Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Arts Heritage Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee awards Edward Gorey House $10,000 to support centenary theatrical series
Summary
The Community and Economic Development Committee approved the full $10,000 requested by the Edward Gorey House to support a centenary theatrical series of Edward Gorey plays, programming and marketing.
The Town of Yarmouth Community and Economic Development Committee voted March 11 to award $10,000 to the Edward Gorey House to support a centenary theatrical series of Edward Gorey plays, puppet performances and related promotion.
Vova Raymond, assistant director and program director at the Edward Gorey House, told the committee the trust that manages Gorey’s works granted permission to stage plays and to draw on original artwork and some archived puppets. Raymond said the centenary program will include multiple staged readings, puppet shows and some full productions at the Gorey House and at partner venues such as Thatcher Hall and Cape theater groups.
Raymond described the committee request as primarily for sets and marketing; he said some insurance expenses are significant because the house will exhibit original artwork. Raymond said the household’s overall gross revenue estimate for the year was about $296,000, and the theatrical programming line for the year was estimated around $38,000. Ticket prices for the planned shows were described as approximately $18–$20 per person.
Committee members asked about the event budget and revenue expectations; Raymond said organizers did not yet have a specific estimate for revenue generated by the centenary theatrical series and that some programming had not run at this scale in roughly 15 years. The committee discussed venue choices, set needs for the Gorey House barn space, and how some performances would be produced in collaboration with Cape Rep and other local theater groups.
A motion to award the full $10,000 requested carried by voice vote; the motion was seconded and the committee chair called for the ayes, which were voiced in agreement. The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript. Committee members encouraged the Edward Gorey House team to coordinate with town communications and to attend events in the community to promote the series.
Next steps: the Edward Gorey House will receive the committee’s recommended funding and proceed with set and marketing preparations for summer and fall programming; committee members offered to support attendance and to appear at upcoming shows.
