Vandalism
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Topic: Vandalism
Posted By: Linda S
Subject: Vandalism
Date Posted: 11/27/07 at 10:29am
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Our little theater that bare eeks out an existance was vandalized over the Thanksgiving weekend. Almost all of the windows were broken. 8 fire extinguishers were set off. Cans of black paint were thrown over the set and the seats. Two sofas were set on fire. The set for the upcoming show was extensively damaged. On top of that the light board, sound board and follow spot were thrown out of the booth to the floor ten feet below. It was just heart breaking. We hardly knew where to start.
Then the people showed up. They came with mops and shop vacs and power tools and in a matter of hours the place was starting to look like a theater instead of a bomb site. There were people helping who I had never seen before: the boy scout troop, neighbors, friends of friends and people from the community who before had only come to see shows. Every community theater in the southern part of the state area has offered assistance of every kind. Through shear determination it looks like the christmas musical will open on Thursday.
There has been real community support for the theater for the last couple of days. The good news is the tickets are selling like hot cakes!
Linda
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Replies:
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 11/27/07 at 11:23am
Linda I am so sorry to hear about the damage done to your theatre. It's not even my theatre and the story has left me with wet eyes. After our recent losses due to flooding I understand what a stab to the heart this is to see "our house" hurt. I am glad that you are part of a community that cares and is willing to help. You shall be in our prayers.
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Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse
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Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 11/27/07 at 11:29am
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Linda, what is the name of your theater and where are you at?
I tell ya, It makes my heart ache... As Patrick said, it was bad when nature took so much away from us this year, but to have people do something like that on purpose?.... You would wish this on no one at no time.. But, dosn't it make you feel grand that people come out of the woodwork to help?
As we go into our hell week for Little shop, the flood damage is nearly all repaired (hopefully there will be a full set of toilets in by tonight). By the time the show closes we will have a full 19 weeks invested in the show and the flood repairs.
As tragic as it was and as much as I cried when I first saw the devistation, I can truly say after all the work to come back, that it has shown me a lot about our community and our theater.
There are people in our theater that have given every spare hour they could to the work.. and there are those who I haven't even seen since the August 21st when the flood waters filled our building... But at least, now, I know who to count on...
There have been many examples of kindness from our community as well.. A lot of people asking what we need, making donations etc. Just last night, some men from the Elks Club came by our rehearsal and told us that they were donating 100 tickets to thier New Years party as a potential fund raiser toward our recovery.
The loss of building use has been hard.. the loss of phisical plant assets have tested our metal and our bladers... the loss of furniure, appliances etc has been cost us. But, as we mentioned before, we (by a fluke of timing on another project) saved all of our important pictures and documents. In many ways I see a blessing.. and I thank God and all of those who have stepped in to help us.
Linda, our thoughts and prayers are with you and please, don't be afraid to let folks here know if there is stuff you need.. One of us might have it in our surplus...
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Marty W
"Till next we trod the boards.."
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Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 11/27/07 at 11:57am
Linda, Patrick found some news articles on your theater... I live in Ohio now, but as a boy in New England, I spent many wonderful days on Sebago Lake....
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Marty W
"Till next we trod the boards.."
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Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 11/27/07 at 1:57pm
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Wrecking the set of a Christmas show? Somebody's got some karmic issues to deal with. It's hard to imagine a bright side, but the first thought that came to my mind was that at least they didn't burn your theater down. Hope everything works out for you!
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 11/27/07 at 4:04pm
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Thanks Patrick, Marty and Jayzher. We are in Standish, Maine right at the end of Sebago Lake. The theater is a wonderful old schoolhouse tucked in among the trees off the street. Beautiful, but unfortunately no one can see the theater from the street. The vandals had to have been in the building for a long time to do the damage they did. They must have felt very safe that far off the road. As of this morning "Little Women" is still set to open on Thursday. The building is a little rough, but the set is pretty much back together.
Linda
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Posted By: acmeactor
Date Posted: 11/27/07 at 4:10pm
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Linda is there anything we can do to help? A fund for donations to help with the equipment damaged, or anything?
