Rear Wall???

[gmff]

There has been a renovation of the 1880 era Opera House the preformance area was not in the renovation plan except to bring it up to the life saftey standards. There have been many complaints that the preformance area has not been bringing in any money, and only 2 singers have used the place in 14 months. I was asked to look at the place to see what needed to be done to make it usable. During the construction the curtains were removed, all the treverse rods and light pipes were taken down the electric panel was stripped, the upstage/stage right door was removed to put the emergency exit stairwell in & a couple of other things were done to make the area unuseable. It really needs to be cleaned, new curtains, lighting system, sound system, floors and rear wall renovated.
Trying to go one step at a time, the rear wall needs to be fixed or covered 1st This is what it looks like. We can do no demo and only restoration due to the historic nature of the building. I have considered building a false wall infront of what is there of 2x4s and plywood and painting the whole thing black and that could be done for less than $1000 and would make the place somewhat usable. I would like some other ideas if any one out there cares to coment. Thanks!

 

[Footer]

Fire code won't let you just put a 2x4 wall up to cover it up. Is there a reason why it has to be re-done? If there is going to be a soft good in front of it when you have an audience... who cares what it looks like?

 

[gmff]

The new rear curtain would be quite a while in coming, we are looking for a cost effective quick way to make it usable.

 

[MarshallPope]

If it were me, I would just replace the chair rail moulding on the stage right side and paint the whole thing flat black. Maybe add some fake door panels to the doors (or windows, can't tell) on the bottom.

 

[BrianWolfe]

Rip off any of the raised mouldings and cover the entire wall with black vac-formed brick.

 

[MPowers]

Sounds to me like the rear wall is the least of your worries. Are there any curtains at all, or masking in the space now? Are there any lights or any way to hang them? Are there any dimmers at all? If those things have all been removed as you said, then it's no wonder no one wants to perform in the space.

If you really feel dressing up the back wall will help, try this. Paint the exposed plaster black, both the part already black and the rest above that as well. Next, purchase some black FR Duvetyn or Comando Cloth Commando Cloth & Duvetyn from Rose Brand You can staple it to a 1x3 and create a flat or pleated "curtain" with out any sewing. hang one piece across the top of the window, long enough to reach the floor and another short wide piece in front of the wainscot pannel. Quick, cheap, no code problems. Fix the floor you say??? Do what theatres all over the world do, get 1/4" masonite and paint it black. Don't get 1/8", it will never lay flat.

OK, now we've got the immediate cosmetic problem covered up for the time being, let’s talk about the real problems. If I understand correctly, the auditorium and public areas were renovated but not the stage which, you indicate has basically been gutted. Is this correct? Is there at least a main curtain to close off the stage from the audience? Is there an apron in front of the proscenium, an orchestra pit?
You say the Traveler tracks and battens were all removed, is the rigging still in place? If so, what kind of rigging is there. Is it an old Hemp House or had it made it to counterweight before the renovation?
Sounds like what you really need is to get a consultant in to look at the theatre and program as a whole so that you can focus on what the place really needs and not spin your wheels fixing the symptoms instead of the disease.
Who is the “owner” of the space, the city or a historic society or…….??? What is the owners goal or aim for the space?? What kind of performances do they want to attract or present? Tell us a bit more about the actual space and the program and perhaps we can offer some better advice.

Michael Powers, Project Manager, ETCP Certified Rigger – Theatre
Central Lighting & Equipment Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, Central Lighting & Equipment

 

[museav]

I think that Michael pretty much nailed it. What are they trying to do? How do they plan to use the space? Before starting anything, what is the plan? Maybe building a wall several feet in front of the existing upstage wall to visually hide the existing wall without significantly impacting it and at the same time creating a crossover would make sense. Maybe it wouldn't. You'd need to know a lot more about the envisioned goals and use and about the existing facility to make such a determination.

You might also want to confirm the historical preservation restrictions and just what that means. There can be big differences between restoration, renovation and adaptive reuse. If you are truly limited to restoration then all you can probably do is restore the wall to the original or historic condition. But based on the picture, it at least appears that may not be the only option.

