Bay Street announces four additions to theater's board of trustees

In the wake of a well-publicized fund-raising campaign, Bay Street Theatre is pleased to announce the addition of its newest board members, several of whom have long-standing ties to the local community.

The latest members are Gary Bierfriend, Gregory Ferraris, Sal Ranieri and Robert Stein. The four men—a Certified Public Accountant, former mayor and mortgage entrepreneur among them—bring a wealth and wide variety of knowledge and experience to the board.

According to Board Chairman Frank Filipo, the Bay Street Board of Directors is still in a growth phase.

“It is not easy work, but we do it because Bay Street is a great asset to the East End community as a whole. It’s an important part of the arts and culture, as well as the educational outreach it provides to schools and other groups,” he said. Bay Street Board members provide guidance as well as financial support to the organization.

As for the recent fund-raising campaign, Executive Director Tracy Mitchell says that great strides have been made due primarily to an anonymous $250,000 challenge grant.

“We still have a lot of work to do. But we are encouraged by the response of our local community, and we hope that people agree that we, like other local non-profit organizations, are an important part of our life here on the East End,” she said. “As Joy Behar recently said, ‘Who wants to live in a town without a theatre?’”

Ticket sales make up less than half of the cost of running the theater, according to a press release recently issued by Bay Street. In a year when ticket sales also slumped, the situation became critical. The additional funds must be made up in donations, grants, sponsorships, fund-raising events, and board gifts.

Anyone interested in joining Bay Street’s efforts are asked to contact Ms. Mitchell at 725-0818.

For a complete listing of events at Bay Street please check the website at www.baystreet.org.

Bay Street Theatre is a not-for-profit institution dedicated to presenting new, classic and contemporary works of the highest quality, which challenge as well as entertain, speak to the diversity of the community and champion the human spirit. Bay Street’s commitment extends to educational programs for all ages to foster the continued value of theater as a vital art form for future generations.