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 11/27/07 at 5:18pm
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Thanks for the offer. That is so generous. Right now the board is trying to sift through what is going to be covered by insurance and what isn't. Right now it appears that all the equipment will be covered by insurance and the rest with elbow grease. . . Just heard that the local flooring guy stopped by and is going to repair the hardwood floors that were covered with paint.
Linda
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Posted By: Aimee
Date Posted: 11/27/07 at 9:26pm
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My heart just dropped as I read on. I know how angry I get when we have small acts of vandalism from non theater students. I can hardly believe someone would intentionally destroy so much.
On the plus side you have a wonderful community right there to help you out when you need it most. Best of luck on your show. Be sure to let us know how it goes!
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Aimee
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Posted By: Nanette
Date Posted: 11/27/07 at 10:02pm
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My heart goes out to you and your theatre.
I've never been able to comprehended why people distroy things ... of what purpose is it?! It's bad enough when nature does it to us, but for another human being to do it ...
Please let us know what you might need. We don't have much, but would be willing to share what we have.
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In a world of margarine, be butter!
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Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 11/28/07 at 2:34am
S'truth Linda this gets right up my nose!
I'd like to follow the others & offer any help!
One big hiccup is I'm too far away, it would tahe a lot more than a cut lunch & water bag to get there.
Having sat on the bench at court for a number of years, even if these
drongos are brought to book, they will end up with a slap on the wrist
& possibly a homily? Which only invites them to be heros to thier
mates & do it all again.
At best they might get community service &/or a fine. which dosen't
help your theatre, as the CS is usualy on some mind numbing work,
of value to only a Local Council or other. Not at your theatre or if
the court gave the fines to your group would help.
Me I'd force the twirps to make good the damage themselves, but the
blrrding hearts in society would scuffer that idea - Pillary the waly's!
I only hope your insurance pays out the full loss claim, which is a
ridiculous, I would imagine by the time you get any benefit, the valvue
of the payout, would have deminished anyway.
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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}
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Posted By: TonyDi
Date Posted: 11/28/07 at 7:46am
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Joe I think you have a GREAT idea - community service for the yahoos who did such a mindless act. BUT community service REBUILDING, CLEANING, PAINTING, etc, etc. in the theater for a YEAR perhaps as restitution for this unnecessary crime. THAT way they either work FOR the theater or they go to the slammer. That way you get a small crew of built-in workers who HAVE to do it or they pay the piper so to speak.
I AM so sorry this happened. I recall MANY MANY years ago we had some theft once (someone forgot to lock the doors - sad that we have to)...but insurance took care of it....they took sound equipment. But it's a sinking feeling because you feel so violated and view the heinous, pointlessness of it. Certainly it has to be someone who just has a twisted sense of or lack of any decency whatsoever. And thank goodness for the kind hearts of people who care and offer help when you need it the most. What a delightful outcome from such a senseless crime. I mean who did they hurt? They'll get theirs in return - there's this thing I have always relied upon and I've never ever seen it to fail - and that's KARMA. "What goes around, comes around". And while you may never find out who did it, rest in the knowledge that they'll pay for it somehow, someday.
Good luck and break a leg with your opening.
TonyDi
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"Almost famous"
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Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 11/28/07 at 7:47am
Linda, If you would please post the web address of your playhouse. I found it with a simple search but didn't think it was my place to post it. The pictures of the damage made my blood boil and eyes water, but the picture of the scouts scrubbing the floor made my heart sing.
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Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 11/28/07 at 9:50am
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Thank you everyone. This is the link to the website. I didn't realize that pictures had been posted on the site. The outpouring of generosity and good wishes has been overwhelming.
Linda
http://schoolhousearts.org/vandalized.html - http://schoolhousearts.org/vandalized.html
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Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Date Posted: 11/28/07 at 12:30pm
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Hi Linda, I have chatted with you in the past but didn't realize you were in Standish, Maine!
(While I am in North Carolina now), my family hometown where I grew up is right next door in North Windham! In fact, my wife and I go camping in Maine every Summer, and this August when went through Standish and ate at TJ's Deli after seeing the covered bridge. I had no idea there was a theatre in Standish!
We'll have to stop in next Summer. I'll try to pack every inch of my mini-van with spotlights, curtains, and stuff that I can donate to you guys. Sorry to hear about the destruction...but maybe we can turn things around for the better...!