 

[gmff]

There is a main curtain now, it is ripped and dirty. I have someone coming in to sew the curtain next week. All the removed rigging is still there no care was taken when it was removed and all the ropes have been cut. The town has budgeted amount for the curtains.There 3) 24' traverse rods (1 in use) 4) 24' pipes, lots of pulleys and Sound and lights are all rent-able items (we can even use the lights and sound that are at the local high school if they are not in use), there is a 225 amp 30 breaker service that is dedicated to the stage and only has the above the stage lights on it now. The biggest roadblock to making this place usable is the back wall. A restoration is costly and would still need to be covered up for most events anyways, a cover up with out disturbing anything historical in back is most likely. Adding the crossover would be best as there is no way to get off the stage on stage right. The door was blocked to make room for the enclosed stairway, a door hole is cut into the wall sheet rocked over but the landing for that door is 3' higher that the stage floor. The town is the owner and the performance area will be administered by the combination of a 3 person board and the chamber of commerce, I hope that is not a recipe for disaster. The intent is for musical and theatrical acts to use the area, which it was used in the years past. Actually Betty Davis had an east coast opening of one of movies screened in the Opera House (I don't think anything like that will happen again). Thanks for the comments, any more would be helpfull. This is what it looked like in 1908 and what it looked like at the end of construction in 2008.

 

[derekleffew]

This Cinema Treasures | Littleton Opera House venue?

Interesting reading at Denied:1up! Software () :

... Opera House Article

Article 14 asks voters to raise $10,000 for 300 seats for the opera house and $20,000 for a stage curtain.

The article stems from a jettisoned $600,000 bond article to move the town offices back into the opera house. Because of the economy and a current favorable town office lease agreement, selectmen on Jan. 22 took it off the warrant.

Craigie said Article 14 was never disclosed or discussed at the Jan. 18 bond and budget hearing and is therefore not legal.

Jim Alden of the Littleton Area Chamber of Commerce called Craigie's argument "an obstruction to keep us from moving forward."

Connell said the article was approved by town counsel and the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration.

Some people were concerned that the opera house needs more renovations and no one knows exactly what and how much it will cost.

"We just got done spending $1.5 million to stabilize and restore this building but still don't have a comprehensive plan," Jan Edick said.

Others voiced support of the article.

"If we don't have something as elementary as chairs, the performance venue is useless and won't make a cent for another year," Alison Bolt said.

Steve Kelly, an Opera House Committee member, said the $30,000 would be money well spent.

Craigie's motion to amend the $30,000 figure to $0 was defeated.

 

[MPowers]

$10,000 for 300 seats and $20,000 for a new curtain??? What are these people smoking and where are they getting their $$ figures? $10K will barely pay for 300 samsonite folding chairs. As for the curtain, I sell and install curtains. I can provide an IFR Charisma velour 24' tall and 60' wide for under $10K.

They spent $1.5 million to restore the building, but couldn't come up with a couple thousand to have a consultant give theim direction and guidence? I STRONGLY urge you to convince them to hire a consultant. If a letter to the board from an outside person would be of any help let me know, contact me at work, [email protected].

I still think you are over obsessing about the back wall, but a new black 22oz Encore panel to hang in front of it, say 25' high x 50' wide, webbing ties, pipe pocket or chain, should cost you $3K to $5K at most, from someone like Limelight 1-800-243-4950
(tel 1-413-243-4950 / fax 1-413-243-4993) Contact Information for Limelight Productions, Lee, Massachusetts from just outside of Boston. I'm in Des Moines Iowa, my air fare to come visit would cost you big time. I'm not affiliated with them in anyway, I just know they're a good company in your area. They could also steer you to a good consultant in your area. Hope this helps.

