♪ ♪ >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO IMPACT GIVEBACK 2.0.

I'M YOUR HOST RICK FENNER, PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS AT UTICA UNIVERSITY.

IN THE FALL OF 2021, AS THE NATION WAS COMING OUT OF THE COVID 19 SHUTDOWN, WCNY VISITED WITH 60 LOCAL BUSINESSES TO LEARN HOW THEY WERE HANDLING LIFE AFTER THE PANDEMIC.

A THREE-PART SERIES, THE IMPACT GIVEBACK PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTED THEIR STORIES OF COMMITMENT, INGENUITY, AND RESILIENCE.

MY NAME IS DUSTY, PRESIDENT OF THE PENN YAN THEATER COMPANY.

WE ARE A NON-PROFIT GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS THAT BRING COMMUNITY THEATER TO PENN YAN AND WE ARE WORKING TO RESTORE THE 1910 VAUDEVILLE SAMPSON THEATER.

>> I'M ANDREA COLELLA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CO-FOUNDER AND ONE OF THE INSTRUCTORS HERE FROM THE GROUND UP.

WE PROVIDE EQUINE ASSISTED SERVICES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES, ALL CHALLENGES, ALL AGES.

>> HI, MY NAME IS DAN FOUST, OWNER OF FOJO BEANS.

FOJO BEANS IS A SPECIALTY COFFEE ROASTING BUSINESS.

WE ARE VETERAN OWNERRED AS WELL AS LGBTQ OWNED.

>> MY NAME IS KATHLEEN AND I'M THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF SYRACUSE CITY BALLET.

THE ONLY PROFESSIONAL BALLET COMPANY IN THE CENTRAL NEW YORK AREA.

WE OFFER CLASSICAL, NEO-CLASSICAL, CONTEMPORARY AND MODERN WORKS.

TONIGHT, IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF THREE SHOWS THAT FOLLOW UP TO SEE HOW SOME OF THESE BUSINESS OWNERS ARE DOING TODAY.

I AM HAPPY TO BE JOINED HERE TONIGHT BY: ANDREA COLELLA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FROM THE GROUND UP THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP DUSTY BAKER, PRESIDENT OF THE PENN YAN THEATRE COMPANY DANIEL FOUST, CO-OWNER OF FOJO BEANS CAROLINE SHERIDAN, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AT SYRACUSE CITY BALLET LET ME START WITH YOU ANDREA: CAN YOU COMPARE WHERE YOUR ORGANIZATION IS TODAY WITH HOW IT WAS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC?

ARE YOU BACK TO NORMAL?

OR ARE YOU STILL FACING SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES?

>> WE ARE PRETTY MUCH BACK TO NORMAL.

ILL WAS VERY DIFFICULT IN THE BEGINNING WE RELY HEAVILY ON VOLUNTEERS IN OUR STABLE AND THE LACK OF VOLUNTEERS CERTAINLY MADE EVERYTHING HARDER ALONG WITH ALL THE PROTOCOLS THAT WE HAD TO PUT IN PLACE IN OUR COVID PLANS, SAFETY PLAN.

WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE HELP OF CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION TO HELP US WRITE OUR SAFETY PLAN.

AND EVENTUALLY, ACTUALLY, IN 2020, THE SUMMER, WE WERE BACK TO SUMMER CAMP AT THE FARM.

AND THAT WAS A GREAT SURPRISE AND MADE EVERYBODY VERY HAPPY.

>> SO YOU WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SAME PROGRAMS YOU WERE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC?

AND ARE YOU FINDING THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO COME OUT AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE?

>> IT'S BEEN KIND OF ODD.

IN 2020, IN THE SUMMER, WE HAD A GREAT RESPONSE.

I THINK PEOPLE HAD BEEN CLOSED UP FOR SO LONG, BUT THEN AFTER THAT, EVEN AFTER 2021, THINGS KIND OF SLID BACK DOWN AGAIN, SO TO SPEAK.

