OPENING IN THE 2019-2020 SEASON

A theatre destination unlike any other

OPENING IN THE 2019-2020 SEASON

A theatre destination unlike any other

The Gordy: A Hotspot for Regular Poker Tournaments

At The Gordy poker enthusiasts gather regularly to participate in thrilling poker tournaments that keep the excitement levels high. This popular venue has become a hub for both amateur and professional players alike, offering the perfect blend of entertainment, competition and camaraderie.

These poker tournaments at The Gordy can be accessed by qualifying through various online poker sites, providing an opportunity for players of all skill levels to showcase their abilities and compete for attractive prizes. By participating in satellite tournaments on these poker sites, people can earn a coveted seat at The Gordy's prestigious poker events.

The Gordy's professional staff ensures that each poker tournament is conducted smoothly and fairly, with a focus on providing a fun and engaging experience for all participants. With a diverse range of players from around the globe attending these events, The Gordy offers a unique atmosphere for networking and forming lasting connections in the poker community.

STAGING OUR FUTURE

A TRANSFORMATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR STAGES

On February 22, 2019, philanthropists Lester and Sue Smith announced a $2.5 million gift to Staging Our Future: A Transformational Campaign for Stages, bringing total funds raised to $33,405,340 and allowing Stages to fully fund our new home, The Gordy. The 66,850 square foot three-theatre campus, located at 800 Rosine Street directly across the street from Stages’ current home, is slated to open in January 2020. This extraordinary new home supports Stages’ bold vision for the future of theatre-making in Houston.


 In December 2017, Russell and Glenda Gordy made a historic $5 million matching gift to help us reach our goal for Staging Our Future: A Transformational Campaign for Stages, the $32 million capital campaign to fund Stages’ visionary new home.  

With a 40-year history of attending Stages performances, Glenda and Russell Gordy are excited to help usher in a new era for Stages with The Gordy. Strong supporters of education and their alma mater, Sam Houston State University, the Gordys are committed to helping Stages expand our work nurturing emerging talent by providing a professional home for young artists to build sustainable careers in Houston.  

In 2017, the Gordys announced their plan to develop a 50-acre mixed use development at Washington Avenue between South Heights Boulevard and Studemont Street. Just north of Stages’ campus, the first phase of the Buffalo Heights District project includes a new urban H-E-B, upscale residences, creative offices and retail. Russell also recently opened Gordy & Sons Outfitters, a high-end hunting and fishing store at 22 Waugh Drive. The Gordys’ commitment to Stages’ new home maximizes their investment in our neighborhood creating a dynamic place for Houstonians to live, work and play.

In December 2017, Glenda and Russell Gordy made a historic $5 million matching gift to help us reach our goal for Staging Our Future: A Transformational Campaign for Stages, the $32 million capital campaign to fund Stages’ visionary new home.

“Stages has been a consistent part of our lives over the past four decades. This gift is an investment in the future of Stages, in the development of emerging arts professionals, and in a neighborhood we care deeply about.”
“We hope our gift will help this community thrive in the years ahead and ensure our city continues to be home to dynamic accessible arts and entertainment experiences for all Houstonians.”

CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP

Isla & T.R. Reckling, III

Honorary Campaign Chairs

Isla and Tommy Reckling, along with the Winston and Reckling families and the Sterling-Turner Foundation, have paved the way for the campaign’s success. The Recklings are longtime fans of Stages, especially the Late Nite Catechism and Trailer Park series, and often can be found hosting groups of friends in Stages’ Impresario Donor Lounge. They were first to make a major commitment to help Stages’ purchase our current venue in 2014, then bravely took on the role of Honorary Campaign Chairs in 2016 when the project expanded to include 800 Rosine Street. Now, we’re excited to announce that because of a transformational gift from the Sterling-Turner Foundation in May 2018, the showpiece theatre of Stages’ new venue will be called the Sterling Stage in honor of their generosity.

Capital Campaign Co-Chairs

Sally Edmundson
George Lancaster
Jim Nicklos

Capital Campaign Committee

Kay Brazelton Bruce
Carroll Reckling Goodman
Christiana and Luke McConn
Steven Owsley
Jane Schmitt

Capital Campaign donors

Staging Our Future has received leadership support from Glenda and Russell Gordy, the Sterling-Turner Foundation / Winston and Reckling families, and Lester and Sue Smith, as well as major commitments from Houston Endowment, Inc., The Brown Foundation, The Wortham Foundation and the Stages Board of Directors.

View Donor List

 

YOUR GIFT STILL COUNTS! We have significant naming opportunities still available. Your continued generosity will support expanded artistic and educational programming in our new venue, as well as continued financial sustainability. Your gift today will help secure Stages’ future for generations to come.