Michael Powers, Project Manager, ETCP Certified Rigger - Theatre
Central Lighting & Equipment Inc. Des Moines, Iowa, Central Lighting & Equipment

 

[museav]

Definitely an interesting project. Apparently the renovation that has already occurred was initially started knowing they didn't have the money for what was estimated but predicated upon the assumption that it could be done for less than was estimated, mostly by reducing the scope of the renovation. And even the full scope estimated did not include renovating the performance venue portion. It appears that as a result the building renovation performed was completed with little or no consideration for the impact on the performance venue. At the same time, there was a public vote to establish a management commission for the opera house after which the town commission decided to have the Chamber of Commerce manage the performance venue, creating a conflict between their action and what had been voted on by the residents.

Reading the articles online it seems that they approved $1.5 million to renovate part of the building with the intention to house a museum, town offices and possibly the police. But it seems that the museum backed out, the police say the building could not properly serve their needs and moved into other space and just last month the approval for the additional $600,000 necessary to move the town offices into the renovated space was removed from the ballot and apparently the lease for their current space will be renewed.

Thus it seems they spent $1.5 million to renovate a building for which the originally envisioned usage is no longer applicable. I read in one report where fairly recently someone "suggested to the board they create a committee to formally study the building and present a report to the selectmen on proposed uses and tenants in the building." to which the response was that there is already an Opera House Committee charged with that very task. However, the last posted Meeting Minutes for an Opera House Committee were from December 3, 2008. I think that developing a plan is the first step before throwing any more money at the building. And apparently, so does the town leadership.

The January 22, 2010 Board of Selectmen approved Meeting minutes stated

Opera House Furnishings
Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate up to the sum of $30,000 (thirty thousand dollars) to purchase furnishings for the Opera House (performing venue) within the Littleton Town Building as follows:
300 seats $10,000
One New Stage Curtain $20,000
$30,000
Tax Impact, 2010: $0.038
Recommended by Selectmen: 3-0
Connell then advised the Board of Selectmen regarding the separate warrant article for the Opera House Venue for chairs and curtains in the amount $30,000. Mary Edick asked if they had everything in place for the use of this because she had heard that there is no exit left you can only exit right. Connell said that is an adjustment that will have to be made until there is someone there managing it. Connell reiterated that this warrant must be posted on Monday. The selectmen agreed 3-0 to support this article.

However immediately above that in the Meeting Minutes are the following comments

In response to the continuing controversy over the currently proposed $600,000.00 bond issue for Opera House renovations, I would like to propose the following approach:
No further Opera House bonds will be presented to the public until the following conditions are met:
- A Select Board -appointed committee creates a formal and complete utilization and maintenance plan for 100% of the space in the Opera House. This plan should include an estimate of revenues, and expense projections based on the planned utilization.
- The same committee or a subset thereof will then do a formal and complete financial estimate of all further modifications and renovations necessary to make the Opera House fully and completely functional according to the its above proposed use. It should be understood that this would constitute the ultimate and final estimate of additional renovations needed.
- The committee will hold public information sessions on the results of each work effort prior to presenting any additional and final request for a bond issue.
- I believe that this approach will address the issues of incomplete planning and open-ended requests or funding that are of concern to the majority of Littleton's citizens.
Connell told Mary that this is outside the purpose of our meeting today. It needs to be addressed but not at this meeting. Connell said he agrees with Mary's points in getting the actual costs. The selectmen agreed 3-0 to remove this article.

Ignoring the irony of a statement regarding "incomplete planning" and the need to do complete planning prior any funding immediately proceeding a request for funding for something that does not seem fully researched or planned, it does look like the goal may be to develop a more thorough plan and vision for the space prior to any major funding or commitments.

 

[Footer]

Interesting minutes there. I think the city council is on the right track. You can pitch little bits of money at it all day long, but until one person grabs it buy the horns and does it, nothing is going to get done.

In my hometown they have a vaudeville house that has been sitting empty for 30 years. Finally, one person decided to spear head it and essentially take it over and do the renovation.

In Marietta, GA there was a theatre which was going through the same thing. It almost went bankrupt twice during the renovation. It was not until they kicked out the commitee that was running it and got one person in there who could not only go out into the public and get more funding but also knew what he was doing with that funding to get the thing done. They came within 2 weeks of going under right at the end of the project. Things onstage were cut at the last minute. However, the house and lobby got completed and the stage space was done with exception for the planned automated rigging.

