Tennessee Shakespeare Company Announces 3rd Season and Board Members

Tennessee Shakespeare Company, the Mid-South's professional classical theatre, announced at its June Annual Board meeting a record-breaking performance season and the addition of three Board members.

Nearly 12,000 patrons and students attended productions of Othello at St. George's Church, Romeo and Juliet outdoors at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Themes from a Midsummer Night (with IRIS Orchestra at Germantown Performing Arts Centre), and the Winter Gala: Love Letters and Love Songs in Memphis.

TSC's earned revenue for Season Three increased by 22% over the previous season, and contributed revenue increased by 15% over the previous season.
"I am heartened that in addition to what we feel were courageous artistic successes, we experienced audience and financial growth that was unprecedented for us," says founder and Producing Artistic Director, Dan McCleary. "Demand grew so much for us this past season, as we saw with audiences standing six rows deep for Romeo and Juliet this spring, that TSC is going to attempt to rise to the challenge with a wildly exciting 2011-12 season."

The Company shortly will announce plans for the coming season, which will include a doubling of play offerings, multiple indoor and outdoor venues, a return to the Dixon Gardens, an expanded Schools Tour, the launch of the Southern Exposure Series, and the Company's first subscription packages.

At the Annual meeting, TSC also appointed three new Board members and a new Executive Committee. President Owen B. Tabor, MD, Vice President Robert C. (Bobby) Lanier, and Treasurer W. Reid Sanders were re-appointed to their leadership. Mr. Tod Holtzclaw of International Paper was appointed Secretary. New members include Mrs. Michelle Crews, Mr. C. Penn Owen, III, and Mr. Cary Whitehead, III.
Michelle Crews, a native of Jackson, MS, received her B.A. in English from the University of Mississippi and her M.A. in English Literature from the University of Memphis. A former high school English teacher, Mrs. Crews has been involved with the Shakespeare Readers, a group founded by Margaret Tabor to engage and excite readers of all interests and abilities in the plays of Shakespeare. Michelle is the wife of John Crews and the mother of two sons, Tripp and George.

C. Penn Owen, III is managing partner of Bowdre Place with farming interests in Tunica County. A graduate of Washington and Lee University, he currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Dixon Gallery and Gardens. He is the former Chairman of the Board of the Memphis College of Art, and has served on the Board of the Virginia Center for Creative Arts in Amheart, VA. He is a founding member and Past President of the Robinsonville, Mississippi Rotary Club and is a Paul Harris Fellow. He is a past Board Member of the Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VA, Tunica County Chamber of Commerce, and Planters Bank in Tunica. He currently serves on the Endowment Committee for Calvary Episcopal Church, where he and his wife, Gwen, attend.

Cary Whitehead, III, a native Memphian, has been in commercial real estate for 40 years and is Senior Vice President of Boyle Investment Company. Mr. Whitehead has served on the Boards of Directors of The Emmanuel Episcopal Center and Memphis Youth Initiative.

Receive all the TSC season announcements and special discount offers by texting "Shakespeare" to 42828, or by logging onto www.tnshakespeare.org.

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