Donate Now
$5,000 | NAME A SEAT
Make your mark at The Gordy by naming a seat in our gorgeous Sterling Stage—the showpiece theatre of Stages’ new home. Display your name(s) or a family name, honor someone special, or commemorate an important life event. And yes, you can name more than one!
Seat location(s) will be sequential and determined by the order in which your gift is received. We are unable to accommodate requests for specific seat locations.
$10,000 | RESERVE A WINE LOCKER
Limited availability
Join Board Chairman George Lancaster in supporting Stages by reserving a wine locker! Make yourself at home at The Gordy by keeping a few of your favorite bottles in your own private wine (or liquor) locker. Wine lockers will display the name of your choosing and will be located in The Gordy’s unique new Impresario Donor Lounge, directly accessible to Impresario-level donors and their guests at any time the building is open. Lockers may be secured with a $10,000 initial capital gift and renewed while you maintain annual operating support of at least $5,000 through Annual Fund and/or special events. Founding members will be recognized in perpetuity on permanent signage in the Impresario Donor Lounge.
$15,000-$99,999 | DONOR WALL
The Sterling Stage Donor Wall will be  located in the lobby area just outside the The Gordy’s “showpiece” theatre and will recognize key donors to Stages’  transformational campaign.

Gifts of $5,000 or more may be paid in installments over a period of up to three years.

LEADERSHIP GIVING OPPORTUNITIES
Stages’ new home will honor our most generous donors with a range of naming opportunities including options to appear on permanent donor walls and name specific spaces. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to demonstrate your commitment to Stages and create a lasting legacy for tomorrow’s artists and audiences.

$100,000+ | LEADERSHIP DONOR WALL
The Gordy’s Leadership Donor Wall will recognize donors supporting at a leadership level and will be prominently located in the main lobby just outside the Impresario Donor Lounge.  
$150,000+ | NAME A SPACE
Donors making gifts of $150,000 or more may choose to name a space, such as a theatre, production shop or meeting room, in addition to donor wall recognition. Donors may join together to dedicate one space. Prominent  naming opportunities are still available. To learn more, please contact Development and Communications Director Lise Bohn at 346.701.8862 or

a new era for Stages with The Gordy

A new home for Stages Repertory Theatre creating a dynamic arts venue for Houston artists & audiences



01

CONNECTING ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES

The venue’s three intimate performance spaces are designed to bring audiences and artists closer to each other than ever before. The Gordy will offer a fully-equipped purpose-built home for theatre-making in Houston, including rehearsal and education studios; full production and design workshops; meeting, event and shared community work spaces; and full administrative suite. State-of-the-art theatre technology and design will thrill artists and audiences, building new capacity for Stages and our city’s theatre community.

02

A VIBRANT COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE

The Gordy will create a welcoming, inclusive hub for Houston’s diverse artists and patrons. Open day and night, Stages’ new home will provide flexible space for Houstonians to meet, work, collaborate, read, create, write, design and socialize. Dedicated green space and an outdoor plaza will enhance Stages’ growing, centrally-located neighborhood just feet from Buffalo Bayou Park. Ample, convenient on-site parking will make your visit a breeze.

03

HOUSTON’S GREENHOUSE FOR TALENT

In keeping with Stages’ mission, The Gordy will showcase Stages’ focus on emerging theatre artists. Expanded resources and facilities will create new opportunities, tools and training for students and early-career professionals. The Gordy will nurture a flourishing Houston theatre ecosystem and support Stages’ ongoing commitment to helping Houston-based artists create sustainable careers in their home city.

ABOUT STAGES

Founded in 1978, Stages Repertory Theatre has grown to become Houston’s sixth largest nonprofit performing arts producer, and the largest outside of the downtown theatre district. Our focus on producing a broad scope of plays and musicals in an intimate setting has created a devoted community of patrons and artists who share a true sense of engagement and connection. With performances year-round, Stages is one of the region’s leading artistic employers, producing an average of 12 productions per year totaling more than 380 performances and welcoming 65,000+ visitors each season. Almost all of Stages’ shows are rehearsed and constructed on-site in Houston, brought to life by an exceptional community of locally-based artists and craftspeople along with occasional guest directors, actors and designers from around the world. Additionally, Stages has crafted a unique emphasis on emerging talent—both on and off stage—that inspires patrons and propels forward the community as a whole as our alumni serve in professional and volunteer capacities at almost every other theatre and performing arts organization in our city.

CONTACT

For information about naming opportunities and how to support this project, please contact:

Lise Bohn

Development & Communications Director


Lise Bohn

Development & Communications Director

Phone

346.701.8862

Email


Mark Folkes

Managing Director


Mark Folkes

Managing Director

Phone


Email