Text Box: January  2008
Text Box: well as to rotate the donation between the operators.
Councilmember Nancy Long said she sees Adventure Theatre as “an integral part of the park,” and that she has, “never been disappointed [by a production].” Furthermore, “as a huge asset to the Park,” she moved that the town make a donation of $1,500. Because only $3,000 is provided in the town budget for community contributions and the town has already spent $500 for the C&O Canal Association and $200 for the Potomac Conservation, she suggested additional money be moved from the little-used $5,000 contingency budget line so the town could honor both its commitment to the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture, Inc. (GEPPAC) and to assist Adventure Theatre.
Text Box: Michael Bobbitt, Artistic Director of Adventure Theatre and Peter Somerville, Adventure Theatre board member, both town residents, appeared before the town council at its Dec. 10 meeting to ask for a donation to the recently reopened children’s theatre. 
Mr. Bobbitt distributed information about the theatre’s history as well as materials regarding its capital campaign drive currently underway. He suggested the town either underwrite a particular performance for $1500 (for which town residents would receive two free tickets to the play) or make a donation to the capital campaign (for which the town would receive a plaque on one of the theatre seatbacks).  
	He explained that the theatre has recently experienced a rent increase to $46,000* per year and that they had, “lost square footage but gained a larger rent.” He has begun approaching local businesses to come together and form an underwriting partnership. In addition to the increased rent, he said the theatre is trying to move from a community theatre into a professional theatre model. 
He also mentioned that the theatre is trying to increase its collaborative relationships with other Glen Echo Park operators. For instance, in May 2008 Adventure Theatre and The Puppet Co. Playhouse are working together for the production of “Goodnight Moon.”
Mayor Beers noted that if there was a donation to Adventure Theatre this year, the town should be prepared to hear solicitations from other operators at Glen Echo Park as Text Box: PLEASE NOTE

January Council Meeting Date Change

Due to prior travel obligations of Mayor Debbie Beers and councilmember Eve Arber, the town council has moved next month’s meeting to Wednesday, January 16, 2008.

Text Box: —continued on page 3
Text Box: TOWN DONATES $1500 EACH TO  ADVENTURE THEATRE, GEPPAC
By Kathleen Kotcher