Assembly Resolution No. 1411

BY: M. of A. Finch

COMMEMORATING the 60th Anniversary of the
Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Inc.

WHEREAS, The arts, in whatever form, are central to human
expression; they are truly a universal language and their contribution
to the development of friendship and understanding among all peoples
cannot be underestimated; and

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend those artistic organizations which have brought outstanding
entertainment and cultural enrichment to the citizens of the great State
of New York; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Inc.;
and

WHEREAS, Widely known as "Broadway in the Finger Lakes," the
Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, located in Auburn, New York, is the region's
largest professional musical theatre; and

WHEREAS, The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse was founded in 1958 as the
Auburn Children's Theatre (A.C.T.) by Susan Riford and members of the
Auburn Service League; and

WHEREAS, Initially, the venue provided weekend dramatic classes for
local children, and, in 1961, an in-school program was added; and

WHEREAS, The Auburn Children's Theatre's in-school program grew into
a state-wide touring theatre by 1965, and in 1974, it became known as
the Merry-Go-Round Youth Theatre Program; and

WHEREAS, The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse gained its name from the
organization's use of an old carousel building in Emerson Park along
Owasco Lake; the building was cleaned and painted by dozens of
volunteers after the merry-go-round was removed, and a stage was added
to the east side of the building; and

WHEREAS, The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse further evolved to become a
professional summer stock theatre in 1975, and much of the casts and
artistic staff traveled up from Manhattan for the first professional
summer season; and

WHEREAS, Over the years the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse continued to
grow, with attendance rising from 9,000 in 1982 to over 60,000 annually;
the budget of the Playhouse and Youth Theatre additionally grew from
$180,000 in the early 1980s to over $5 million; and

WHEREAS, The Youth Theatre program became one of the largest in the
country, providing performances for over 125,000 students each school
year in 74 districts and 23 counties in Central New York; this
well-respected program offers workshops and performances to students in

grades K-12, with each opportunity tailored to the grade-level of the
participants; and

WHEREAS, The Youth Theatre program at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse
additionally has a partnership with Nazareth College, which was
initiated to enhance training and educational opportunities for
students; this partnership will create an intensive professional track
training program to rival many national programs of its kind; and

WHEREAS, In 2004, a $3 million renovation was completed at the
Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, which allowed for a remarkable transformation
of the facility to provide greater comfort and accessibility for all
audiences; the renovation included an expansion of seating capacity from
365 to 501; and

WHEREAS, In 2004, the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse finished formal
agreements with the Actors Equity Association, American Federation of
Musicians, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, to
perpetuate the high caliber of shows produced by the Playhouse; and

WHEREAS, In 2012, the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Inc. launched the
Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, featuring off-Broadway
productions and The Pitch series - a generation of new musicals; the
Festival presents classic and contemporary works and in-school arts
education for a diverse audience to spur social awareness, cultural, and
economic development in the Finger Lakes region and in the City of
Auburn; and

WHEREAS, The Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival is a multi-venue
operation, utilizing space additionally in the newly renovated Auburn
Public Theatre and the Carriage House Theater; and

WHEREAS, In its 60th Anniversary / 2018 season, the Finger Lakes
Musical Theatre Festival will present "Mamma Mia!", "Anne of Green
Gables", "Holiday Inn", "Murder for Two," and "Beehive"; and

WHEREAS, For the past 60 years, the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Inc.
has been presenting quality theater to the Central New York area; and

WHEREAS, A vibrant arts community encourages collaboration, instills
local pride, draws people together, and is essential to a community's
vitality; over the past six decades, the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Inc.
has contributed to the richness of Central New York's cultural palette;
and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when artistic
societies of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our
attention, they should be recognized by all the citizens of this great
Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Inc.;
and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to producing artistic director Brett Smock of the
Merry-Go-Round Playhouse.