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"We can’t imagine a better partnership," said Robert Bailey, general director of Portland Opera. "We’re delighted to have a successful community leader such as Fred Meyer supporting our mission to continue bringing top-notch musical theater to Portland."Because ticket prices only cover a small portion of the cost of presenting national Broadway tours, sponsorship dollars help Portland Opera — a non-profit venture — defray some of the expenses. Corporate support also allows Portland Opera Presents to expand education and outreach efforts with schools and the community at large. Ken Thrasher, Fred Meyer’s president and chief executive officer, said, "We particularly like the opportunity to make Broadway theater more accessible to a wider range of people. We love contributing toward the livability of our community by helping to bring high-quality performing arts to Portland." The Portland Opera Presents series plays to more than 200,000 patrons each year. After sponsoring two musicals in the 1999-2000 season — Jekyll & Hyde and Titanic — Fred Meyer agreed to sponsor the entire series of shows in the upcoming season. This mutually beneficial partnership allows the two companies to work together, both to build audiences and to reach new customers. The award-winning lineup for the 2000-01 season includes Fosse, Cabaret, Ragtime, Fame, Annie Get Your Gun and Cinderella, as well as a special add-on, Annie. Portland Opera Presents Fred Meyer Best of Broadway is a joint partnership between Portland Opera and SFX Theatrical Group. Fred Meyer Stores, Inc. is based in Portland, Oregon and features 143 large multi-department stores in six Western states that offer one-stop shopping for a wide range of food, apparel, and general merchandise products. Fred Meyer is part of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), which is the largest food retailer in the United States. |
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