2020-07-15T05:25:22-05:00 2019-07-31 420714325 RSM US LLP 1 S Wacker Drive Ste 800 Chicago IL 60606 990 2018-08-01 363847280 Writers Theatre Inc WRIT 8472426008 321 Park Avenue Glencoe IL 60022 Kathryn M Lipuma Executive Director 8472426008 2020-07-14 1 Rebekuh Eley P01247672 3126343400 104.181.213.116 2020-07-14 11:51:44 CD P DA39A3EE5E6B4B0D3255BFEF95601890AFD80709 2A28FA2E2A09A40AF4F0A751499BE74D16D20E85 2018 2021-01-29 14:40:06Z Kathryn M Lipuma 321 Park Avenue Glencoe IL 60022 6344748 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. 28 26 246 30 34385 15251 5151166 2918984 3728840 2903387 19271 57005 140716 138849 9039993 6018225 0 0 0 0 3900465 3726568 0 0 531431 3622409 3478382 7522874 7204950 1517119 -1186725 35582623 33216076 4301818 3050630 31280805 30165446 X Writers Theatre (WT) is a literary organization that operates not-for-profit theatres in Glencoe, Illinois. WT exists to explore productions 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 are face to face with powerful stories; and honoring the time and commitment of our artists by offering industry-leading compensation. Writers Theatre has earned a reputation for consistent artistic excellence, innovative educational programming and service to our community. 0 0 5616962 2859278 Artistic Programming:The 2018/19 Season marked WT's 27th year and third full six-play season in the new theatre center. The Season began with Vietgone by Qui Nguyen in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre. With an original hip-hop score by Gabriel Ruiz, choreography by Tommy Rapley and direction by Lavina Jadhwani, Vietgone featured an entirely Asian-American cast and received a one-week extension to meet audience demand. The world premiere of Witch by Jen Silverman followed in the Gillian Theatre, directed by Marti Lyons. Witch, a reinterpretation of the Jacobean drama The Witch of Edmonton, was commissioned and developed through WT's Literary Development Initiative. Writers Theatre's third production of the year, William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, or What You Will, was directed by WT Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and delighted audiences during the holiday season. The season continued in the Nichols Theatre with August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, helmed by WT Resident Director Ron OJ Parson. A Number by Caryl Churchill followed in the Gillian Theatre. This two-man play, directed by Robin Witt, featured longtime WT actor and Resident Director William Brown, and Nate Burger. A Number opened in March and ran through early June. The season closed with a revival of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Next to Normal. David Cromer, winner of the 2018 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical, returned to direct and the production received national recognition from the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The play was extended a week due to popular demand and closed on June 30, 2019. 182290 29759 Educational Programming:WT Education's comprehensive in-school, on-site and community-based programming reached close to 11,000 students this past year, 90% of whom live and/or attend school in underserved areas. These programs serve as a vital extension of the company's mission, engaging students with active learning opportunities centered around the written word to augment art-education across Chicago and cultivate the next generation of artists. WT Education is comprised of four pillars: Classroom Residencies, Touring Outreach, Student Matinees, and On-Site Creative Learning. In conjunction with these pillars, WT Education also oversees professional Internships; the WT Youth Council, an artistic leadership advisory board for high school students interested in hands-on exposure to arts administration; and Audience Engagement efforts for life-long learners.IN-SCHOOL RESIDENCIESWT's high-level impact residency programs nurture socio-emotional well-being and encourage students to find power in their creative voice. The Novel Series explores an entire novel through an intensive 10-session process that culminates in a full-class theatrical presentation; Write On! is a customizable residency tailored to focus on an educator's specific classroom needs; ACTIVATE works in tandem with our student matinees to offer pre-and post-show classroom sessions that extend and enhance students' engagement with art on stage. In the 2018-2019 School Year, WT Education engaged 2,118 students across 64 classrooms and community organizations. That same year, WT's residency programs collaborated with 17 returning teachers, building on the previous years to create a deep and sustainable learning experience, and engaged with 4 new classroom teachers.TOURING OUTREACHThe MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights is a one-woman show that follows a Chicago student's transformation through studying the Civil Rights Movement. With a post-show discussion facilitated by WT Teaching Artists, The MLK Project promotes civic responsibility and social justice through dialogue and discussion. Nearly three dozen diverse schools and two juvenile correctional facilities across Chicagoland hosted The MLK Project, extending the program's reach to approximately 7,000 young people this year.STUDENT MATINEESWT's 2018/19 Season presented three Student Matinee productions (Witch, Twelfth Night, or What You Will and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom). 