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By JANET COOK
News staff writer
June 7, 2006
The Columbia Center for the Arts handled
a capacity crowd with panache on Sunday at the grand opening for the
facility, which houses the Columbia Art Gallery and Hood River’s
performing arts company, CAST.
The gallery has been open for several months, but the event was the
unveiling of the facility’s long-awaited theater, and it did not
disappoint.
“There isn’t a bad seat in the house,” said Judie Hanel, outgoing
executive director of Columbia Arts, during a speech in the new
theater. “The sight lines are wonderful. This rivals anything in
Portland.”
Dancers from the
Columbia Gorge Dance Academy perform in the new theater.
The theater can seat 142, plus about 10
more in folding chairs at the side of the stage depending on the
production. The theater is also equipped with a video player and will
soon have a pull-down screen for films and presentations. For events
where the stage can be used for seating, fire code allows for a
capacity of 225.
For CAST president Jim Bull, the theater and the self-contained sound
booth are a long-awaited dream.
“The ‘sound booth’ in the old theater was just a space hung beneath
the rafters,” Bull said. It was open to the theater so anyone working
in it had to whisper. CAST has been homeless since they lost the lease
on their previous space on Fourth Street in 2003.
Mary Fassel, a member of CAST who
helped design and construct the new theater at Columbia Center for the
Arts, shows off the sound booth to Polly Schoonmaker
at Sunday’s grand opening.
During her speech, Hanel thanked the
many people who have been involved in the project since its inception.
The first of those was Jack Mills, who arranged to buy the building
from the American Legion and hold it until Columbia Arts could raise
money to purchase it.
“It was indeed scary,” Hanel said, recalling the prospect of launching
a massive capital campaign. “We didn’t know if we could raise that
much money.” Well-organized community fund-raisers, including a single
auction in 2004 that brought in a stunning $197,000, plus grants
allowed Columbia Arts to purchase the building and proceed with
demolition and reconstruction in record time.
Hanel also applauded the more than 500 volunteers who helped create
the new center.
Outgoing executive
director Judie Hanel applauds the community and those involved in the
center’s creation.
“We did not pay to have the building
demolished,” Hanel said. “It was all volunteer-driven.” The former
Legion Hall was gutted and rebuilt, including being brought up to
safety and ADA codes.
Glass master Peter
McGrain’s “Marina” is on display
in the center’s gallery.
“You’re sitting and standing in that
building today,” Hanel said. “Talk about a dream come true.”
Hanel also thanked local businesses that donated labor and products to
the center, including Scott Sorensen Construction, Agersea
Construction, Cathy Orfall Interiors and Schock Welding, which donated
all the steel and welding work in the entire building.
After Hanel’s speech, Glenn Taylor
offered a tribute to Hanel herself, who helped found CAST in the
1970s.
“A lot of credit goes to a lot of people,” Taylor said, “but Judie has
been the constant spark behind this project.” The crowd gave Hanel a
standing ovation. Through tears, she said, “On with the show.”
And that is exactly what will happen. The first production in the new
theater, Stephen Sondheim’s “Side by Side by Sondheim,” directed by
Mark Steighner, is set for July.
Pennies and Small Change performs in the
center’s lobby.
The Columbia Art Gallery’s current show,
“Glass Month in the Gorge,” features an intriguing array of glass art
from six nationally and internationally acclaimed glass masters.
In keeping with its mission, the new Columbia Center for the Arts will
also host classes and presentations related to the arts, as well as be
available to rent for community events.
Hanel summed it up.
“One of my favorite quotes is ‘Creating is the greatest proof of being
alive,’” she said. “I think we’ve all created something wonderful that
will live on in our community.” |
