hmmmm, Interesting email circulating about a little coup at the Rep. :scratch:
To the patrons, donors, sponsors, and the entire Seaside Repertory Theatre community,
On Friday, February 12, three members of the Rep?s Executive Committee, (SoWal.com edit:it is no secret who volunteers for the Rep, but publishing names in a mass email or on this forum serves little purpose other than harm) entered my office and informed me that the board had voted to remove me from my position as Executive Director of the Rep. They refused to give me any reason, saying only that the board felt it was ?in the best interest? of the company. They produced a letter of resignation and asked me to sign it. I refused. In the days since, I have been given no information whatsoever from any of the current board members, including my long-time friend and ?co-founder? of the Rep, Jennifer Steele-Saunders. On the advice of counsel, I delivered my resignation letter this afternoon.
I founded the Rep when I was 23 years old, and have spent the last ten years building it into at worst, a reputable, well-respected professional theatre company. The Rep has brought joy, tears, and laughter to hundreds of thousands of people in our nine seasons, and for that reason alone, I do not regret one bead of sweat that I have given to this theatre However, I do owe an apology to the thousands of people that have contributed in some small way to my vision of this theatre. Whether you donated your time, money, or expertise, you believed and trusted in the mission and the trajectory of this organization. However, as Founder and Executive Director, it was my responsibility to not only to manage the theatre company and the talented professionals under my charge, but also to ensure that the Rep had a responsible governing body, as well as organizing documents that would prevent a takeover by a group of people whose lifetime contributions to the Rep are miniscule, at best. Clearly, I have failed in that regard, and for that I truly am sorry.
The last three years has been difficult for many non-profits. Professional theatre companies with much longer, storied histories than this one have been collapsing all across the country in the wake of the devastating recession. However, the Rep is fiscally stable (if not completely healthy), and is emerging from three months of near-record generosity thanks to the support of Robert and Daryl Davis, many of the Seaside Homeowners, and the countless loyal members and patrons of the Rep. What breaks my heart even more than the loss of the theatre company that I have worked so hard to build, is the fact that I will not be given the opportunity to deliver the product in which so many of you have so recently invested.
Clearly, I cannot support the decisions that this board has made. And only because I have been given no information regarding the direction in which they intend to steer the Rep, I feel I must publish my disapproval. I had planned our most ambitious season to date in celebration of our tenth anniversary, and once that plan was in place and communicated, I was removed. So, I have no idea what is next for the Rep, nor why I was terminated. I hope you will sympathize with my decision to put the ordeal behind me, and allow me focus on what lies ahead for my family. This communication will be my final one on this matter. I have nothing to be ashamed of, I have nothing to hide, and I have absolutely nothing for which I feel I need to answer. I do not claim to have been the perfect arts executive, but I feel very confident that I made the most of the resources at my disposal, and I have pursued the theatre?s mission with an ethical, professional, and artistic standard of which I remain most proud.
It has an incredible honor it has been to entertain and enlighten you over the last ten years. It hasn?t always been easy, but I have risen each day profoundly grateful for the opportunity to do this work, in this place, and for you.
Sincerely,
Craige Hoover
Replies
29
Beach Fanatic
I appreciate the fact that the thread is not locked or censored. As long as no one is being slandered and there are no personal attacks then discussion of this matter seems as fair as discussion of any other. -unsolicited 2 cents, G
Banned
Seaside REP Theatre
Aside from stockholders, necessary corporate machinations are the business of the corporate Board of Directors alone in order to keep the corporation ?on the correct and most positively productive path?. Having watched this Seaside REP Theatre ?intrigue? unfold in this, and other, ?publications? over recent weeks, I feel the need to espouse my positive opinion of the REP and confirm my continued support of our little piece of shoreline culture. I became involved in supporting the REP when an agenda driven group of selfish people (supposedly on behalf of ?God?s Will? to protect the innocent) tried to prevent our S.W. High School theater students from performing Noel Coward?s comedy ?Blithe Spirit?. Although quite interesting to watch some local politicians and some school officials squirm, the voice of reason and logical thinking prevailed and provided a short period of sane calm. Into that vacuum jumped the Seaside REP Theater and produced ?Blithe Spirit? at the REP theatre providing those high school students with a platform upon which they performed a highly successful and highly commendable performance. Along the way they learned a valuable lesson that the loudest voices are not always the voices of reason, and ?consensus? can often be a bad thing. The Seaside REP Theatre then continued its largesse towards the educational process of our local high school students by creating the Seaside Rep Theatre ?Intern Program?, a valuable ?hands-on? experience that provides real-time experiences in all facets of theater from the obvious ?acting? to the less obvious, but absolutely necessary ?technical? aspects i.e. set design and carpentry, lighting and electrical, production and stage management, and other ?behind-the-scenes? necessities to every show the public audience experiences. In return, the students provide hands-on assistance and learn the benefits of ?volunteering? in an activity they love and that provides them with a confidence and ?stage presence? that will be useful throughout their lives. For this ?Intern Program? program alone I will be forever grateful to the Seaside REP Theatre. NOW, the point of all this is that many of the people directly involved in this little piece of REP history have gone on to other endeavors; that is the way of ?corporate America?. However, having come from an area of this country where ?Theater? is SO available that it is often taken for granted, I want to reiterate just how very important the Seaside REP Theatre is to our area and how we must protect that ?culture pearl? in our midst. My thanks to all who have worked for the continued success of the REP, past, present and future; you have my continued support for what you do. Now suppose we all let the REP?s Corporate Board of Directors do what Boards? are supposed to do ?behind the scenes?,...Keep the business running smoothly and ?in the black?. Let?s leave the ?intrigue? in stage production scripts. ?GO INTERNS !?
