What is the backstory of your business?
Playhouse on the Square is a resident professional theatre company servicing the entire Mid-South.  This November, the organization will celebrate 53 years of operation. Between our two main stage venues: Playhouse on the Square and The Circuit Playhouse we offer 15 performances a year.  With additional performances in our black box space TheatreWorks at the Square and annual events such as the Original Art Auction and The Great Wine Performances.  Throughout the year we serve a broad community representing every age, race, gender, orientation, and socio-economic family. Our mission is to produce a challenging and diverse repertoire of theatrical work that speaks to the intelligence, the soul, and the imagination of the Memphis community.  We also take our show “on the road” offering theatre education outreach and touring productions through each calendar year culminating with Summer Youth Theatre Conservatory. 

Nestled in the heart of Memphis’ Arts District in the revitalized Historic Overton Square. Playhouse on the Square is a leader in the Memphis Arts community, fostering in a new era of performing arts.


 
Tell us your role in the business.
As Director of Community Relations, my role is to be the bridge between our theatre and our community businesses and organizations.  I call myself the door opener.  I find how, what we offer may help you and your business further its goals and mission.  Perhaps offering live, local professional theatre to your employees as apart of their benefits package sets you apart in job recruitment?  Do you belong to a non-profit organization and you are looking for ways to re-think fundraising?  Are you looking for opportunities to support the youth in your community or you want to sponsor an event for your neighborhood school?  I’m the guy that can make those things happen! 


 
What are the biggest challenges?
A challenge we face is the idea that “big time” theatre can only be in New York or Chicago.  Playhouse on the Square has presented professional level productions for over 50 years.  Most of that time has been in Overton Square.  Numerous performers and designers, that began their careers in Memphis are now household names performing all over the world.  It is true that we are a drive from Germantown.  But, when you include all the opportunities Overton Square has to offer from food, shopping, and entertainment with green spaces close by.  You can enjoy a whole day without having to catch a plane.




What are the biggest rewards?
After love and water, nothing beats everything art has to offer.  It makes you happy. It will make you get out that “good cry.” It can also inspire you to do good things for yourself and your community.  We produce shows that do all of those things.  In addition to our outstanding productions, Playhouse on the Square also offers over 13 education and outreach programs that touch the lives of over 30,000 children, teens, and adults each year. 
 
 


How does your business give back to the community?
 Our organization partners with over 30 non profit organizations local and nationwide.  We are delighted to partner in the groundbreaking work of organizations like The Children’s Advocacy Center and Facing History and Ourselves.  Our administrative building offers business space to other local non profit organizations, including Literacy MidSouth and Memphis FilmWorks.  An important part of our mission is to never allow finances to be a barrier to offering art to our community.  With that in mind, Playhouse on the Square offers ticket subsidies to area schools for theatre performances.  We also host Pay What You Can Nights for every main stage production during our season.
 
 
 
 
Has your business received any recommendations or awards?
 Playhouse on the Square has received a multitude of Ostrander Awards, the city’s highest award for theatre, for productions over the years.  We have been nationally recognized for continuing to produce theatre during the pandemic and maintaining a full staff without any contract cancellations or furloughs.
 
 
 
How has being a Chamber member helped your business?
Being a member of the Germantown Chamber has allowed as an opportunity to connect with our community and share the good work our organization is doing for the region.  The support Janie and her staff give us is beyond what we could expect.  We are proud to be apart of this community.  We also love the chance to let folk know that driving to Midtown is not that bad!