BUT ACTUALLY, TODAY, WE RECEIVED IN THE MAIL A DONATION FROM A WOMAN WHO SAID SHE HAD SEEN US ON WCNY AND JUST WANTED TO HELP OUT.

IT WAS GREAT.

>> THAT'S GREAT.

NOW WE KNOW THAT THE PANDEMIC, THE IT'S LAYINGS-- THE ISOLATION CAUSED A NUMBER OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES FOR MANY PEOPLE AND THAT'S ONE OF THE POPULATIONS THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION DEALS WITH THROUGH HORSEMANSHIP.

I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAD SEEN ANY INCREASE IN DEMAND OR ANY OTHER SIGNS THAT SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED IN THE PANDEMIC HAVE BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF YOUR PROGRAMS?

>> WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE.

WE RECEIVED A GRANT FROM A FOUND INATION-- A FOUNDATION IN VERMONT FOR $45,000.

AND WE WERE CHALLENGED TO MEET THAT.

BY RAISING OUR OWN FUNDS.

AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH HELP OF THE REESEMAN FOUNDATION HERE IN SYRACUSE.

SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BOUNCE BACK PRETTY WELL.

>> GREAT.

AND WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD.

>> WE STILL HAVE SOME SCHOLARSHIP MONEY AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO BE GIVING THAT AWAY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED MAYBE DON'T HAVE INSURANCE OR OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING AND SO IT'S ALL GEARED TOWARD MENTAL HEALTH.

>> GREAT.

NOW.

ON YOUR WEBSITE I LOVED READING THE BIOS OF THE HORSES WITH THEIR DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND I WAS WONDERING, IT GOT ME THINKING AS TO HOW THEY WERE IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC, IF THEY WERE AFFECTED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE 3R578S THAT YOU WERE RUNNING, YOU COULDN'T.

SOME THEY ADVERSELY AFFECTED OR DID THEY JUST ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES?

>> OUR FARM IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE HORSES THAT ARE BOARDED THERE.

WE SAW FEWER VOLUNTEERS, WHICH JUST MADE THE WORK LOAD MORE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE, THE VOLUNTEERS WHO WERE ABLE TO STICK AROUND.

AND SOME EMPLOYEES, BUT BASICALLY THE HORSES WERE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE GET TO GO OUTSIDE AND NOT HAVE TO WORK.

>> WONDERFUL.

>> NOW YOU MENTIONED VOLUNTEERS.

WHAT ABOUT GETTING OTHER STAFF?

ONE THING THAT WE FOUND IS THAT MANY BUSINESSES COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC HAVE HAD TROUBLE GETTING STAFFED FULLY BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE HAVE CHOSEN TO, YOU KNOW, STEP AWAY FROM THE LABOR FORCE.

HAS THAT AFFECTED YOUR ORGANIZATION AT ALL?

>> IT DID IN 2021.

WE WERE TRYING REALLY HARD TO FIND STAFF MEMBERS.

SOME PEOPLE DECIDED THEY WERE GOING TO STAY HOME WORK FROM HOME AND THAT CAUSED US TO HAVE A DEFICIT IN THE WORKFORCE.

SO WE KEPT TRYING AND TRYING AND IT EVENTUALLY GOT BETTER.

BUT IT WAS VERY SCARY AT THE TIME.

>> NEXT WE HAVE DUSTY BAKER FROM THE PENN YAN THEATER COMPANY.

SO, DUSTY, HOW ARE THINGS GOING AT THE THEATER COMPANY NOW?

ARE YOU FINDING THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO GO OUT AND ATTEND EVENTS AGAIN?

OR ARE YOU FINDING PEOPLE STILL HESITANT?

>> IN GENERAL, THIS SUMMER WE HAD REALLY GOOD TURNOUT TO OUR PROTECTIONS THAT WE PUT ON.

PERSONALLY I DIRECTED OUR YOUTH PROGRAM OVER THE SUMMER, THREE WEEKS IN JULY.

AND WE AVERAGED OVER200 ATTENDEES EVERY PRODUCTION.