Aside from stockholders, necessary corporate machinations are the business of the corporate Board of Directors alone in order to keep the corporation ?on the correct and most positively productive path?. Having watched this Seaside REP Theatre ?intrigue? unfold in this, and other, ?publications? over recent weeks, I feel the need to espouse my positive opinion of the REP and confirm my continued support of our little piece of shoreline culture. I became involved in supporting the REP when an agenda driven group of selfish people (supposedly on behalf of ?God?s Will? to protect the innocent) tried to prevent our S.W. High School theater students from performing Noel Coward?s comedy ?Blithe Spirit?. Although quite interesting to watch some local politicians and some school officials squirm, the voice of reason and logical thinking prevailed and provided a short period of sane calm. Into that vacuum jumped the Seaside REP Theater and produced ?Blithe Spirit? at the REP theatre providing those high school students with a platform upon which they performed a highly successful and highly commendable performance. Along the way they learned a valuable lesson that the loudest voices are not always the voices of reason, and ?consensus? can often be a bad thing. The Seaside REP Theatre then continued its largesse towards the educational process of our local high school students by creating the Seaside Rep Theatre ?Intern Program?, a valuable ?hands-on? experience that provides real-time experiences in all facets of theater from the obvious ?acting? to the less obvious, but absolutely necessary ?technical? aspects i.e. set design and carpentry, lighting and electrical, production and stage management, and other ?behind-the-scenes? necessities to every show the public audience experiences. In return, the students provide hands-on assistance and learn the benefits of ?volunteering? in an activity they love and that provides them with a confidence and ?stage presence? that will be useful throughout their lives. For this ?Intern Program? program alone I will be forever grateful to the Seaside REP Theatre. NOW, the point of all this is that many of the people directly involved in this little piece of REP history have gone on to other endeavors; that is the way of ?corporate America?. However, having come from an area of this country where ?Theater? is SO available that it is often taken for granted, I want to reiterate just how very important the Seaside REP Theatre is to our area and how we must protect that ?culture pearl? in our midst. My thanks to all who have worked for the continued success of the REP, past, present and future; you have my continued support for what you do. Now suppose we all let the REP?s Corporate Board of Directors do what Boards? are supposed to do ?behind the scenes?,...Keep the business running smoothly and ?in the black?. Let?s leave the ?intrigue? in stage production scripts. ?GO INTERNS !?
Beach Fanatic
I for one, will continue to support the REP as much as I can as I find it to be a gem and God know we need all the arts and culture we can get here.
I know nothing about the reasons why Craige resigned, and it is none of my business - I also know quite a few of the past and present Board members and I respect them all and am sure they struggled with the decision but I also will not question their motives - I am going to assume that they felt this change was needed - but what resonated with me in Craige's original letter was the fact that he stated that he did not know the reason why he was being asked to leave - IF that is true (and I have no idea if it is), then hopefully he is given a reason that even if he disagrees with it, will give him some sense of closure. It is so hard to lose something you have worked very hard at for so many years, to not be given a clear reason would be crushing to anyone and he certainy deserves to know.
That is it for me. Thanks
I know nothing about the reasons why Craige resigned, and it is none of my business - I also know quite a few of the past and present Board members and I respect them all and am sure they struggled with the decision but I also will not question their motives - I am going to assume that they felt this change was needed - but what resonated with me in Craige's original letter was the fact that he stated that he did not know the reason why he was being asked to leave - IF that is true (and I have no idea if it is), then hopefully he is given a reason that even if he disagrees with it, will give him some sense of closure. It is so hard to lose something you have worked very hard at for so many years, to not be given a clear reason would be crushing to anyone and he certainy deserves to know.
That is it for me. Thanks
Beach Crab
Who came first?
I find it interesting that without Craige, (who started the Rep), there would have been no Board. Go Figure!
I find it interesting that without Craige, (who started the Rep), there would have been no Board. Go Figure!
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