Capital
Campaign
::
Theater Project
An extraordinary
opportunity exists for an investment that benefits children,
establishes an acknowledged legacy in the arts and enriches
the community in general.
click on one of the links
below for more information on:
● The
Case Statement
●
Article on the New Ralston High School Performing Arts Center
Reprinted from The Nebraska Municipal Review – June 2005
By Lynn Marienau
Ralston citizens
and students saw a production of Les Miserables at the
grand opening this spring of the new Ralston Performing Arts
Center, a project on which the city and school district worked
together.
“It was a great
community project,” said Ralston Mayor Don Groesser, who
participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This was an
opportunity for the city and the school district to work
together in a good, cooperative relationship and do something
good for both entities.”
The center,
described as a state-of-the-art theater, was part of a $25.7
million bond issue passed in 2001 to renovate the high school.
The interior fittings of the high school’s theater, including
seats, curtains and lighting and sound equipment, which cost
about $750,000, were not financed through the bond issue,
according to Gloria Goodwin, Development Director of Ralston
Schools Foundation.
Goodwin said the
school foundation asked the city to contribute money for the
theater’s fittings based on the concept that the facility is not
only used by the school, but by the community as a whole. For
example, she said, Ralston’s senior citizens enjoy discounted
tickets to performances and the Ralston Community Theater uses
the facility during the summer and is planning to do the Midwest
premier of Aida in the facility.
Mayor Groesser and
the Ralston City Council agreed to provide $60,000 a year from
local Keno funds for five years for the theater’s capital
campaign project.
“It’s a worthwhile
project from the city’s standpoint to have something in the
community that we can all use,” Groesser said. “And, you never
know, a future mayor might be up there on stage.”
The city’s
donation, Goodwin said, was significant and helped make the
fundraising campaign a success.
“I really
appreciate the fact that Mayor Groesser and the city council are
visionary enough to understand how this enriches the entire
community,” she said.
Goodwin said the
new performing arts center is “light years” beyond the old
theater, which she characterized as “horribly decrepit.” The
seats, she said, were falling apart and there was no orchestra
pit, which meant they had to place plywood on the side of the
theater for the musicians.
The new theater
has allowed them to increase their seating capacity from 400 to
600. It has a completely computerized lighting system with
robotics, a full-fledged orchestra pit and a complete fly system
that allows for scenery to be dropped from the ceiling. The
theater has five clusters of speakers and 16 wireless
microphones, a scene shop and two dressing rooms – one for boys
and one for girls. The new theater also has a jellyfish remote
control sound system, which, Goodwin said, makes sure every word
and every note is heard. The only other similar sound system
will be in the Holland Performing Arts Center downtown.
Besides theatrical
productions, Goodwin said, they plan to hold many types of
events at the performing arts center, including music recitals,
meetings and seminars.
“We’re just very
proud of the outcome of this effort and hope that it is enjoyed
by Ralston folks for many years to come.”
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