A Concept Is Born

Sometime during the fall of 2004, a resident of Winter Haven Resort started a small theatrical project that was being created specifically for the enjoyment of the local park residents. After its successful conclusion, a small group of interested individuals who participated in that project, agreed that establishing a senior based amateur performing arts organization might be a worthwhile endeavor.

An exploratory committee was formed. By the conclusion of the first meeting, the committee agreed that in order to be successful we had to do two things.

     First: A 501c3 non-profit public charity corporation would have to be created. This organization would serve as a base for the creative talents of everyone wishing to participate.

     Second: And most importantly, this organization had to be set up so that it would serve the entire community.

Creating The Reality Through Hard Work

To get over the first hurdle, we were required to register with the State of Texas as a non-profit corporation. After accomplishing our first hurdle on July 29, 2005, we received our certificate of incorporation. Next came the arduous task of filing our tax exempt papers with the Internal Revenue Service in an attempt to not only receive a 501c3 designation, but also to be classified as a public charity instead of a private foundation. All the hard work we put into our research paid off. On November 17, 2005, our application was approved. With our first attempt we had achieved both of our goals, and the RGV Theatre Group, inc. was authorized to operate under section 170 of the code and all contribution made to us from that point forward would be tax deductible. We were also granted permission to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the tax code

So What Is The RGV Theatre Group All About

As part of the application procedure with the State of Texas, we were required to create and submit bylaws by which our organization would operate under. Following are the contents of Article 2, Section 2 of those bylaws.

The specific objectives and purposes of this corporation shall be:

     a. To act as a production company and provide whatever support is necessary to the advancement of senior citizen involvement in the performing arts throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

     b. It is our goal to, either through our personal productions or by supporting productions of other groups, encourage permanent as well as temporary winter residents in the Rio Grande Valley to become involved in a wide variety of performing arts programs. For those individuals that can not or do not wish to participate directly in the making of these events, but would very much like to be entertained by them, through our non-profit status and our portable performing services we will be able to reach almost every in the valley with an affordable traveling performing arts program.

     c. We are also reaching out to all high school drama departments as well as our local community youth theatre trying to create a comprehensive exchange program that would benefit everyone. Beyond that, in the future, we plan to involve middle school and elementary school performing arts programs as well.

     d. Additionally, there are several very small local senior programs already in existence in  the valley. As we grow and are able to, it is our intent to help support these other performing arts programs too.

     e. In conclusion, through our supported arts programs, we are trying to bridge the social gap between temporary and permanent residents, senior citizens and the younger generation, and the local Hispanic and Anglo population.

Accomplishments Since Our Incorporation

Since our incorporation, we have produced two complete seasons of senior performing arts entertainment.

During the first season, which for us began in February 2006, we created a dinner theatre theme built on the concept of a high end restaurant called Camerosa. The after dinner entertainment for that program was a one-hour Las Vegas style floor show. We wanted to play to an audience we felt comfortable with so our first efforts were contained inside the residential community of Winter Haven Resort in Brownsville, Tx. Later that same month we produced and performed in the same venue, on our own portable stage, a self created play called Sights and Sounds of Yesteryear. The subject of which was a musical romp through the 1920's, 30's, 40's, and 50's with a few period comedy skits sprinkled in. Both of these events were opened to the public based on ticket sales. The Dinner Theatre sold out before the cut off date so, unfortunately, the general public did not get to attend that event. The play, on the other hand, was scheduled for two back to back nights. This created enough seating capacity that local residents from outside Winter Haven had the opportunity to attend the program.

Even though by our standards, the 2006 season was a great success, it was not accomplishing what we had set out to do. Our goal was to provide entertainment to everyone in the Rio Grande Valley using a cast and crew made up of a cross section of all willing senior citizens in the community. During the off season, we began searching for a public venue that would accommodate our small program. While behind the scenes, even before our 2006 season had ended, we had been trying to recruit a senior dance group to become a collaborative performance partner. By the start of our 2007 season, both of these efforts had been accomplished. The H2U Dance Club had just created a performance group and agreed to join with us. Then just before the season was to begin, we made an agreement with the Galaxy Bowling Center of Brownsville to use their Event Room for our presentation. All that was left was to create a new entertainment program. Unfortunately our association with the H2U Dance Club only lasted that first season.

Our 2007 season opened on January 19th with a dinner theatre show called "Four O'clock Rock". Weeks before opening night we were sold out and had added a March 9th show to the schedule. The March 9th show was sold out within a week

after the January 19th performance closed. We then added a tentative third date of March 10th pending ticket sales. All this was accomplished by word of mouth and a few posters as advertising. The response to our first public event was more than what we could have hoped for. As was the makeup of the audience. The attendees were young and old - winter as well as permanent residents - of Anglo and Hispanic decent. We had drawn a cross section from the entire community. As was the cast and crew representative of the senior population in the Brownsville area. In two short years we had actually achieved the purpose or our creation. The only thing separating us from total success is financial stability.

For 2008 we followed at the Galaxy Bowl Event Room with a mystery dinner theater. This 1920's period piece titled "Who Killed Two Timin' Freddy" played to three sold out audiences on Jan ??, ??, and ??. Like the Four O'clock Rock show, it too was a smash hit.

The 2009 season 

Where Does The Money Go

I would like to share the following information so you will feel more comfortable about entrusting us with your generous donation. The RGV Theatre Group, inc. is a completely volunteer organization. No individual that is directly involved with our group is receiving any financial compensation for the time they give to us. All revenues derived from ticket sales and donations go directly back into making our future productions, or the productions of those we support, bigger and better. The cost to put on a show such as the ones that were performed during the 2007 winter season is not small. It requires staging, backdrops, a sound system, a lighting system, costumes, props, and much, much more. Even with a lot of very judicious shopping, it requires a lot more money than one might realize to create one of our productions.

What Sets Us Apart

As you can all imagine, every organization such as ours is always scrambling for funds to support themselves. However, we do differ from most other organizations in a couple of ways. As previously mentioned our organization operates completely on volunteer services, while most of the others do not. But the biggest difference is having to overcome our position as a beginner group. Every basic item we need to have in order to accomplish our performances has to be purchased in addition to each new show's normal supporting requirements. Also, because this is a new organization we do not have a proven track record, we have not been able to secure any state or federal funding to support our efforts. So for now, we are completely dependent on the general public and corporate sponsors for support.

Our Success Is Really Up To You

It is all our sincere hope that everyone in the Rio Grande Valley will come enjoy and continue to support our attempts to create a senior performing arts entertainment program. We do this for our fans, we do this for our health, we do this for everyone's happiness, and we do this to make our community a better one. So please help us continue our work. Take time to attend our programs and take advantage of all the benefits our current fans already enjoy. We will do our part and continue to provide a senior based affordable entertainment program that everyone in the valley can have access to. Also remember that you support will allow the Gulf Coast Dancers to continue their mobile outreach program and bring free entertainment to seniors who, because of their situation, would never be able to enjoy the experience that you have the opportunity to.

Contact Us:

     RGV Theatre Group, inc.

     424 Winter Haven Lane

     Brownville, Texas 78526

rgvtg@rgvtheatregroup.com                  General corporate business, inquires.  

comments@rgvtheatregroup.com          Program reviews, public service comments.      

newsletter@rgvtheatregroup.com           All general newsletter matters.

story@rgvtheatregroup.com                  Written material for publishing

recipes@rgvtheatregroup.com               Send your recipes here.