USUALLY IF IT GET MORE THAN ONE THOUGH WITH 200 I'M REALLY HAPPY SO TO HAVE THREE NIGHTS OF 215 OR SO ATTENDEES WAS REALLY GOOD PROGRAMMATICALLY.

>> WONDERFUL.

YOU ARE NOT SEEING THIS HANGOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC.

PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO GET-- GREAT.

ARE YOU OFFERING THE SAME QUANTITY OF PROGRAMMING THAT YOU WERE PRE-PANDEMIC?

ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT.

>> WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE A LITTLE THANKS TO SOME GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVED, THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WE RECEIVED A VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING GRANT RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE PANDEMIC FOR $5,000 TO WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE SOME CAMERA EQUIPMENT AND A LITTLE LIGHTING TO DO ADDITIONAL VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING WE GOT THE KIDS RECORDING COMMERCIALS.

A LITTLE PAIRED PARODY COMMERCIALS AND HAVING THE SAMPSON THEATER TO REVITALIZE ASIDE FROM THE PROGRAMMING ITSELF, WE HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN THE VILLAGE THAT IS ALLOWING TO US TEMPORARILY USE THE BUILDING FOR SMALLER EVENTS.

SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE PROGRAMMING BY BEING IN OUR OWN SPACE, WHEREAS USUALLY WE HAVE TO USE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND CHURCH AND THINGS.

HE HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD ABOUT LETTING US GET IN AND DO SOME SMALL THINGS WITHIN THE PAST YEAR OR SO.

>> DURING THE PANDEMIC, YOU DID HOLD SOME VIRTUAL EVENTS WHEN YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO HAVE THEM IN PERSON.

ARE YOU CONTINUING TO DO THIS OR HAVE YOU MOVED BACK TO TRADITIONAL IN-PERSON EVENTS?

>> WE ARE DOING A HYBRID FORMAT IN THAT WE ARE OFFERING STREAMING OF ALL OF OUR PRODUCTIONS WE ARE PUTTING ON.

A LOT OF THE COMPANIES THAT OWN THE ROYALTIES NOW ARE ALLOWING TO YOU PAY A LITTLE EXTRA TO STREAM A PRODUCTION OR THEY'RE INCLUDING IT IN THE ROYALTIES.

AND WE HAVE SEEN, NOT A HUGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT, BUT PEOPLE THAT OTHERWISE WOULDN'T BE TRAVELING TO TOWN ARE BEING ABLE TO BUY A TICKET AND WATCH THE STREAM AND SEE A FAMILY MEMBER PERFORM IN A PRODUCTION WHICH HAS BEEN REALLY NICE.

>> THAT IS NICE BUT THE FEAR IS ALWAYS THAT IF YOU OFFER THAT, THAT IT MIGHT BE CUTTING INTO THOSE PEOPLE THAT FIND IT MORE CONVENIENT THAN JUST COMING INTO THE VENUE BUT YOU ARE NOT FINDING THAT?

>> NO, NOT REALLY.

>> GOOD.

YOU MENTIONED THE SAM SON THEATER.

I KNOW THAT'S A BIG PART OF YOUR GOALS MOVING FORWARD.

HOW IS THE RENOVATION MOVING AHEAD?

>> SO WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO ANY ACTUAL WORK REALLY SINCE THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED BUT THAT'S MORE OF A LACK OF LARGE AMOUNT OF FINANCES TO DO IT BUT WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE A VOLUNTEER GRANT WRITER COME ON BOARD TO OUR TEAM AND WORK ON WRITE SOMETHING GRANTS.

SHE HASN'T HAD SIGNIFICANTLY LARGE SUCCESSES BUT GOTTEN SOME NICE 20,000, 30,000, $40,000 THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ALLOCATE LIKE PURCHASING CEILING TILES OR ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE ARE DEFINITELY GETTING CLOSER TO BE ABLE TO BREAK GROUND ON DOING SOME ACTUAL WORK.

WHICH HAS BEEN NICE.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC ARE GOING TO HAVE ON YOUR ORGANIZATION?

