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‘Go Away Party’ tonight for Hippodrome’s Scott Baker
There’s an informal going-away party of sorts for outgoing Waco Hippodrome executive director Scott Baker and his wife Beki at 8 tonight, July 2, at Austin’s on the Avenue, 719 Austin Ave. Baker calls it a ‘Go Away Scott’ party, but it does offer a chance to wish the Bakers well on the next chapter of their lives in Nashville.
Though this last season was one he’d like to forget, Baker and his board performed a remarkable comeback for the historic Waco theater on the verge of shuttering four summers ago. Within a few years, the Hippodrome was selling out performances and offering an enviable season of touring Broadway productions, standup comedy and more.
Baker also introduced online ticketing for the theater, restored season ticket sales to the highs of the past and tapped a fresh audience of twenty- and thirtysomethings willing to turn out for stage performances.
Unfortunately, a double whammy of the recession and multiple cancellations of ‘Tuna Does Vegas’ put the Hippodrome deeper into the red this season, at a time when a financially robust season could have seen the theater pay off its indebtedness for the first time in more than two decades.
A strong 2009-10 and a favorable legal settlement of the ‘Tuna’ issue conceivably could return the Hippodrome to the black, or close to it, in a year or so. But admittedly that hinges on lawyers and an economic recovery to take place quickly.
Still, the Hippodrome seems in a better place than it was when Baker took over and those who’d like to thank him and Beki for that have a chance tonight.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: On Stage
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Comments
By Christine Carver
July 2, 2009 1:25 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Thank you, Scott, for being a pleasure to work with! I’m sorry to see you go.
Christine Carver General Manager 88.9fm KSUR/89.9fm KBDE Waco, TX
By Winfred Emmons III
July 6, 2009 3:56 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Waco Civic Theatre, 1517 Lake Air Drive, will hold auditions for its fall musical, “Little Shop of Horrors” on Monday and Tuesday, July 13 and 14. Director is Broadway veteran George Boyd and musical director is Tommy Edds. Call 776-1591 for details. Great music! See you there!
By Ron
July 6, 2009 6:08 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I wish the Bakers well in Nashville. I assume everyone was previously aware that he would be leaving before he announced it.
Even though he has done very well by the Hippodrome, I am sorry that he decided not to stick around. It kind of makes all those blogs he was very positive on feel like a worthless waste of time. I can only hope that his successor does as good but hopefully better.
By Scott Baker
July 7, 2009 12:25 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Thanks for the well-wishes, Ron. Just for the record, my leaving doesn’t change a bit of how great I feel about Waco, and I don’t think anyone knew I’d be going before I announced it. I had decided to leave at least a year ago as my wife and I were on the verge of finishing up Masters degrees. Hers is in theatre directing, (on the artistic side), and mine is in theology. We knew that our work was going to take us elsewhere in life. I didn’t decide to leave out of any dissatisfaction with Waco or unhappiness with my job, and it certainly didn’t have anything to do with how bumpy this last season ended up being. We had decided that we needed to move on at a time when things couldn’t have been going better for the Hippodrome.
I hope only the best for this community and still believe in its bright future. I’ll still get riled up by anyone who dumps on Waco or isn’t willing to work to make their community a better place. I can’t wait to hear about all the great things that are accomplished here in the coming years.