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Paddlewheel Productions
From:	"Paddlewheel Productions" <TheatrePlus@digiscape.com>
To:	"Sandy Robert” <srobert@newpark.com>
Sent:	Wednesday, May 15, 2002 2:05 PM
Subject:	Theatre
Sandy,
Since getting your e-mail we have once more gone over all the possibilities of the theatre on the Gulf Coast, and there is one possibility that would work and would be less expensive. Starting from your suggestions to start smaller, we again reviewed our personnel needs (and possibilities) and those costs, for ifwe don't have proper personnel, the quality will not exist. We have reviewed production costs for a smaller operation and looked into the requirements for both production space and income.
We had considered the possibility before, so these projections weren't difficult. Roughly speaking, we can cut production costs in about half and still have professional quality in a small house.
The problem is finding a building. In addition to a quality product, to attract audiences (especially tourists, but also locals), the facility either has to be new, big, and state of the art or it must be quaint or historical - and still have state of the art lighting, etc. We previously looked everywhere for a building, but we were looking for a large one - everything about production is easier with lots of space and you don't have to worry about having to expand when business gets really good!
That concept not working, would you consider helping with the smaller concept? There are two immediate problems: 1. We don’t know where a workable building is. Perhaps Charles knows where one is. He knows more about buildings in Hancock County than anybody. I'm sending him a copy ot this so he~can start thinking. If an existing buiTding can be found tnat doesn'fhave to have too much work, pre-production costs would be less; if the building could be obtained through lease-purchase (rental doesn't give the investor anything to sell in case things don't work) more pre-production costs would be cut. 2. As you know, our time for incorporation expires June 1. The state won't extend - or if they did there would have to be extensive legal manouvering and we can't afford that. If you believe # developing the theatre on the smaller scale is a good approach, might you and Charles -and other persons you could identify - consider putting up the needed basic investment so that the state would be out of the process and there would be time to find a building? If investors can be found, money can be put into an interest bearing account here, with a written agreement that if a building cannot be found in a reasonable length of time, the money would be returned to the investors.
I	have to be out of town (leaving Saturday, May 18, back Wednesday, the 22nd), but Beth is here and I can be reached by telephone at any time.
Hope the approach of amsller in an older building with "charm" appeals to you. We can send rough projected costs/income if you want them.
Mary
5/15/02