1,254 students attended student matinees. ON-SITE CREATIVE LEARNINGWT continues to offer on-site after-school classes for students aged 5 to 12. Held in the new theatre center, On-Site Creative Learning classes invite students to devise their own stories inspired by childhood classics.WT YOUTH COUNCILThe WT Youth Council is a leadership advisory board for motivated high school students to gain hands-on, in-depth exposure to the art and business of theatre. Council members receive behind-the-scenes access to productions, artists, and programs. Students meet 1-2 times a month and attend workshops that nurture and develop their specific interests in the performance arts field. In the 2018-2019 school year, the Council was made up of 9 teens from 6 high schools. 59711 14350 Literary Development Initiative:Since 1992, WT 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 2018/19 Season, the LDI hosted 2 public readings of contemporary work, 2 readings of work in development, a workshop for a commissioned play by Eleanor Burgess, and a development residency for Manual Cinema. 5858963 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 1 126 0 1 246 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 28 26 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 IL X Geoff Barr 8472426008 321 Park Avenue Glencoe IL 60022 David N Knapp President 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Gillian Goodman Vice President 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Beth L Kronfeld Vice President 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Jennifer Litowitz Vice President 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Linda Umans Vice President 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Thomas Hodges Treasurer 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Richard M Lipton Secretary 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Christopher S Pfaff Immediate Past President 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Elaine Tinberg Penultimate Past President 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Michael Petersen Member at Large 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 Ben Cohen Trustee (As of 4/19) 1.00 X 0 0 0 Joseph G Dillon Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Christopher Gould Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Michael Halberstam Artistic Director 40.00 X X 175732 0 10371 Avril Klaff Trustee (Until 8/18) 1.00 X 0 0 0 Christopher N Knight Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Kathryn M Lipuma Executive Director 40.00 X X 175732 0 10300 Thomas Mann Trustee (Until 1/19) 1.00 X 0 0 0 Russ Mayerfield Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 David McGranahan Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Lloyd Morgan Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Robert Olshansky 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 Mary Pat Studdert Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Seth Traxler Trustee 1.00 X 0 0 0 Kendra Wallace Trustee (As of 1/19) 1.00 X 0 0 0 351464 0 20671 2 0 1 0 Means of Production 5245 W Diversey Avenue Chicago IL 60639 Scenic Construction 263216 1 789465 38300 2091219 2918984 Admissions 711110 2775810 2775810 Ticket Handling 711110 83468 83468 Education Programs 711110 29759 29759 Production Enhancement 711110 14350 14350 2903387 56805 56805 80000 79800 200 200 200 144700 789465 194225 -49525 -49525 14700 0 14700 14700 112322 52498 59824 59824 Artistic Events 900099 69577 69577 Facility Rentals 900099 42255 34385 7870 2018 2018 113850 6018225 2903387 34385 161469 365029 273955 51863 39211 2724013 2044407 384751 294855 329930 247511 54022 28397 307596 244570 32632 30394 19416 19416 37162 37162 602240 502871 80244 19125 375389 361755 572 13062 208552 185252 8757 14543 127161 89897 33845 3419 234677 234677 379722 364478 8549 6695 123739 50056 15297 58386 85887 14619 66395 4873 671261 650787 10237 10237 45028 33072 8130 3826 Props and Scenery 390300 390300 Costumes 96305 96305 Electrical Equipment 71272 68275 2997 10271 6176 2684 1411 7204950 5858963 814556 531431 2144923 0 3766588 3289463 1894496 1076158 7998 10989 343053 575243 29781215 2923308 27425565 26857907 1406316 35582623 33216076 144000 195704 1685961 1620462 2471857 1234464 4301818 3050630 X 26378195 26665979 2902610 1467010 2000000 2032457 31280805 30165446 35582623 33216076 -1186725 71366 0 X 0 1 X 1 0 X 6159465 5666299 4647104 5151166 2918984 24543018 6159465 5666299 4647104 5151166 2918984 24543018 6206712 18336306 10038 5169 8171 67285 56805 147468 34385 34385 12693 80944 138041 135859 191787 559324 25284195 15604487 0.72520 0.79790 X Schedule A, Part II, Line 10, Explanation of Other Income: Miscellaneous Income - 2014 Amount: $ 6,318. 2015 Amount: $ 16,765. 2016 Amount: $ 33,006. 2017 Amount: $ 16,951. 2018 Amount: $ 79,465. Gross Sales of Inventory - 2014 Amount: $ 6,375. 2015 Amount: $ 64,179. 2016 Amount: $ 105,035. 2017 Amount: $ 118,908. 2018 Amount: $ 112,322. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 2000745 111712 80000 2032457 0 2000000 745 2000745 0.00000 0.98400 0.01600 0 0 150000 150000 28338379 2038456 26299923 1292836 884852 407984 26857907 X 6142089 71366 52498 123864 6018225 0 6018225 7257448 52498 52498 7204950 0 7204950 Part V, Line 4: The Theatre's endowment is comprised of a contribution 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. 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 2d - Other Adjustments: Cost of Goods Sold 52,498. Part XII, Line 2d - Other Adjustments: Cost of Goods Sold 52,498. Gala 934165 789465 144700 15000 71369 14606 93250 934165 789465 144700 15000 71369 14606 93250 194225 -49525 X X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Michael Halberstam Artistic Director 175732 0 0 0 0 0 3588 0 6783 0 186103 0 0 0 Kathryn M Lipuma Executive Director 175732 0 0 0 0 0 3517 0 6783 0 186032 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).