San Juan Community Theatre Outperforming Some Peer Theatres – Benefits from Astonishing 28,000 Volunteer Hours per Year
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Video Directed by Dave Schnuckel
Audio Engineer: Jeremy Tyler
Summary Written by: Jeff Noedel
A CNL2 VIDEO IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
The San Juan Community Theatre is an island gem.
Nathan Kessler-Jeffrey, Executive Artistic Director, and Hanna Burke, Marketing Director, discuss the present and future of the theatre.
Subjects discussed include:
- How San Juan Island’s Community Theatre is doing compared to other community theatres in the region, which are laying off employees
- Trends in increased popularity in locally produced shows with local talent
- The mission of the Theatre, what it could be in the future
- Discussion of the multiple educational programs run by the Theatre
- The need for modernization of the Theatre and a possible capital need in the future
- The way ferries affect the Theatre, and the popularity of the Theatre with tourists from Seattle
- The need for more volunteers, including categories of volunteers needed
At 28:30 into the interview, Nathan says, “We have on average between 250 and 300 volunteers a year in our building, working 28,000 volunteer hours. The amount of time our staff puts in every year is doubled by the number of volunteers.” (That is an average of 93 hours spread across 300 volunteers.)
Finally, Nathan is asked to describe the origins of his love for live theatre and his career that led him to Friday Harbor.
This CNL2 video is approximately 45-1/2 minutes in duration.