Break a leg, Dana
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Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 11/28/07 at 1:27pm
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Hi Dana,
What a small world. When you are at TJ's you can walk to the theater! The entrance is 100 yards down Rte 115 on the left. Like I said, you can't see it from the road!
If you do get a chance to stop in next summer that would be great. I'm directing the summer show "Into The Woods" in July. We open the weekend after the 4th and run for 3 weeks. I think after that will be the youth ensemble doing Shakespeare.
Thanks for the kind thoughts and generosity.
Linda
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Posted By: Lima
Date Posted: 11/28/07 at 9:51pm
I have to say, I about died when I read that they threw your LIGHT AND SOUND BOARDS off a ten foot drop.
I take it you had to borrow new ones? That's just awful. Not that the rest of it isn't awful, but light boards are *expensive*. Who would just destroy something like a theater?
I really hope you guys manage to have an awesome opening night, though, with a massive audience. I'm sure you'll absolutely dazzling.
Sorry there's not anything I can offer- I'm down South ):
(PS- If I ever found the vandals, I'd probably hit them repeatedly with the heaviest prop/ smallest flat/ biggest paint bucket I found. Perhaps all three.)
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 11/28/07 at 10:03pm
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Actually a very talented, 17 year old, technical wizard spent the weekend putting the light board back together. Then he rewrote all the cues. He says all he is missing is some sliders. We have had multiple offers for the loan of light boards, but he wants to use that one. I think it is his way of not letting the vandals win. We do have another light board standing by just in case. I think he fixed the sound board too. Neither one of them look too pretty, and I'm sure they aren't function at full capacity. He is a very talented kid, but he did say the followspot is toast though.
Linda
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Posted By: totoks
Date Posted: 11/29/07 at 10:34pm
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Linda: I have been trying to put on a play about a location called Shenandoah and instead I have been pre-occupied by a playhouse in a location call Standish, Maine. I am not a professional, not do I have a background in theatre, however, my heart goes out to you and I feel I now have a better appreciation of what your loss is. what is it that makes man's inhumanity to man cause him to destroy beauty. Is it because he cannot create such beauty and, therefore, must destory it to validate his existance? And what does it say about our society that will just give a slap on the wrist because they cannot quantify the monetary value of what was destroyed?
Linda: good luck and, hopefully, this will draw more community attention to your playhouse.
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theatre... [t]he natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster. (from "Shakespeare In Love")
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Posted By: eveharrington
Date Posted: 11/30/07 at 12:10am
I can't believe the sheer pointlessness of the destruction in those photos. At least when a vandal scrawls some ignorant phrasing on the wall you have and idea WHY, or better yet who. It's disgusting what has happened there and I hope you'll get some small comfort from knowing that the old adage, what goes around comes around, is true. It's being proven right now by your community giving their time and effort to you as I'm sure you've given it to them over the years.
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"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."
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Posted By: neilfortin
Date Posted: 11/30/07 at 9:59am
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LindaS....from Hanson, MA....(and our theater which is set WAYYYY back into the woods) we are thinking of you and wish you the best. If there anything we need...were down the coast at least. Jeez, makes me want to padlock everything we own, which isn't that much!!! Our hearts out to you and yours...throw it back in their face, good luck with Little Women!!!!
Neil
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Community Theater makes us smile
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Posted By: neilfortin
Date Posted: 11/30/07 at 10:02am
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LindaS....from Hanson, MA....(and our theater which is set WAYYYY back into the woods) we are thinking of you and wish you the best. If there anything we need...were down the coast at least. Jeez, makes me want to padlock everything we own, which isn't that much!!! Our hearts out to you and yours...throw it back in their face, good luck with Little Women!!!!
Neil
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Community Theater makes us smile
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 11/30/07 at 2:06pm
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Thank you Neil. Investing in padlocks isn't a bad idea. The rooms at the The Schoolhouse with padlocks were the ones that didn't have any damage: the prop room, costume room and office.
Invitational Dress was last night, except for all the boarded up windows, no one would know that anything had happened. Tech week and cleaning and repair of the building have been on going on side by side for 6 days. Everything went as smoothly as most dress rehearsals go. Everyone is looking looking forward to a good run. The energy is focused around getting it done.
