The InterActive Theater Company participated in a 3-year residency incubator program to address organizational challenges including financial viability, marketing strategy, and board engagement. Through the program, they hired additional staff, improved marketing and fundraising, established a stable venue, and increased audience numbers and ticket revenues. While some goals around board expansion and hiring were not fully achieved, the incubator experience overall helped strengthen the organization's operations and financial position.

1. Residency Incubator Program
Class of 2013
Participant:
Program Term:
09/2010 – 08/2013
Contact:
Robb Brunson
ExecutiveArtisticDirector
iact@interactivetheater.org
(713) 855-8053
www.interactivetheater.org

2. Participant Profile:
“The mission of InterActive Theater Company is to engage and inspire children
through live theater productions that reflect their own experiences
and challenge their own understanding of the world in which they live. ”
• Incorporated in 1999
• Operating budget ending July 2010 = $179,397
• Number of Board Members in August 2010 = 4
• Full time paid staff in August 2010 = 2
• Main challenges we faced prior to the Program:
• Financial Viability
• Venue Constraints
• Poor Marketing Strategy
• Non-existent fundraising strategies
• Lack of participation by Board of Directors
Enters Residency Incubator Program September 2010.

3. 3
• Hired a Marketing Director for 2/3
of program.
• Development of online promotions to
the point where IATC was completely able
to promote the entire season.
• Development of marketing plan has begun
& improved.
•Provided much needed technology
improvements that aided ticket sales.
•Provided a central office while searching
for a new home/base.
•Working with other focused incubators was
encouraging.
• Provided funds to expand contract
employees in crucial areas.
• Improved awareness of proper board
functions; board more active in funding
matters & growth.
• Board turnover / transition was
easier due to involvement
in the Incubator program.
•Increased company’s health and improved
the way funders perceived IATC
•Able to retire any debt.
•Contracted development consultant.
Money
(Revenue /Expenses)
Management
(Board & Staff)
Marketing/PRSystems
(admin / facilities)
Outcomes Summary
What difference did the Incubator program make?

4. Financial Profile
$194,659
$213,402
$179,397 $160,546
$114,902
$155,000
$175,000
$195,000
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
$250,000
Jul-08 Jul-09 Jul-10 Jul-11 Jul-12 Jul-13 Jul-14 Jul-15
OperatingBudget
Revenue Expenses Linear (Revenue) Linear (Expenses)
Residency Incubator Program
(September 2010 to August 2013)
Actual Projected
Year
Ending

5. Board Management Profile
What difference did the Incubator program make?
Board Profile 2010 2013
# of Board Members 4 4
Board President Michael Foster Randall Neighbour
% of Board Giving 100% 100%
Active Committees None 2
% of current BOD
serving consecutively
since 2010
n/a n/a
Provide a brief statement on changes in board management &
governance throughout the Incubator Program.
• InterActive has undergone a complete restructuring in the past 3
years. The Board is active in fundraising and each member is
essential for the aid they lend to the recently appointed Executive
Director.
• Each individual on the board is more qualified and experienced in
the non-profit sector than in past years, when our board consisted
of friends and family.

6. Staff Management Profile
What difference did the Incubator program make?
Staff Profile 2010 2012
Executive Artistic Director Angela Foster Robb Brunson
# of Full Time Staff 2 1
# of Part-Time Staff 1 0
# of Contractual Staff (non
artist contract)
1 4
# Artists Employed 11 18
$ Total Fees to Artists
Employed
35197 19,155
% of Artist fees to Total
Expenses
29% 20%
Provide a brief statement on changes in staff management
throughout the Incubator Program.
• Robb Brunson has taken over as executive director mid-way
through the program. As EAD, he is implementing a plan of using
contract labor to help the company grow in fiscal health, while
they settle in their new location, and grow audience & cash flow.
• The next position added to the administration will be in
Marketing, an area neglected in the 16 year history of InterActive.

7. Organizational Challenges
Organizational Challenges
(September 2010)
Challenges
Addressed?
(2013)
INDICATORS
(Indicators measure whether or not your organization
addressed these challenges.)
Financial Viability – although current board has
taken a more active role in ITC’s financial activity
than previous Board in the company’s history.
Yes
Reduction of Administrative overhead, implementation of contract
staff, and the creation of new year round programs have allowed
InterActive to increase cash-flow and pay off 3 years of debt.
Venue constraints: location on the extreme edge
of downtown has prevented ITC from increasing our
market and expanding our operations; making
audiences stagnant & limited to school groups
facing budget cuts.
Yes
We are planning for our 3rd Season of Plays at the Heights Venue,
which wishes us to stay for as long as we wish. We are currently
working with the managers to sign a 3 year lease. Our Audience
numbers have increased for each production, and our Saturdays
are well attended due to a pre-season sales campaign and our
location is in an historic neighborhood.
Poor marketing strategy: need to capitalize on
BVA marketing retreat, development of marketing
plan, and donated website redesign by
implementing goals on the marketing plan.
Ongoing
Our website has been very effective for channelling ticket sales,
and our online marketing has reached more new audiences for the
past season than ever before. Pre-season sales sold 1,296 tickets.
Non-existent fundraising strategies: implement
goals set forth on completed strategic fundraising
plan that begun May 2010 w/ consultant Sara
Kellner.
Yes
Held our first fundraiser in 6 years-successfully, there was an
increase in pre-season ticket sales in the 2nd year of online
marketing, Contributions went up 200% FY13, and ticket sales are
increasing. Summer programming has been scheduled to help
with cash flow issues.
Board of Directors: inactive & in violation of by-
laws from 2005-2009; in the last year however,
these non-participating Boards retired & 4
active/new board members are recruited.
Ongoing
The Board increased their contributions 200% and participated in a
new season fundraiser, which brought in an increase to individual
contributions of 2000%. In the process of recruiting 3-4 new
members before fiscal year’s end.

