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Strategic Planning

February 8, 2018

Riverside Theatre, Vero Beach, FL

NAMT members gathered for our Management Roundtable focused on strategic planning, hosted by Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach, FL. As we look towards the future of musical theatre, strategic planning plays a vital role for all organizations, but in different ways at different stages of development and in different environments. At this management roundtable, we explored topics including the why and when for taking on a planning process, how you define success, who should be involved and how you can best build a living, adaptable plan that will be a dynamic roadmap through the entire plan period. We also dug into some case studies and drilled down into a couple of pervasive issues such as succession planning.

NAMT members were encouraged to bring their Board members to the Roundtable—they are vital partners in the strategic planning process.

Agenda

Wednesday, February 7, 2018 (All times ET )
5:00 - 7:00 pmWelcome Cocktail Reception

Riverside Theatre
3250 Riverside Park Drive
Vero Beach, FL

7:30 pmLombardi

Riverside Theatre
3250 Riverside Park Drive
Vero Beach, FL

Optional. Reserve your ticket when you register for the Roundtable!

Thursday, February 8, 2018 (All times ET )
8:45 amTransportation to Riverside Theatre
9:00 am - 6:00 pmRoundtable

Riverside Theatre
3250 Riverside Park Drive
Vero Beach, FL

Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

9:00 - 9:45 amIntroductions & Breakfast

Get to know your fellow attendees before beginning the day’s conversation. Come prepared to share why it was important to you and your organization to attend.

9:45 - 10:45 amWhy/When…Then What/Who/How
  • What is your primary goal in creating a strategic plan?
  • Why does your company need a new strategic plan now?
    • Managing growth?
    • Change in environment (e.g. new competition)?
    • New leadership—in place or impending?
    • Is succession planning front and center?
    • Is advancing EDI (Equity, diversity and inclusion) your priority?
  • Who should be involved?
  • Balancing art and business
  • Staff and Board roles
  • External constituents: donors, community
  • Champions, nay-sayers and the indifferent
    • How do you get buy-in from the beginning?

Facilitated by Dan Murphy (Broadway Rose Theatre) and Wayne Bryan (Music Theatre Wichita)

11:00 am - 12:15 pmPutting it Together: Tools
  • Managing the macro and the micro
  • Pros/cons of outside consultant or facilitator
  • What structures/models/tools have been helpful to you? For example:
    • Environmental scan
    • SWOT analysis
    • Gap analysis
    • Surveys
  • How do you manage difficult conversations? Is there an elephant in the room?

Facilitated by Gretchen Feyer (Berkeley Playhouse)

12:15 - 1:45 pmLunch
1:45 - 3:00 pmWhat Makes a Successful Plan: Defining Success and Meeting Challenges
  • Components of a successful plan – living document vs. paperweight
  • What does success look like for your organization? Is it articulated? Is there consensus?
    • Role of:
      • Milestones
      • Metrics
      • Timetable
      • Flexibility – accommodate opportunities, environmental shifts
  • Acknowledge/tackle inherent challenges/tensions
    • Artistic vision and budgetary realities
    • Aspirational plans and fundraising infrastructure/potential
    • Internal and external priorities
    • Big picture goals and concrete action steps

Facilitated by Steve Stettler (Weston Playhouse)

3:00 - 4:00 pmFollowing Through: Creating Buy-in and Staying on Course
  • Role of implementation champion(s)
  • Ongoing Board engagement
  • Ongoing staff involvement
  • Plan accountability
  • Plan revisions

Facilitated by Betsy King Militello (NAMT)

4:00 - 4:30 pmClosing Thoughts
7:30 pmLombardi

Riverside Theatre
3250 Riverside Park Drive
Vero Beach, FL

Optional. Reserve your ticket when you register for the Roundtable!

Rough schedule as of 12/12/17. Subject to change.

Getting There

The closest major airport to Vero Beach is Orlando. There are smaller airports in Melbourne and in Vero Beach itself. We recommend checking Melbourne and Vero Beach, but Orlando is probably your best bet, with a Lyft or other ride-hailing service to Vero Beach. (Lyft estimates the ride at around $90.)

Attendees

Aurora Theatre
Anthony Rodriguez
Co-Founder/Chairman of the Board
Berkeley Playhouse
Gretchen Feyer
General Manager
Broadway Rose Theatre
Dan Murphy
Managing Director
Goodspeed Musicals
Nancy Altschuler
Goodspeed Musicals
Hila Rosen
President of the Board of Trustees
Music Theatre Wichita
Wayne Bryan
Producing Director
National Alliance for Musical Theatre
Adam Grosswirth
Member Services Director
National Alliance for Musical Theatre
Betsy Militello
Executive Director
National Alliance for Musical Theatre
Karin Nilo
Program Manager
Riverside Theatre Inc.
Kate Gill
Director of Development
Riverside Theatre Inc.
Jon Moses
Managing Director, COO
Riverside Theatre Inc.
Heidi Waxlax
Board President
V.J. Colonna Productions, Inc.
vincent colonna
Producer
Wick Theatre
Marilynn Wick
CEO/Founder

This page was last updated on 04/19/2018