Linda
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Posted By: neilfortin
Date Posted: 11/30/07 at 3:52pm
Thats what we like to hear!!!
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Community Theater makes us smile
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Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 12/03/07 at 8:49am
Well, How was the opening weekend?
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Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 12/03/07 at 12:31pm
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The play went very well. The houses were full, but not sold out. The technical glitches from dress got cleaned up, and the bangd up light board continues to work much to everyone's amazement. We had some wickedly cold weather this weekend, and the rooms with the boarded up windows were a little cold. Thank goodness there are no windows in the theater, so it was warm enough. The houses for next weekend look good too. Thank you so much for your interest and concern. It really means a lot.
Linda
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 12/14/07 at 1:33pm
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Thought I would let you know, they have arrested 2 kids and charged them vandalism and attempted arson. The big surprise was how young they were. I don't have specifics just that they were very young. Thank you everyone for the support and well wishes. Despite everything the show was a success.
Linda
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Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Date Posted: 12/26/07 at 3:01pm
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Hi Linda, I saw the news story on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKFkvKijPGI - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKFkvKijPGI
I'm glad they caught the kids, and I'm glad your show was a success.
Please post the dimensions of all your curtains and height of all your battens. I have a few slightly used black legs and borders that I could donate...if they will fit. I also have a white scrim from my old theatre that is too small so I have not used in the new space for 5 years. It could use a good home too.
Happy New Year, Dana
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Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 12/26/07 at 4:09pm
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Dana,
What a wonderful, generous offer. I spoke with the president of the board,(He is the guy in the video clip you saw trying to repair the scrim.) He is going to get the dimensions. I will make sure you get them. Thank you so much.
Happy New Year.
Linda
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Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Date Posted: 1/28/08 at 4:37pm
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Hi Linda, I got permission to donate our scrim to your theatre! It's a sharkstooth white scrim 18'9" high by 44" wide and it has no rips. (It doesn't fit in our new theatre so I haven't used it lately). I hope the size will be compatable with your space.
By the way, I gave your vandalism story to the editor of Stage Directions Magazine for a possible human interest article, so you may be hearing from him soon. I hope you don't mind. Maybe you'll get a little more assistance from the arts community at large.
See you in August. -Dana
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Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 1/29/08 at 8:43am
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Hi Dana,
Thank you! Thank you so much! As you might have seen from the video, the scrim was extensively damaged and is no longer usable. This is is a very welcome donation. I just spoke with the president of the board and he is overwhelmed. We are looking forward to seeing you in August.
Thank you also for the contacting Stage Directions. I let Paul know about that too. It is just wonderful how people from all over are supporting our little theater.
The boys who did the damage are looking at going to trial soon.
I will private message you my contact info, so you can call me when you get to Maine this summer.
Thank you again for your generosity. You made my day.
Linda
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Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Date Posted: 6/24/08 at 10:46am
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Hi Linda, we are vacationing in Maine during the week of July 14th, so I hope to attend "Into the Woods" at your theatre!
I am prepared to donate the scrim as well as enough muslin to cover 3 dozen flats. I was going to bring this stuff up in our mini-van in July, but if you could use any of it now as you prepare for "Woods", I am willing to ship it out to you today by UPS.
Let me know. -Dana
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Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 6/24/08 at 4:32pm
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Hi Dana,
I am so glad that you are going to be able to see Into The Woods. It is coming along great. Thank you so much for the donation of the scrim, and the muslin is an added bonus. We won't be needing it for this production so don't worry about shipping it. Please let me know what day you are planning on coming and how many tickets. It will be my honor to have you as my guest. I am looking forward to meeting you.
Linda
An update on the progress of the recovery of the vandalism: Most visible damage has been taken care off. All of the windows have been replaced and a security has been installed. Curtains that were damaged have been repaired. We have estimates for replacing the light board and sound equipment and that will be the next big expense. Everyone has been so supportive and generous that we are just overwhelmed.
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Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Date Posted: 7/21/08 at 5:42pm
Linda, thanks for the tour of your theatre, it was very cool!
And to everyone else out there in "theatre-land": I recommend you drop in on this little community theatre if you ever find yourself travelling near Standish, Maine.
