How do you fit 150 theater companies into 10 theater
venues? The answer is, you don’t. But it’s a trick question.
The need for theater space in Portland is real. There are 150 theater companies and
fewer than ten real theater venues in Portland, and some of those don’t rent to
other companies. Now, we’ve all done
shows in the basement of a pizza parlor or in the backroom of a book store, but
we need real, grown-up theater space - with lights and sound, dressing rooms
and bathrooms, seats and a lobby. You
might be laughing, but these are things that companies will do without to get a
show produced.
The closing of Theater!Theatre! in June 2013, was
devastating to not only the companies left without a home, but to the entire
community. There were many theater
companies that used Theater!Theatre! on a regular basis (including 24 Hour Plays, Action/Adventure Theatre, Beat BangerZ, Black Tie Comedy
Troupe, Classic Greek Theatre, CoToP Theatre, Curious Comedy, Dance Naked
Productions, Fantastic Umbrella Factory, Fuse Theatre Ensemble, Hoofers &
Co., JANE a theater company, Jewish Theatre Collaborative, La Bodega Productions,
Lights Up! Productions, Miss Bee Haven, Inc., Nomadic Theatre Co., Northwest
Classical Theatre Co., Playback Theater, Portland Theatre Works, Profile, PSU
TASO, Public Playhouse, Pyrogen Productions, Renob Control, Sowelu, Staged!,
Stumptown Stages, The Phoenix Theatre Co., Theatre Vertigo, Traveling Lantern,
Twilight Repertory Theatre, PlayWrite, Inc., The Attic Institute, US Jesco, and
over two dozen teachers and individual artists). And the businesses in
the neighborhood are frightened as to how the closure will affect them because
a theater is more than just a place to see a show. It brings people together – they have dinner
before the show, dessert, maybe drinks after the show. During rehearsals the cast and crew get food
and supplies at the neighborhood businesses.
I swear that whenever I did a show at Theater!Theatre! I kept Zupan’s in
business all by myself.
The day I heard Theater!Theatre! was closing, I was driving
home, down 84, and I saw a “For Sale” sign on a building. On a whim, I went and looked. The building is nearly perfect for a new
theater venue. It is 10,000 square feet
(100 x 100), cement cinder block tilt-up construction with almost 30 foot ceilings. The business across the street has a big
parking lot and they have said we can use the lot outside of their business
hours. Tri-Met and MAX are ½ block
away. It’s right on the freeway (10
minutes from downtown). There are small
business districts 2 blocks on either side of the site with coffee shops,
restaurants and pubs. And even with the freeway and MAX directly
behind the building, because they are below street level the sound funnels up
and you can’t hear a thing in the building – soundproof! We have had several conversations with the
current owner of the building and he wants us to be the ones to purchase the
building, and is willing to give us some time between the point of making a down
payment and making the full purchase.
After we raise the money to purchase the building the current
owner/tenant will rent the space back from us for eight months (that is more
income for us) - he wants time to
relocate, and that gives us time to raise the money to rehab.
The new venue would have two performance spaces, a smaller
(flexible 50 seat) studio space, and a larger (100-150 seat) traditional
proscenium space. Each performance space
would have a dedicated rehearsal room. There
would be a separate classroom. Several
offices would be available for resident companies to rent and of course, lobby,
restrooms, dressing rooms, a scene shop and a costume shop (the last two of
which are nearly unheard of in most venues!).
AND the scene shop and both stages would be at street level for ease of
load in and set building.
There are two reasons we want to buy and own the building.
1.
If we own
the building we can keep the rents as low as possible. That way smaller companies can stay in
business. This is not a money making
venture for my company, JANE. We want
the rents to cover utilities, and to manage and maintain the building. And the venue will always be a performance venue.
2.
If we own the building it can never be turned
into anything else. We can avoid the
whole Theater!Theatre! tragedy.
I jumped into this project because I believe in it with my
whole heart and soul. I truly believe
this space is vital to JANE, the companies displaced by the closure of
Theater!Theatre!, and other small companies that are doing their best to
survive while dancing from venue to venue.
It is impossible to acquire, maintain and grow an audience and donor
base if you are peripatetic. This new
venue will give several companies the chance to grow and thrive, not to mention
the collaboration opportunities and audience cross-over.
The JANE board and I decided we would be glad to take on the
risk and responsibility of this project, and the venue when it is up and
running. I have 10 years of experience
in Commercial Property Management which included rehabbing buildings - I know how to do this. I’ve done it.
I am uniquely qualified to take on this project. I have 20 years of experience in theater and I have rehabbed and managed commercial
buildings.
The new venue will accommodate 6 resident companies
(including JANE), and also several one-time performances each year, including music concerts and an Indie Movie Night each month.
We have a couple of acting teachers that want to use the
classroom space on a regular basis.
And people have expressed interest in renting office space
as well.
JANE will also be taking Portland Theater Brigade under our
wing. Brigade is an acting program for
young people. They will be holding classes
in the classroom and performances on one of the stages (as well as performing
in schools reaching over 5000 students a year.)
Another revenue stream is the building itself. Because the back wall of the building is on
the freeway, there is a billboard company that wants to rent the wall
(somewhere between 3k and 5k a month).
SCORE!
As former Creative Director for IFCC, my fellow board member
Adrienne Flagg experienced more applicants for IFCC’s performance season that
they could accommodate and had an extensive wait list for short term users as
well. Portland Area Theatre Alliance
recognizes 150 theater producing entities, there are over 30 different improvisational
groups, and numerous unhoused dance and performance arts groups and
individuals. All vying for the same 10
theater venues. I know that we will
not have a problem filling the space with companies that will bring their
unique audience, who in turn will support other local businesses and bring
positive evening foot traffic to an underserved neighborhood.
This project is a win for JANE, the theater community and
Portland.