 
 
Is there anything else you would like to add about your business?
​Playhouse on the Square will continue to offer the Mid South the best in professional live theatre.  Whether in person or on your couch, your seat is saved!  We hope to welcome patrons back into our theatre this Summer with the opening of our 53rd season in July!  We want all of Germantown to Find Their Place at Playhouse on the Square.​

What is the backstory of your business?
-When?
Meritan was founded May 6, 1961.
-Why?
We were chartered by the State of Tennessee as “Senior Citizens Center,” as a result of the recognition of a need to organize and centralize the work of clubs and churches which were beginning to try to address the needs of elderly Memphians. We began providing older Memphians with social, health-related, and recreational services.
-How?
Meritan began with a group of seniors meeting in a local church. Throughout the years, our services have adjusted to meet the needs of the communities we serve. Our programs expanded from in-home supports to seniors to also serve medically fragile and at risk foster children, senior employment services, residential services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, skilled home health services and an elder abuse response program. Most recently, we have added COVD testing and vaccinating to our response.

Tell us your role in the business.
I am the current Director of Development at Meritan. I am responsible for all fundraising, communications, and marketing efforts through social media and digital marketing, written solicitations, grant writing and compliance for corporations/foundations, special events, corporate donors, and other community fundraising events. I am also responsible for external community relationships, volunteer coordination, and public relations.

What are the biggest challenges? 
Currently, one of our biggest challenges would be staffing for our In-Home and Community Based Services. We are in high need for home care specialists to help take care of our elderly clients, especially during the pandemic. For more information, please go to www.Meritan.org/careers.

What are the biggest rewards? 
Our biggest reward currently is having the opportunity to vaccinate people in their homes and bridging the gap. On March 16, 2021, Meritan began its homebound COVID-19 vaccinations program thanks to a grant from the Tennessee Association for Home Care. The Tennessee Association for Home Care (TAHC) received a grant from the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD) to vaccinate homebound people in the TCAD programs that include home-delivered meals, OPTIONS, and the Family Caregiver Program.

How does your business give back to the community? 
Meritan is a nonprofit dedicated to providing health and social services to more than 1,600 Mid-Southerners annually who experience a renewed sense of self-worth, celebrating 60 years this year. Founded in 1961 to address the critical need of the elderly, Meritan was founded as the result of the recognition of a need to organize and centralize the works of clubs and churches. Meritan provides an array of programs for diverse groups including, frail and homebound seniors, children in foster care, services to victims of elder abuse, senior employment, and persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

If your business is in Germantown, why did you choose Germantown?
We are in Downtown Memphis, 345 Adams Avenue. We moved to our Downtown Memphis location in December of 2017 because we wanted to be closer and more accessible to the clients that we serve.We chose to join the Germantown Chamber because many of our volunteers, donors, and supporters live in Germantown, TN.

Has your business received any recommendations or awards?
Yes, we have received:
○ TopWorkplace award for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, 2018,2019, 2020 ○ TopWorkplacesWoman-Led Culture Excellence Award, 2021
○ “FlexibleWork Place” TopWorkplace Commercial Appeal award, 2016
○ cityCURRENT Nonprofit of the Year Award (with a budget greater than $5 million) in December 2018
○ COA Accreditation
○ ACHC Accreditation
○ Staff Awards -
■ Melanie Keller- Superwomen in Business and Health Care Heroes by the Memphis Business Journal
■ Dona Futch - TNCO Manager of the Year Eastern TN, 2018
■ Liz Dayton, RN, 2018
■ Chessie (Biggam) Hayes: AFP Global Outstanding Young Professional 2020, Greater Memphis Chamber’s Young Memphis Class of 2020, Award Memphis Flyer Top 20<30 Class of 2019
■ Kyle Eaton, Memphis Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2020
■ Patti Kesler, The Daily Memphian’s CFO of the Year, 2020

How has being a Chamber member helped your business?
Being a Germantown Chamber member has allowed us to increase our visibility, exposure, and business networking connections in the city of Germantown and surrounding areas.

Is there anything else you would like to add about your business? 
Although Meritan’s headquarters is located in Downtown Memphis, we are a regional nonprofit organization that provides programming in 4 states, which include Tennessee, Arkansas, George, and Mississippi. In Mississippi, we are known as Apelah, which is a subsidiary of Meritan.