I would highly advise that you not push to get money to get the larger projects done. Right now you are in the band-aid stage. The problem with the band-aid stage is that you end up spending money on stuff that is just going to get ripped out when you do the renovation for real. You will be wasting money on something that won't do what you want it to do. It also makes the money pit worse. People don't like their money spent putting band-aids on the problem. Since you are being brought in as essentially the technical consultant, you can begin the discussion of how the space is going to be utilized. If you don't push it with the people currently, you run the risk of losing the whatever public support you have left. If it gets out that the theatre is a complete money pit, you might as well burn the place to the ground because its never going to become anything.

 

[SHARYNF]

What I have seen also happen in these cases is that the municipality gives out a Minimal lease payment (sometimes as low as 1 dollar a year) to a non profit that then takes over and raises the money, and takes responsibility (sometimes even getting a grant from the Municipality. This gets it out of the committee, and all the assembly issues. Otherwise these type of projects tend to death spiral. It becomes what is sometimes called "land of the walking dead" no one is willing to kill the project, but no one is willing to revive the project

Shayrn

 

[museav]

In Marietta, GA there was a theatre which was going through the same thing. It almost went bankrupt twice during the renovation. It was not until they kicked out the commitee that was running it and got one person in there who could not only go out into the public and get more funding but also knew what he was doing with that funding to get the thing done. They came within 2 weeks of going under right at the end of the project. Things onstage were cut at the last minute. However, the house and lobby got completed and the stage space was done with exception for the planned automated rigging.

Without naming names, if you're talking about the old cinema located on the corner of the Square (not the 'Theatre on the Square'), then a good example. Based on some comments I heard from architectural and consulting firms that had dealings with them early on in the project, they seemed more interested in having a 'cause' for they and their friends than with the result. The effort seemed to more about some people having something to do with their friends than in trying to create a logical result. Multiple times I tried contacting the "friends of" group asking for help to try to become involved in some way, including offering to donate some consulting services, but I never received any response.

 

[venuetech]

Finding a theatrical consultant should be one of the very first steps to take.
He can help you and the chamber develop a plan that fits the community and user needs.
The lack of a consultant thus far is directly reflected in the "incomplete planning" and frustration that has become a stumbling block in the operations of the building.

One thing that you could do would be to look for other historic and/or municipal venues in your region. arrange a tour of the similar spaces. Look at the operations of those facilitys who are the users, what is the administrative structure? what are the needs of the typical user. how can your stage support those needs. what are the benefits of having such an attraction on main street.

 

[Footer]

Without naming names, if you're talking about the old cinema located on the corner of the Square (not the 'Theatre on the Square'), then a good example. Based on some comments I heard from architectural and consulting firms that had dealings with them early on in the project, they seemed more interested in having a 'cause' for they and their friends than with the result. The effort seemed to more about some people having something to do with their friends than in trying to create a logical result. Multiple times I tried contacting the "friends of" group asking for help to try to become involved in some way, including offering to donate some consulting services, but I never received any response.

It turned out to be a pretty decent space. The guy who took over rules it with an iron fist to keep people coming in and keep the place running. Had he not taken over, the space would still be empty. They did cut some corners in the end, but last I heard they were surviving fairly well.

 

[MPowers]

I just came across this note from a consultant in the Illinois area. Sounds like 300 seats for the shipping. Don't know if they'll work in your space, but it might be worth looking at.

Subject: 300 seats
From: Bill Conner <[email protected]>

A client has approx 300 theatre chairs they will dump if no one wants
them in a week or so. American beam mount. Southern Illinois area.
Email me off list and I will send photos and contact information. As
they describe them, mostly just dusty but otherwise in good shape.

Bill Conner ASTC

Michael Powers, Project Manager, ETCP Certified Rigger - Theatre
Central Lighting & Equipment Inc., Des Moines, Iowa Central Lighting & Equipment