8. Vision for Graduation
Organizational Goal
(September 2010)
Goal
Achieved?
(2013)
INDICATORS
(Indicators measure whether or not your organization
achieved your organizational goals.)
Expansion of board members from 4 to 10 with
same high level of financial support (100% giving)
No
With the changeover of EAD, the past board rolled off, and a new board
was brought in. Currently, we are attempting to recruit. Our goal by
years end is 7-8 members.
Significantly broaden ITC audiences, w/ better
performance schedules, a variety of larger &
accessible venues, & collaboration with arts orgs.
Yes
The Heights offers us 10 schools to groom for regular audiences, on top
of our 4 county wide list of school patrons. Our new space seats 400
and has been tested this year with audiences reaching 375. We have
collaborated with city, ocrchestral, theatrical and dance organizations.
Implementation all goals of the 2010 marketing
plan with measurable success of audience growth,
higher performance attendance, & increased
performance revenue; measure 3 year performance
to assess & modify marketing plan accordingly.
Ongoing
There was a 20% increase in audience numbers this season, despite
financial short-comings in the first quarter, which did not allow for any
print materials this season. Season 2013-14 will be announced early
this year, and materials will be mailed before the end of the school year.
Have a regularly assessed fundraising plan and
annual fundraising event
Ongoing
New leadership requires a new plan, however there was a successful
fundraising event in September that brought in much needed finances.
Next year’s fundraiser is already in the planning stages.
be in position to hire a Development Director
determine what fundraising & fund development will
look like for IATC (revised 11/2011)
No
We will continue to utilize Development Consultants, as they have been
successful. Rather, we will shift our focus to marketing and increasing
ticket sales. Our goal is an increase in ticket sales of 50%, which would
be a return to 2008 audience numbers.
Move into a permanent venue that will allow for
the next phase of ITC artistic evolution
Yes
We have found a space that serves our purposes in a neighborhood that
is arts, education and family friendly. The managers of this space feel
that we help the space fulfill it intended purpose and provide funds for
their programming.

9. Keys to Success
•In addressing future Incubator candidates,
what did you do right that proved to be
critical in completing the Program?
oHired the right people with Administrative
Funds - The added responsibility of management
of CBI funds helped us to look outside of our
comfort zones and seek experienced help.
oListened - opened my ears to the possibility
that other people’s experience(s) had something
to teach me. Even if a topic had nothing to do
with InterActive’s programming, it was essential
to look at everything as if it was. Inspiration
comes from strange places sometimes.
oBonded with fellow incubators - no non-profit
is an island. It is helpful to know that other
companies struggle with the same issues.
Insert photo 4

10. Lessons Learned
What were your significant course corrections
in the Incubator Program?
oA complete restructuring of our company:
administration, production and network. The
only aspect left unaltered? Artistic.
Did you learn anything through the Incubator
that would have made you do things
differently from the start of the Program?
oChanged leadership earlier, so that training
would not be lost.
oWould have included more of the staff in
training programs.
oWould like to have jumped on board sooner
with consultants and programs offered. There
is so much offered, it is good to experience as
much as possible, even if it is not a good fit.
(Chances are it will be good.)

11. Summary of Future Plans
What happens next with your organization
(programming and infrastructure?
•Adding a Marketing Director, Increase
Contract Staff, recruit Board Members.
What are your future targets (programming,
fundraising, board/staff growth, etc.)? What
has to happen to achieve them?
•Increase Educational Workshop Programming.
•Develop neighborhood relationships with
Neighborhood Schools (PTAs & teachers)
•Increase Ticket Sales 50% ( return to audience
attendance from 2008)
•A board of 8 members.

12. Haiku
Please summarize our Incubator experience of 3
years into at least 3 lines.
A house plant knocked over
Needing light, water, & food...
A 3 year green house!
Grants, Ads, Boards, Sales, Asks,
Vend, Plan, Write, Print, Flow, Lead, Meet...
HAA, did you say?...Aaaah : )
Raise funds for overhead?
I just want to entertain!
In-Cu-Bat-Torz, Ho!
(That’s to be read as a war cry, not insinuating that we put out.)