you, meeting with city staff, meeting with neighbors, trying to come up with the best project we can all accomplish."