HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/12/2019 Item 10, Muran
Purrington, Teresa
From:Heather Muran <mrsmuran@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, November
To:E-mail Council Website; Suzy Newman; Harmon, Heidi; Pease, Andy; Christianson,
Carlyn; Gomez, Aaron; Stewart, Erica
Subject:SLO Rep and supporting local theater in downtown SLO
Good evening,
My name is Heather Muran, and I am writing you tonight in support of SLO Rep's proposed theater expansion within the
cultural hub of downtown San Luis Obispo. As a parent of a young daughter who has enjoyed performing and taking
theater classes at the SLO Rep theater, I have seen the incredible work their team has accomplished in supporting the
arts within our local community.
First off, I believe SLO REP is a cultural asset to San Luis Obispo, which also supports tourism. SLO REP is the only non-
profit professional theater in San Luis Obispo County, presenting plays and classes for the young and old year round. SLO
REP has outgrown its current home; from sold out shows, to trying to manage the small space when rehearsing two
shows within the very small space, there is awesome potential for the team at SLO Rep to build on their success.
The new building, once completed, will host nearly three times as many audience members, with tourists and locals
alike being able to take advantage of live theater shows on a given evening. SLO REP strengthens the cultural vitality of
downtown SLO by bringing families, seniors, students and travelers alike a wide variety of classic, musical, uplifting and
suspenseful theater productions.
With the additional space and expanded programming for both children and adults, SLO REP will attract larger numbers
of residents and visitors, making a greater economic driver and impact for downtown San Luis Obispo.
The most exciting part of this new expansion is the opportunity for more classes students can take at SLO Rep. And with
the new theater, SLO REP will finally be able to host student matinees to area schools, another huge community asset
that smaller communities, such as Arroyo Grande (the Clark Center), have benefited tremendously from.
The SLO Rep is also part of San Luis Obispo's history. Founded as SLO Little Theatre in 1946, SLO REP is now in its 73rd
consecutive season of producing live theater, making it one of San Luis Obispo County's oldest arts institutions, and one
of the nation’s oldest, continuously operating non-profit theaters. SLO Rep currently runs an unprecedented 46 weeks
of productions per year, which is a feat in itself given the small footprint and space the production teams have to work
within. SLO Little Theatre/SLO REP is a LIVING part of our community and of San Luis Obispo’s history.
I have seen firsthand the steady improvement in artistic quality over the past several years. I have seen my young
performer take the stage at SLO REP and enjoy singing and dancing her heart out. The ACT program, which support
youth theater productions and classes, is one of the top educational theater programs within SLO County. With music
and art programming so limited within local public schools, it is community theater groups like SLO Rep who continue to
keep the arts alive for young people in our community. As a performer once in my younger years, it was community
theater that supported my love for the theater, and gave me the opportunity to be on stage at a young age and have
that experience, which changed my life forever.
SLO Rep is the region’s best-attended arts organization and frequently sells out shows. The artistic improvement has
been made possible by a rapidly growing donor base, which has demonstrated a strong willingness to fund construction
of a new theater.
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I hope that you will support the SLO Rep project and continue another 74+ years of the arts within downtown SLO.
Regards,
--
Heather Muran
805-458-9016
mrsmuran@gmail.com
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