2022-06-14T06:59:43-05:00 2021-07-31 420714325 RSM US LLP 30 S Wacker Drive Ste 3300 Chicago IL 60606 990 2020-08-01 363847280 Writers Theatre Inc WRIT 8472426001 321 Park Avenue Glencoe IL 60022 Kathryn M Lipuma Executive Director 8472426001 2022-06-10 1 Kathryn Lipuma XXX-XX-XXXX Rebekuh Eley P01247672 3126343400 2022-06-10 2 AAL1 IAL1 2020 2022-09-23 18:48:47Z Kathryn M Lipuma 321 Park Avenue Glencoe IL 60022 3538200 0 X www.writerstheatre.org X 1992 IL To present world-class productions of classic, adapted, and original plays, and to provide a wide array of education and enrichment programming for area students and theatre-goers. 25 23 137 25 8342 2932 6050458 3108662 1876848 281478 65050 121638 51705 -52666 8044061 3459112 0 0 0 0 3124471 1921179 0 0 413992 2864059 1900597 5988530 3821776 2055531 -362664 34225615 34601018 1946802 2263229 32278813 32337789 X Writers Theatre (WT) is a literary organization that operates not-for-profit theatres in Glencoe, Illinois. WT explores works in which the word on the page and the artists who bring that word to life hold primary importance. Central to this mission are three core objectives: valuing text, both classic and contemporary, as the fundamental source of inspiration; creating deliberately intimate performances where audiences engage with powerful stories; and honoring the time and commitment of our artists with industry-leading compensation. Writers Theatre has earned a reputation for consistent artistic excellence, innovative educational programming and service to our community. 0 0 2618773 0 263882 Artistic Programming:The 2020/21 Season marked Writers Theatre 29th year and the company presented newly developed digital offerings to engage audiences from a distance while in-person programming was restricted. The Green Room, a recurring series that features a roster of WT artists in candid, captivating interviews, opened the season in September. Next up Something Wicked: Storytelling for Halloween, presented spooky stories told by an all-star lineup of Chicago actors. This eerie audio series released four episodes in the last week of October 2020 on SoundCloud for public listening. Two Scrooges: A Christmas Carol, Two Ways paired a filmed production of Founding Artistic Director Michael Halberstam's acclaimed One-Man A Christmas Carol with Manual Cinema's live streamed production of A Christmas Carol. One-Man A Christmas Carol was published on Vimeo for viewing with a password and Manual Cinema's A Christmas Carol was hosted as a ticketed event on Marquee TV from December 3, 2020 through January 3, 2021. Writers Theatre then filmed a stage production of The Last Match, which was filmed in partnership with HMS Media and was available for streaming on Overture+ between April 28 and May 30, 2021. The season concluded with Ride Share. This co-production with Black Lives, Black Words was filmed in Los Angeles and was available for streaming on Overture+ between June 23 and July 25, 2021. 59229 0 17596 Educational Programming:Writers Theatre's high-quality education initiatives reached 529 students this past year, a near 90% of whom live and/or attend school in under-resourced areas. WT Education is comprised of four pillars: Classroom Residencies, Touring Outreach, Student Matinees, and On-Site Creative Learning. With a fully remote 2020/21 school year, WT Education developed digital versions of its signature programming to serve Chicagoland students with art integrated initiatives designed to foster connection in a distanced learning environment.RESIDENCY PROGRAMSThe Novel Series is an arts-integrated theatre and literacy residency program developed in partnership with CPS teachers. When in-person classroom residencies were inhibited by COVID-19, WT Education worked with school partners to modify The Novel Series for a digital platform. The adapted residency centered the classroom teacher during the initial planning phase to collaboratively develop a residency that matched their e-learning capabilities and met curriculum goals. Each Novel Series residency created opportunities for small group work in digital spaces so students could enjoy the benefits of an intimate discussion-based approach, which helped curtail the isolating effects of remote education. In its 12th year working with CPS classrooms, The Novel Series reached 336 students in 16 classrooms at 4 schools.The WRITE ON! residency is a customizable program that creates a bespoke project to meet the needs of the students and objectives of the partner organization, school or teacher. WRITE ON! partnered with the Family Service of Lake County for the 2020/21 school year. WT Education infused Nuestro Club's remote after-school programming with an interdisciplinary blend of theatre, literary and visual arts. This first-ever partnership with Family Services of Lake County engaged 145 students, grades 1-11.STUDENT MATINEESDigital artistic content enabled WT Education to offer teacher partners on-demand streaming of One-Man A Christmas Carol for classroom viewing. The shared streaming link was openly offered to teachers so they could utilize the filmed production in whatever way supported their curriculum. Teachers streamed One-Man A Christmas Carol at their discretion, so it is unclear how many students viewed the production. The Youth Council also hosted a digital viewing of The Last Match in partnership with Urban Gateways' Teen Arts Pass.ON-SITE CREATIVE LEARNINGWT Education adapted its on-site afterschool classes for young artists to meet e-learning standards. All classes were streamed on Zoom at their regularly scheduled times and Spring sessions ended May 25, 2021. Students age 5-8 explored beloved folklore and devised their very own tales with familiar characters. Students