>> SO PROGRAMMING WISE, THERE WAS DEFINITELY A LITTLE BIT OF A HICCUP FOR A WHILE.

BUT I THINK WE ARE COMING BACK STRONGER BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOW BEING ABLE TO GET OUT.

THIS PAST SUMMER WITH OUR YOUTH PROGRAM, WE HAD STUDENTS REPRESENTED FROM SEVEN DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHICH IS HUGE IN YATES COUNTY BECAUSE WE NOT ONLY HAD MULTIPLE YATES COUNTY DISTRICTS INVOLVED, WE HAD FROM SCHUYLER COUNTY AND WATKINS GLEN AND A YOUNG LADY VISITING FROM MARYLAND VISITING HER GRANDPARENTS.

WE ARE EXPANDING OUR REACH PROGRAMMATICALLY AND SAM SON THING, WE HAVE EVERYTHING GOING ON WITH THE ECONOMY BUT DONORS ARE STARTING TO SEE THE PROGRESS THAT WE ARE MAKING AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO THE SUPPORT AUTHORIZE THE THEATER PROJECT HAS BEEN GROWING AND IT HAS BEEN GREAT HAVING GREAT SUPPORT FROM OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN DOING A LOT TO HELP US PROMOTE AND RAISE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THROUGH THEM.

SO I THINK THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR THE SAMPSON BREAKING GROUND AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE OUR PROGRAMMING, WHICH WHICH IS GOOD.

>> GOING FORWARD, DO YOU HAVE A TIME TIMETABLE FOR THE SAMPSON THEATER WHEN YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT COMPLETED AND UP AND RUNNING?

>> WE ARE HOPEFUL WE WILL BE ABLE TO BREAK GROUND ON WORKING TOWARDS A SEASONALLY OPERATIONAL BUILDING THIS SPRING.

WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE STATE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL ALLOCATION OF SOME ADDITIONAL D.R.I.

FUNDS THE VILLAGE OF PENN YAN AND DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION FROM THE STATE.

THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

IF WE GET THOSE, OUR ARCHITECT FEELS CONFIDENT WE WILL BE ABLE TO BREAK GROUND IN SEPTEMBER.

FROM THERE IT WILL BE 12 TO 15 MONTHS SO THE POTENTIAL FOR SUMMER 2024 WE COULD BE HOSTING SOME SMALL SCALE SEASON OPERATIONAL PRODUCTIONS IN THE SAMPSON ITSELF.

>> YOU HAVE MENTIONED, IN YOUR ORIGINAL INTERVIEW, THE MORSE OF WORKING WITH OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES AND HOW YOU WERE HOPING TO BE AN ECONOMIC CATALYST.

NOW THAT WE ARE THE PANDEMIC INTERRUPTED THAT, ARE YOU SEEING THAT MOVING FORWARD?

>> RIGHTED NOW EEGHTS HARD TO SAY JUST BECAUSE THE SAMPSON ITSELF IS NOT ABLE TO DRAW IN A WHOLE LOT.

BUT THE FEW TIMES WE HAD SOME SMALL SCALE THINGS THERE, THE RESTAURANTS ARE SEEING A BIT OF AN INCREASE IN BUSINESS SO RIGHT NOW THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN IMPACT GOING ON BUT ONCE THAT'S OPERATIONAL, WE HAVE THREE RESTAURANTS A STONE'S THROW FROM THE FRONT DOOR OF THE BUILDING.

THEY WILL DEFINITELY SEE AN INCREASE.

>> GREAT.

DAWN FOUST IS THE FOUNDER AND CO-OWNER OF FOJO BEANS LOCATED IN HAMILTON, NEW YORK.

IN YOUR ORIGINAL INTERVIEW, YOU SPOKE ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS LAYING OFF YOUR STAFF, WORKERS AND YOU HAD TO DO IT NOT ONLY ONCE BUT TWICE.

IT CLEARLY SHOWED HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH AND YOUR COLLEAGUES.

