The company says it needs $1.5 million in pledges and $500,000 in cash by Sept. 10, the opening day of the company's season. As of Tuesday, Margo McCann, the group's interim managing director, said it had raised $145,326 in cash and about $800,000 in pledges.

"Quite frankly, it's not that much money for two cities to come up with," said Ben Stevenson, the theater's artistic director.





http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 4cc7b.html

Please keep us posted on the progress of the fundraising. I agree with Mr. Stevenson, but this is a difficult fundraising climate given the economic downturn.

I keep waiting for someone to mention that, his success in Houston notwithstanding, this is not a new situation for Stevenson; his two previous companies -- National Ballet and Harkness -- also went belly-up.

Houston Ballet did more than ok!

But wans't it more established wen he came in?

I hope TBT is able to pull through. I hate to see any company dissolve.

The current situation in north Texas would seem to indicate that his success in Houston was an anomaly.

The anomaly is Ben’s success leading Houston ballet for 27 years from a ho-hum regional dance troupe to a first rung nationally recognized Ballet Company. Not sure what the endowment was in 2003 but I think I recall 50mil. Good dancers – great rep. Give some credit to Ben. It’s like saying that Donald Trump made a lucky bet once.

I’d love to discuss some of the current AD’s failures though. Plenty to choose from.

Actually, in the year or so before Stevenson was hired, Houston Ballet was doing some very exciting work. The board decided that they wanted to go in a less innovative, more traditional direction. They did a very good job of raising money and of keeping Ben from spending more than they raised.