age 9-12 used creative writing, visual artmaking and physical theatre to bring their favorite mythological figures to life.The Writers Theatre Youth Council is a leadership advisory board for motivated, passionate high school students interested in engaging with and informing the art on stage. As part of the Council, students received in-depth exposure to the art and business of theatre. Youth Council members represent a valued voice in theatre operations and the 2020/21 Youth Council welcomed 7 new members from 4 different Chicagoland schools who met bimonthly via Zoom.TOURING OUTREACHAfter 15 years of touring and over 83,000 Chicagoland students served, Writers Theatre is retiring The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights by Yolanda Androzzo. The MLK Project explored the roots of the Civil Rights Movement with a Chicago-specific focus to educate, inspire and empower students. Today's students have a present relationship with organized protest movements and WT Education is developing a new Touring Outreach production to promote civic responsibility and social justice. The next iteration of the program is still in early stages of development and the process will include input from and engagement with the target audience. 28884 0 0 Literary Development Initiative:Since 1992, Writers Theatre has produced 28 world premieres: 9 plays, 15 adaptations and 4 musicals. In 2004, WT launched the Literary Development Initiative (LDI) to revisit classic works, adapt celebrated literature for the stage and usher forward today's most innovative voices as the classics of the future. During the 2020/21 Season, the LDI continued to support works in development remotely and commissioned an original Blues revue by Felicia P. Fields and Ron OJ Parson entitled Pearl's Rollin' with the Blues. Wife of a Salesman by Eleanor Burgess received a digital reading on February 19, 2021. 2706886 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 42 0 1 137 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 25 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 IL X Kathryn Lipuma 8472426001 321 Park Avenue Glencoe IL 60022 Kathryn M Lipuma Executive Director 40.00 X X 166775 0 11030 Michael Halberstam Artistic Director 40.00 X X 166775 0 11030 Mary Pat Studdert Chair 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Gillian Goodman Vice Chair 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Beth L Kronfeld Vice Chair 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Jennifer Litowitz Vice Chair until 7/31/21 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Elaine Tinberg Vice Chair 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Linda Umans Vice Chair 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Thomas Hodges Treasurer 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Benjamin Cohen Secretary 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Janice Beck Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Julie Bernstein Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Sara Cohan Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Jaime Freeman Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Christopher Gould Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 David N Knapp Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Christopher N Knight Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Russ Mayerfeld Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Lloyd Morgan Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Roberta Olshansky Trustee until 12/4/20 1.00 X 0 0 0 Michael Petersen Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Christopher S Pfaff Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Lizzy Scheinfeld Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Stephanie Sick Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Seth Traxler Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Kendra Wallace Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 333550 0 22060 2 0 1 0 0 523192 885429 1700041 3108662 Admissions 711110 252600 252600 Education Programs 711110 17596 17596 Ticket Handling 711110 11282 11282 281478 58416 58416 79905 16683 63222 63222 63222 0 523192 59778 -59778 -59778 1048 2627 -1579 -1579 Facility Rentals 900099 8342 8342 349 349 8691 3459112 281478 8342 60630 376918 223184 86818 66916 1252676 742781 284808 225087 5373 3088 1576 709 142207 81719 41699 18789 144005 90799 27098 26108 112985 112985 39436 39436 258607 202466 16703 39438 211762 210298 1464 64204 58007 3096 3101 115951 60628 45388 9935 36684 36684 238104 216623 14254 7227 16495 15299 1132 64 32308 16706 10033 5569 664168 648402 7883 7883 44456 40445 2661 1350 Props and Scenery 39078 39078 Electrical Equipment 8934 8934 Costumes 8156 8156 UBI Tax 4770 4770 4499 3589 558 352 3821776 2706886 700898 413992 15693 764020 4601561 4809754 1435297 656325 8399 15113 482448 244034 29896543 4243400 26247185 25653143 1435032 2458629 34225615 34601018 55455 60885 498250 193627 789097 354689 604000 1654028 1946802 2263229 X 27762364 28329032 4516449 4008757 32278813 32337789 34225615 34601018 -362664 421640 0 X 0 1 X 1 0 X 4647104 5151166 2918984 6050458 3108662 21876374 4647104 5151166 2918984 6050458 3108662 21876374 3302317 18574057 8171 67285 56805 56005 58416 246682 15251 226 2932 18409 138041 135859 191787 100864 1397 567948 22709413 13158098 0.81790 0.77970 X Schedule A, Part II, Line 10, Explanation of Other Income: Miscellaneous Income - 2016 Amount: $ 33,006. 2017 Amount: $ 16,951. 2018 Amount: $ 79,465. 2019 Amount: $ 20,727. 2020 Amount: $ 349. Gross Sales of Inventory - 2016 Amount: $ 105,035. 2017 Amount: $ 118,908. 2018 Amount: $ 112,322. 2019 Amount: $ 80,137. 2020 Amount: $ 1,048. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 2566343 150000 536651 0 79905 0 3173089 2032457 500000 113792 79906 2566343 2000745 111712 80000 2032457 2000000 745 2000745 0.00000 0.78788 0.21212 0 0 150000 150000 28422428 3204895 25217533 1324115 1038505 285610 25653143 X 3883379 421640 421640 3461739 -2627 -2627 3459112 3824403 2627 2627 3821776 0 3821776 Part V, Line 4: The Theatre's endowment is comprised of contributions received and restricted by donors to be invested in perpetuity for charitable or educational activities and to give general operating support to the Theatre. Part X, Line 2: The Theatre, an Illinois nonprofit corporation, is exempt from income taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and applicable state law, except for taxes pertaining to unrelated business income, if any. The accounting standard on accounting for uncertainty in income taxes addresses the determination of whether tax benefits claimed or expected to be claimed on a tax return should be recorded in the financial statements. Under this guidance, the Theatre may recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. Examples of tax positions include the tax-exempt status of the Theatre and various positions related to the potential sources of unrelated business taxable income. Taxable income on those activities results from the income less direct and indirect expenses. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. There were no unrecognized tax benefits identified or recorded as liabilities during the year. The Theatre files Forms 990 in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and the State of Illinois. Part XI, Line 4b - Other Adjustments: Cost of Goods Sold -2,627. Part XII, Line 2d - Other Adjustments: Cost of Goods Sold 2,627. WordPlay Gala-Filmed Event 523192 523192 24965 34813 523192 523192 24965 34813 59778 -59778 X X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kathryn M Lipuma Executive Director 166775 0 0 0 0 0 3293 0 7737 0 177805 0 0 0 Michael Halberstam Artistic Director 166775 0 0 0 0 0 3293 0 7737 0 177805 0 0 0 Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11b The Form 990 was prepared by an independent outside accounting firm based on input from various Writers Theatre staff members. The prepared return was then reviewed by the CFO, and presented to the Finance Committee of the Board for discussion and review. After review by the Finance Committee, the Form 990 was made available to the Board of Trustees prior to filing with the IRS. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 12c Trustees are annually provided with and asked to complete a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form which requires them to disclose any relationships or transactions in which they or their family members are involved that could lead to a conflict of interest with their position as Trustees of Writers Theatre. Outside of the annual disclosure process, trustees are expected to promptly disclose any potential conflicts; the Board shall consider the facts and act accordingly. The Executive Director and Artistic Director are expected to report at least annually concerning conflicts, and potential conflicts should be promptly disclosed when discovered. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15 Reasonable Compensation: It is the policy of Writers Theatre to pay no more than reasonable compensation for personal services rendered to Writers Theatre by Trustees or employees. The Trustees of Writers Theatre shall not receive compensation for fulfilling their duties as Trustees, although Trustees may be reimbursed for actual out-of-pocket expenses which they incur in order to fulfill their duties as Trustees. Expenses of spouses will not be reimbursed by Writers Theatre unless the expenses are necessary to achieve a specific, pre-approved purpose. Approval of Compensation: The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees must approve in advance the amount of all compensation for the Executive Director, Artistic Director, and any Trustee entering into an agreement to provide personal services for payment to Writers Theatre subject to the terms of the Writers Theatre Conflict of Interest Policy. Before approving such compensation, the Compensation Committee shall determine that the total compensation to be provided by Writers Theatre is reasonable in amount in light of the position, responsibility and qualification for the position held, including the result of an evaluation of prior performance for Writers Theatre, if applicable. In making the determination, the Compensation Committee shall consider total compensation to include the salary and the value of all benefits provided by Writers Theatre to the individual in payment for services. At the time of the discussion and decision concerning compensation, the Executive Director, Artistic Director or Trustee should not be present in the meeting. The Compensation Committee will obtain and consider appropriate data concerning comparable compensation paid to similar positions in like circumstances. Once the Compensation Committee has met and reached an agreement, it will make a recommendation to the Executive Committee for approval. The Executive Committee shall set forth the basis for its decisions with respect to compensation in the minutes of the meeting at which the decisions are made, including the conclusions of the evaluation and the basis for determining that the individual's compensation was reasonable in light of the evaluation and the comparability data. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 Writers Theatre provides copies of its governance policies, conflict of interest policy and financial statements upon request. Documents are made available per the disclosure requirements of Section 6104(d).