I'M WONDERING NOW THAT WE HAVE COME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO HIRE MOST OF THESE PEOPLE BACK AND BUILD THAT CORE THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY SO IMPORTANT TO YOU?

>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME FOJO BEANS BACK WITH YOU FOR THIS PROGRAM.

WE WERE ABLE TO BRING BACK OUR ENTIRE STAFF THANKFULLY.

I THINK THEY WERE VERY HAPPY TO COME BACK TO WORK.

AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE WAS SOME DIFFICULTY IN HIRING STAFF FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

SO WE WORKED WITH A SKELETON CREW FOR A WHILE.

THANKFULLY WE ARE FULLY STAFFED NOW.

>> GREAT.

IN ADDITION TO YOUR HAMILTON SITE WHERE YOU OFFER FOOD AND COFFEE, YOU ALSO SELL BEANS AT A NUMBER OF STORES, AS WELL AS ONLINE.

WAS THAT ALWAYS PART OF THE PLAN OR WAS THAT SOMETHING YOU FELT BACK ON TO BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC?

>> OUR WHOLESALE SIDE OF THE BUSINESS WAS A LARGE PART OF MOVING INTO THE SPACE WHERE WE CALL OUR FLAG SHIP STORE NOW IN HAMILTON, NEW YORK.

SO THERE WAS ALWAYS THE WHYED THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE RESTAURANT AND THE BARISTA BAR AS WELL AS THE WHOLESALE SIDE OF THE BUSINESS, WHICH WAS ATTRACTIVE IN REFERENCE TO GETTING A LOAN IN ORDER TO OPEN THAT SWAYS, SHOWING THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER REVENUE STREAM OTHER THAN THE RESTAURANT SIDE OF THE BUSINESS.

MENT.

>> IN THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM, YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD JUST BEEN AWARDED THE RIGHTS TO OPEN A FEW SITES AT HAMILTON COLLEGE IN CLINTON, NEW YORK.

HOW IS THAT GOING?

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

WE STARTED OUT OPENING TWO SPACES THAT AMOUNT COLLEGE, WHICH IS LOCATED IN CLINTON.

WE HAVE SINCE, THIS LAST SEMESTER, OPENED UP A THIRD LOCATION THERE AND HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO ALSO FIND A SPACE FOR A POPUP LOCATION ON COLGATE'S CAMPUS IN HAMILTON, SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT FIVE LOCATIONS ASHED CONTINUE TO HOPEFULLY GROW TO MOVE THE COMPANY FORWARD.

>> SO WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM PLANS FOR YOUR COMPANY?

>> WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE NOW THAT YOU HAVE SURVIVED THE PANDEMIC, OKAY.

YOU CERTAINLY ARE GROWING YOUR COMPANY.

WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP?

>> COVID REALLY WAS THE CATALYST FOR US TO MOVE INTO WHAT WE ALL A GRAB AND GO TYPE OF DINING.

WHEN COVID FIRST HAPPENED, WE WERE NOT REALLY KNOWN FOR A TAKEOUT TYPE OF RESTAURANT.

IT WAS USUALLY DINE-IN, SINCE IT IS SOME PEOPLE CONSIDER IT TO BE A COFFEE SHOP, A LOT OF STUDENTS COME IN AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS, COME IN, WORK IN OUR SPACE, STUDY IN OUR SPACE.

SO IT REALLY CAUSED US TO LOOK AT OUR BUSINESS FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE; WHICH, BRINGING IN THE GRAB AND GO CONCEPT OF FOOD, IS WHAT WE PROPOSED TO HAMILTON COLLEGE WHEN WE WON THE BID TO RUN THOSE COFFEE SHOPS THERE.

SO THE PROJECTION NOW WITH OUR COMPANY IS NOW THAT WE ARE IN THE UNIVERSITY SETTING TO HOPEFULLY CONTINUE ON THAT PATH AND HOPEFULLY GET INTO OTHER CAMPUSES WITHIN THE LOCAL AREA AND I THINK WE HAVE PROVED THAT WE CAN DO IT WITH THREE SPACES AT HAMILTON COLLEGE AND WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD FEEL FOR HOW TO RUN THAT SORT OF BUSINESS.

