Catherine Warren – Advancing Lyric for Over 7 Years!

Well hello! I’m Catherine, Lyric’s Director of Development.

After working here for nearly seven years, I’m thrilled to be making my Backstage Blog debut to share with you a little bit about my role at Lyric.

As development director, I oversee our efforts to raise money through contributions to the organization. About 40% of our annual operating budget is generated through those contributions. And since we are a non-profit, our donors get a nice little tax deduction in return.

For me, there is no such thing as a “typical day.” As I sit here crafting this blog post, I’m simultaneously writing several other funding requests. Writing is a crucial part of my job because it is the primary way I communicate with many of our funders. Of course, I prefer in-person conversations. So if you see me at the theater, please feel free to stop me and say hi. I’d love to meet you!

Another important part of my job is planning special events, from small receptions to our black tie gala. Events can be as exhausting as they are exciting, but I am fortunate to be surrounded and supported by some incredibly hard working individuals. Together, we make sure every detail of every event is planned and executed perfectly. Lyric is known for producing exceptional experiences, and our non-theatrical events are no exception.

Right now, my team and I are busy making preparations for this summer, a fast-paced seven weeks during which Lyric produces four large-scale musical productions. We coordinate all kinds of special benefits for our donors, including reserved parking, receptions at intermission, and exclusive backstage tours and meet-and-greets with the cast. Occasionally you’ll even see me on stage recognizing one of Lyric’s generous sponsors. This is a very proud moment for my parents who are usually sitting in the audience.

Thank you for joining me on this peek inside my job at Lyric.

And before I say goodbye, I have to ask, have you made a gift in support of Lyric’s 2017 Season?
Now is the perfect time to give and we’ve made it easy, just click here.