The place is incredible! The theatre is built inside an antique wooden 3-story high school! The look and feel of the old building really sets the stage for an interesting little "found space" for actors. They created a proscenium stage with stadium seating inside the old gymasium, which is down in the basement. The giant classrooms upstairs are used for their green room, costume shop, black box rehearsal space, and dance room. The "lobby" has high windows and is furnished with lots of antique chairs - awaiting the next period play to appear in.
The buiding must be at least 100 years old, with interesting wooden door frames...and amazing pressed tin ceilings! I bet every artsy-fartsy coffee shop in America would kill for all the cool pressed tin ceilings found throughout this school building! And the height of the ceilings must be about 12 or 14 feet! One room still had a 30' long chalkboard. The floors have creeky wide planks of hardwood. Lots of character! This entire building would make a great location for a walking murder mystery dinner theatre production!
Anyway, by the luck of Murphy's Law of Theatre, after travelling to Maine from North Carolina, I did not get to see Linda's production of "Into the Woods" after all! Friday night the village of Standish was plastered by a violent and deadly thunderstorm with 80 mile an hour winds. We saw a giant barn that had collapsed and lots of tree limbs on top of cars. The power to the region was knocked out at 5:00 pm...and she had a 7:30 curtain!
It was rough. But she was nice enough to give me, and my wife and baby Jack, a tour of the entire facility by flashlight!!! That made the place seem even more interesting! The afternoon was very exciting, as the actors arrived one by one to the darkened theatre, each with stories of dodging downed power lines and such.
I was not able to see the play, but what I saw of the set, (in the dark), was very creative and imaginative! They had a fragmentary forest made of cut-away flats that were very well designed and painted. And there were two revolving wagons with different scenes on each side. These used 2-dimensional and 3-D elements to save space. For example, the seat of a small chair was attached to a flat, and the remainder of the chair was painted on to match.
Their coolest idea was to make ingenious use of an existing doorway in the wall of the old gymnasium. For some reason, lost to history, there is an old doorway floating on the second floor wall of the gym! So they designed a tall castle turret next to the proscenium arch. That way, the actresses could enter directly into the top of the turret through this old door, without having to climb a ladder.
It's a shame that this theatre was vandalized. Because this troup was already putting on plays with some antiquated lighting and sound gear in the first place. I hope some of you other theatre directors across the country can do what you can to send them support in some way.
What they really need is a new sound mixer and a new dimmer board...both of which were damaged when vandals through them off the booth platform. However, since these systems will need all kinds of matching cables, modules and distribution, then rather than "hand-me-down" items, maybe cash donations would be the best way to go on these.
Linda, thanks again for giving us a backstage tour, especially during such a chaotic afternoon! We camp in Maine every Summer, so I'll start squirrelling away some cool tech gear for our next trip! And hopefully the weather will allow me to actually see one your productions next time...
Break a leg, Dana
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Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 7/29/08 at 2:01pm
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Hi Dana,
The show closed this weekend. I am tired, but very happy with how everything turned out. I could have done without the storm that canceled the show, but all in all a success. We played to great houses for the rest of our run, so it didn't hurt us too badly. Thank you so much for stopping by the theater. I was so pleased to meet you, your wife and baby Jack. You are right it was chaotic afternoon. I was delighted to step away for a bit and show you our little theater.
Please be in touch. I am anxious for you to actually see a show when you visit next year. Here is the link to the photos for Into the Woods. They are the good, the bad and the ugly, but most are pretty good.
http://www.demetri-photographic.com/Shows/IntoTheWoodsShow/ - http://www.demetri-photographic.com/Shows/IntoTheWoodsShow/
Thanks again for the scrim and the muslin. If there is ever anything I can do for you. Just let me know.
Linda
http://www.demetri-photographic.com/Shows/IntoTheWoodsShow/index_4.htm#75 -
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Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Date Posted: 6/09/10 at 11:27am
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Hello Linda! It's been two years! Are you still on this forum? How is the Schoolhouse Theatre going since that vandalism?
I'm visiting Maine again this Summer and I'm bringing along lots more stuff to donate to your theatre. I've got an old intercom headset system, a bunch of gobos, some velour fabric and cyclorama remnants!
What is your production schedule for the first week of August?
Thanks, Dana
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Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School
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