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The Vision, Core Values and Mission of Samuel French
Below you will find our Vision, Values and Mission – the three reference points to remind us all where we see Samuel French going (Vision), what matters most to Samuel French and its team members (Values), and to solidify our purpose and guiding light for the actions we take here at French (Mission).
Our Vision
We seek to build upon our long history of excellence in being the dramatic literature resource for the worldwide theatrical community and raise the curtain on future generations who, with our support, will bring the positive influence of theatre to people throughout the world.
Our Values
Our Values are what we live by here at French – they keep us focused on our jobs, mindful of those we serve and, most importantly, together they help us Make Theatre Happen. All of the below core values add up to this one thing – Making Theatre Happen – it is the heart of our business. We value and celebrate all of the Theatre Makers out there, and it is our goal to support our customers and authors in any way we can.
We are proud to serve you all, and we are excited about the part we play in Making Theatre Happen every day. And we can do just that by working together, listening and voicing opinions and solving problems – and by following our Values.
1. Celebrate Art.
We believe that no matter how big or small the theatre, whether there are 2 people in the audience or 20,000 that what you all do is art. More than just the performance, though – we all know that’s art – what we are really celebrating is your ability to bring a group of people together to see a show, hear a monologue, watch scenes from a play. Your contribution to the theatrical community by costuming, conducting the orchestra, building the set, ordering scripts for the cast – that is art. And we celebrate it all.
It’s probably no surprise to you to know that many of our team members here at Samuel French are theatre people. It’s also probably no surprise to hear that the people that come to us with less of a theatre background quickly become theatre people. We love talking about plays and musicals, we frequently are humming a show tune, and we want to talk to you about the art you do. So don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with us the next time you’re on the phone. We want to swap stories. We want to chat. We want to encourage theatre-making everywhere. And we want to celebrate you and your art.
2. Cultivate Creativity.
It’s important to have a work environment where every single member of the team feels that if they have an idea to improve the company, they can share it. But it’s also important to have the kind of people on your staff who will take that idea and make it a reality. That’s what we look for here at French, and we are proud to say that the Frenchies on our team have amazing ideas and the support to see them through.
We’re all about taking initiative – like our New Product Development Committee that meets to discuss what else we can offer to our customers to make their producing lives easier. You want a play with the click of a button? Well, thanks to the New Product Development Committee, now we have ePlays on the iTunes store. Want pre-recorded music and rehearsal tracks because you don’t have the budget for a full orchestra? No problem. The newly launched SAMphony is for you.
Having a Creative environment isn’t just about what we’re implementing on the inside of the company – it also means that we need to listen to ideas from outside. The people we support, our customers, our authors and agents, can give us the most valuable information: where we need to improve. Without your feedback and suggestions, our growth would stop. How can we strive for excellence without people telling us to push harder, go further, do more?
3. Express Gratitude.
Core Values are what we work and live by, and this one is essential to keeping everything in perspective. We would not be coming to work every day if it weren’t for you. Whether you write incredible plays, bring those plays to life in a production, or just like to read great literature, we thank you.
We try to express our gratitude to all of you in many different ways either on the phone, by email, or through larger gestures, like the events we host for our authors and agents in our offices, sending complimentary scripts to theatres, supporting non-profit theatre organizations and their members (New Dramatists, EDTA, AACT, Texas UIL, to name a few) through our altruistic efforts and partnerships, and last year’s end-of-the-year Holiday gift that went out to over 2,000 Samuel French customers, authors and agents – the 2012 Samuel French Calendar.
If you are ever in New York, we encourage you to let us know so we can set up a time for you to come into our office, meet with our staff, and let us tell you “Thank You” in person. In the meantime, we will continue to strive to keep gratitude on our minds and lips every day as we work with customers, authors and agents. Without you, there would be no us.
4. Have Fun.
Yes, theatre is hard work, but if it wasn’t Fun, why would we all be so passionate about it? While we take our obligation to both authors and customers very seriously, we’re also serious about finding the joy in our work. Doing our jobs well and Making Theatre Happen is truly Fun for us!
Whether it’s the excitement of opening night, the roar of laughter, or the thunder of applause, we get it – it feeds us too. Although we may not be onstage or in the rehearsal room, bringing theatres together with great writers, helping someone find the perfect monologue, or hearing that a show we suggested was a sell-out is Fun for us. What’s more, Fun for a Frenchie doesn’t just happen between the hours of 9 and 5 – you’ll see Frenchies at new play premieres, attending award ceremonies, or road-tripping to one of our theatres. Some might say we can’t get enough!
And here’s the other great thing about Fun. It’s infectious. By encouraging Frenchies to Have Fun and enjoy themselves, we’re creating a happy, productive and magnetic environment. Fun improves the services we offer, and our greatest hope is that you’ll take a few minutes of your day and have some Fun with us, too! Share a story you heard on our Facebook page, or chat with your Licensing Representative about the latest show you’re producing. Fun is more Fun when it’s shared!
5. Be Exceptional.
Average is so… average. That is why we strive for excellence. And every day we work hard to deliver the best service and products to you so that you too can be exceptional. For authors, we offer a wide array of products to help you gain maximum exposure, we build systems so your titles are secure, and we develop relationships so that theatrical professionals throughout the industry read your plays. For customers, we publish plays we feel you and your audiences want to see, offer the most responsive and knowledgeable customer service professionals to answer your questions and, after hearing how we could be even more exceptional by re-developing our website, we created the best-in-class search system to help you find just what you are looking for. This way, you can be exceptional at what you do best – Making Theatre Happen.
If you see ways that we can be more exceptional, we encourage you to contact us with your ideas at outreach@samuelfrench.com.
Our Mission
- Provide security for our authors,
- Introduce theatre to new audiences and communities,
- Help theatres create more standing ovations,
- Support our customers, clients, and each other,
- Continuously redefine the standard and push beyond it, and
- Maintain the legacy of Samuel French.
