FOREST THEATRE GUILD INC
The Fires are lit! The stars are out! The skys the limit!
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Annual Productions
Each year, the Forest Theater Guild presents quality productions annually at the historic Outdoor Forest Theater in Carmel, California. Past Productions Include: "Hello,Dolly"(2019), "Into the Woods"(2018). "Hunchback of Notre Dame"(2018), "Big the Musical"2017) "Pippin"(2017), "Man of LaMancha"(2017) "the Borrowers"(2016) Swiss Family Robinson( 2014)"Hamlet” (2013), "Snow White” (2013), "James and the Giant Peach” (2012), "Cyrano de Bergerac” (2012), "Peter and the Wolf” (2011), "Once Upon A Mattress” in collaboration with MPC Drama (2011), "Alice In Wonderland” (2010), and "Treasure Island” (2010).
Films in the Forest
The annual Films in the Forest series "Films in the Forest” features classic films on the big screen.
Project Equal Access
Project Equal Access aims to provide deaf and special needs individuals with access to Forest Theater Guild performing arts events in a genuine and comfortable atmosphere.
Project Equal Access serves an under-served population in Monterey County that would like to attend theater and performing arts events but, feel unable to do so because of their special needs; we found thru our 2017 season that there is not an abundance of regular sign language interpreters for theater and performing arts in our area as it is rather specialized skill. We would like to partner with the interpreters that we worked with to offer mentorship to students wishing to learn this skill so that we can develop a pool of interpreters for our area as well as to develop a manageable and replicate able program for others to learn from; devising a model that is easily employed by others, to train and mentor others to do the same.
Where we work
Awards
Award of Excellence 2021
Carmel Chamber of Commerce
External reviews

Videos
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Forest Theater Guild is a local non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting the performing arts in our community through our community theater endeavors while promoting mentoring of the theater arts for our local youth.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The purpose of the Forest Theater Guild is to uphold our heritage and the integrity of Carmel's historic Forest Theater through stewardship and preservation of its unique character. Further, the mission of the Guild is to present quality performing arts and foster the growth and appreciation of the dramatic arts among the community using local talent with an emphasis on youth. Our programs offer participants training at our historic theater, gaining hands-on experience next to our professional staff, and becoming involved with our live plays, films, and events.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Originally founded in 1910 by Herbert Heron as the Forest Theater Society, the current organization, now known as 'Forest Theater Guild's' mission is to present quality performing arts and to foster growth and appreciation of the dramatic and allied arts among the broad community utilizing community talent with emphasis on youth. The purpose of the Forest Theater Guild is to uphold the heritage and integrity of Carmel's historic Outdoor Forest Theater through stewardship, preservation of its unique character, and enhancement of the use of the theater property to promote community theater, films and events that support our mission of community theater and art. The oldest outdoor theater west of the Rockies, the Forest Theater was built in 1910 by Herbert Heron and Carmel's Bohemians to provide an open-air theater where plays could be produced by “locals, who would also have the fun doing the acting, directing, lighting, costuming, and staging." (Personal letters of Herbert Heron). The Guild continues this tradition and the shared vision that community theater is an essential societal value in our current culture and continues to encourage arts for our youth and betterment of our society.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
With recent renovations to make the facility we call home more user friendly and safe, we have been able to begin producing full length plays, musicals and special events again starting in the summer of 2016. There is still much to be done but, it will be one step at a time. We began a new program in 2017, Project Equal Access, which brings sign language interpreters to the theater for at least on performance of each production. The assisted listen device system was updated to provide a better experience for hearing impaired. We look forward to partnering with Paraphrase productions again for the third year in 2018...the youngest production company learning from the oldest. Paraphrase has definitely grown it's wings and it is a theatrical benefit for the Monterey Peninsula, for both the audience and the participants, having added it's own theatrical training classes. We began Carmel POPS! in 2017 and look forward to expanding this program that features the best of local talent from all performing arts disciplines...our hope is to make this an annual event to close the season. In 2017 we were pleased to bring back live orchestration to accompany the theatrical performances. This year we will be partnering with the Monterey County Theater Alliance to give prospective technicians a chance to learn and practice their craft. With the cancellation of many college theater classes, we have found that the Monterey Peninsula could benefit from a larger pool of qualified technicians for all technical aspects of theater(light, sound etc). We will be continuing our "Young Entrepreneurs Program" that teaches the business aspects of running a theater, from concessions and ticketing to marketing, front of house and patron logistics, etc. All in all, 2018 is shaping up to be an exceptional year for the Guild with Into the Woods scheduled as the first full length live performance followed by Hunchback of Notre Dame and Sweeney Todd in collaboration with Paraphrase. Trying a concurrent run of the last two, on alternate nights, we are looking to provide an excellent weekend ticket for guest both locally and from out of the area to enjoy a theater filled weekend. We will continue our partnership with the local Junior college to provide theater appreciation classes and are looking at a partnership with local film commission to bring student film makers back to the theater as well as a possible reuniting of the partnership with the Carmel Film Festival that we had prior to the closure of the theater for the necessary upgrades. There are a number of long time programs that will be modified to fit our current demographic in a more useful way.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
FOREST THEATRE GUILD INC
Board of directorsas of 1/29/2022
Adrian Clark
Laurel Lane Bowen
Brian McAuley
Office Manager/sound engineer
Keith Decker
Manager /Actor/writer
Adrian Clark
Student/Actor
Laurel Bowen
Student/Actress
Robin Welch
Attorney
Teresa Holman
CSUMB Student
Kevin Armstead
Business Owner
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Not applicable -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Not applicable -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
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Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/21/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.