FCP Monthly Newsletter

Message From the Chairperson

I know you're probably tired of election talk, but I gotta do it...

The arts millage. We put it on our website, on our programs and posters, we even say it before every performance. "Your tax dollars are at work!" So what exactly does it mean for you and us exactly?

 
Every year we apply for a grant from the Greater Flint Arts Council, who in turn gets their money straight from the millage. We work hard on our application, and because of that and a little luck, each year we get several thousand dollars to keep the theater lively. With it we have done some great things. I'm especially proud of the sensory- friendly performances and the fact that we're able to pay our artists. But so what if we pay some artists? What does that mean for you?

 
Let me tell you about Zach Wood, our Production Manager. Zach started out working at FCP in 2019. Back then he was just a "Resident Artist", making barely more than minimum wage, he was only a few years out of college. Then the pandemic hit. We needed to come up with unique ideas to keep people interested in FCP while we were closed up. Not only did he keep our die-hard audience entertained with virtual theatre, but his other ideas attracted a wave of new faces. Zach stepped up and proved to be one of the major factors behind keeping FCP going. Each year since then his knowledge and dedication has transformed our theatre into something more and more people can enjoy. New actors, new tech crew, new volunteers, and new audience members have come through our doors as a direct result of Zach, which in turn is a direct result of the millage. With that, we've been more than happy to reward him with multiple raises and increasing responsibility. My goal is that we keep him happy, and he stays with us until he is an old man. During his time here he and his wife bought a house in Genesee County. That's a young professional, here to stay in our area!

I know this is an unusual sell for a millage. Politicians like to talk about what it will do for the voter directly. I'm looking at how the millage changed one life, and in turn that one changed thousands. I do mean thousands. Last season we sold over 2,300 tickets. It's been 8 years since the millage was first voted in. 8 seasons for our theatre, and 7 since Zach was hired. He's never slowed down, he keeps bringing fresh ideas to us all the time.

Tomoko Miller
Chairperson