>> YOU SORT OF ANSWERED THIS BUT I WANT TO ASK IT ANYWAY.

IN YOUR VIEW, HAS THE PANDEMIC BEEN LIKE A SPEED BUMP ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS FOR FOJO BEANS OR HAS IT CAUSED YOU AND YOUR PARTNER TO HAVE TO MAKE MORE OF A DETOUR IN TERMS OF CHANGING THE FUTURE DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY?

>> I REALLY DO THINK IT WAS SOMEWHAT OF A SPEED BUMP.

IT FORCED US TO-- ONCE WE HAD TO LAY OFF OUR STAFF, MY PARTNER, DAN JOSEPH, WHO IS THE JO, I'M DAN FOUST, THE FO, WE REALLY HAD TO LEARN EVERY ASPECT OF THAT BUSINESS OURSELVES THERE WAS ONE POINT WHERE WE NEEDED TO ORDER CUPS AND MY PARTNER WAS LIKE, WHO DO WE GET CUPS FROM?

AND I WAS LIKE, I HAVE NO IDEA.

SO IT WAS-- IN THAT ASPECT, IT REALLY FORCED US TO LEARN EVERY JOB THERE IS TO DO WITHIN THE COMPANY.

THAT MIGHT SOUND SURPRISING BECAUSE WE ARE THE OWNERS, HOWEVER, YOU HIRE PROFESSIONALS TO DO CERTAIN THINGS AND TO BE FOCUSED ON CERTAIN JOBS AND SO WHEN YOU RELY ON THOSE PROFESSIONALS TO DO THAT, YOU KIND OF HAVE SOME BREEDING ROOM TO NOT HAVE TO DO IT YOURSELF, BUT IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO NOT ONLY LOOK AT COSTS AND THE WAY WE WERE SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY AND FINDING OTHER VENDORS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET THOSE PRODUCTS FROM CHEAPER, LESS EXPENSIVE.

AND SO IT REALLY DID PIVOT US INTO LEARNING OUR OWN BUSINESS AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO TURN THE BUSINESS AROUND IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD INTO THE NEW LOCATIONS THAT WE ARE?

>> GREAT.

CAROLINE CHER-- CAROLINE SHERIDAN, THE AR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE BALLET.

HOW ARE THINGS GOING AT THE BALLET, ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO THE PANDEMIC?

ARE YOU BACK TO NORMAL?

>> I WOULDN'T SAY WE ARE COMPLETELY BACK TO NORMAL BUT WE ARE SLOWLY GETTING THERE.

THIS YEAR WE ARE PUTTING ON FOUR MAJOR PRODUCTIONS IN THE THEATER.

LAST FALL WE PUT ON THE FIRE BOARD WHICH WE HAD A PRETTY LARGE CAST FOR BUT THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE THE NUTCRACKER COMING UP WHICH IS OUR LARGEST CAST.

WE HAVE OVER 85 PEOPLE IN THIS CAST, WHICH IS THE BIGGEST WE'VE HAD SINCE PRE-PANDEMIC.

AND WE HAVE SIX, SEVEN AND EIGHT YEAR OLDS WHO HAVE NEVER PERFORMED ON A STAGE BEFORE THAT ARE REHEARSING WITH US SO THAT'S REALLY EXCITING AND WE ARE STILL SEEING A LITTLE LESS REVENUE FROM TICKET SALES BUT THANKFULLY WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITY, FROM THE FEDERAL AND STPGHT STATE GOVERNMENT AND CNY ARTS ESPECIALLY.

SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A REALLY FULL SEASON THIS YEAR, AND WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE SHOWING TWO MORE PRODUCTIONS, CINDERELLA AND PANACEA LATER IN THE SEASON SO WE ARE BACK AT FULL FORCE AND WE ARE HOPING TO SEE OUR TICKET SALES RISE TO WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

>> YOU SAID THERE ARE FOUR MAJOR SHOWS.

HOW MANY WERE YOU RUNNING BEFORE THE PANDEMIC?

ALSO FOUR OR MORE THAN FOUR?

>> THIS IS OUR LARGEST SEASON SO I THINK USUALLY WE RAN AROUND THREE SHOWS A SEASON.

OF COURSE THE NUTCRACKER EVERY YEAR.

THIS IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST SEASONS.

>> DURING THE PANDEMIC YOU DID VIRTUAL EVENTS AND OUTDORY VENTS, ARE YOU CONTINUING TO DO THOSE.

>> YES.

>> WE DID BALLET BY THE LAKE THIS PAST SUMMER, WHICH IS A GREAT OUTDOOR SHOW THAT WE PERFORMED AT THE INNER HARBOR IN DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE.

WE WEREN'T AREN'T DOING AS MUCH DIGITAL WORK AS WE DID DURING THE PANDEMIC IN HOPES THAT PEOPLE WILL COME TO THE THEATER AND SEE IT LIVE.

>> THAT WAS THE QUESTION I ASKED OF DUSTY, WHEN YOU DO THAT, SOMETIMES YOU MAKE IT I LITTLE BIT TOO CONVENIENT FOR PEOPLE NOT TO GO AND ATTEND IN PERSON.

HOW ABOUT STAFF AND EMPLOYEES.

HAVE YOU HAD DIFFICULTY, AS MANY BUSINESSES HAD OR ARE PEOPLE COMING BACK TO WORK?

>> WE ARE NOT QUITE BACK AT FULL CAPACITY WITH OUR STAFFING BUT WE DO HAVE A FULL ROSTER OF DANCERS.

WE HAVE NINE PROFESSIONAL DANCERS IN OUR COMPANY THAT WORK FULL TIME FOR US: FINDING DANCERS TO COME BACK TO WORK HAS NOT BEEN TOO DIFFICULT.

FINDING MALE DANCERS TO COME BACK TO WORK HAS BEEN HARDER: IT'S GENERALLY HARDER TO FIND MALE BALLET DANCER THAN FEMALE BALLET DANCERS BUT THERE WAS A MASS RETIREMENT THAT WE NOTICED IN THE INDUSTRY BECAUSE STAYING IN SHAPE AS A BALLET DANCER WAS QUITE DIFFICULT DURING THE PANDEMIC.

BUT THAT BEING SAID WE HAVE FOUND A LOT OF TALENTED PROFESSIONAL DANCERS THAT HAVE MOVED BACK TO SYRACUSE OR RELOCATED AND MADE SYRACUSE THEIR HOME.

>> DO YOU THINK THAT INTEREST IN THE BALLET HAS RETURNED TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVEL.

EDUCATIONAL AND PEOPLE INTERESTED IN BECOMING BALLET DANCERS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE, THIS YEAR WE ARE BACK IN THE SCHOOLS, THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WE DO OUTREACH PROFESSIONALS WHERE WE BRING PROFESSIONALS TO DANCE FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT LAST YEAR SO IT HAS BEEN REALLY AWESOME TO DO THAT THIS YEAR AND INSPIRE CHILDREN AND LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE OUR BIGGEST PRODUCTION, THE NUTCRACKER WITH OVER 60 KIDS AND SEEING THEM DANCE ALONGSIDE THE PROFESSIONALS AND HAVING THEM LOOK UP TO THE PROFESSIONALS AS ROLE MODELS IS SO INSPIRING AND REMINDS US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR WORK.

>> WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU.

>> I'M SORRY THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE TONIGHT.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR GUESTS FOR SHARING THEIR STORIES WITH US AND I WISH ALL OF YOU THE BEST OF LUCK IN THE FUTURE.

THERE WILL BE TWO MORE INSTALLMENTS UPDATING THE PROGRESS OF 10 ADDITIONAL LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE ORIGINAL GIVEBACK PROGRAM IS THOSE SHOWS WILL AIR ON DEC. 12TH AND DEC.26TH.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT WCNY, I'M RICK FENNER.

HAVE A PLEASANT EVENING AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT TIME.