Shhhh, we're still in the quiet phase, but we wanted you to know....
The Concord Players have teamed up with 51 Walden and the
Orchestra and Band to raise some much-needed funds for our home on
Walden Street.
Our building here at 51 Walden started its life in 1887 as an
Armory to house a pair of cannons given to the town by the
Governor. It was used by local military companies for over 30
years.
In 1919 the Players started using the building for performances.
In 1920 it was designated the Veterans Building and we shared it for
more than 50 years with other users, including the American Legion, the
Red Cross, the town for large meetings and for offices, a youth center
and even a dog training club!
During this 50 years of multi-use it was threatened with
demolition many times over and in the early 1970s with a new threat of
demolition looming, the Players and the Concord Orchestra got together
and petitioned the town to let them take over the running and
maintenance of the building as a performing arts center under the aegis
of the Friends of the Performing Arts in Concord or FOPAC (which was
re-named 51 Walden a few years ago). The Concord Band joined a
couple years later.
In the 1970s, after its first capital campaign, which raised over
$220K, the dance studio and shop were added, as well as the sound
system and acoustical tiles over the music stage.
In 2004, after 80 years of use, the stage was in need of a
serious upgrade. So a second major capital campaign was undertaken and
$240K was raised to create the beautiful stage and greenroom we have
now.
Well, the old girl is creaking again and she's in need of some
TLC. So the board of 51 Walden in conjunction with the three resident
groups have decided to embark on a third major capital campaign that
we're calling Access 51, and it's for three key initiatives: to make our
facilities more accessible to folks with mobility issues; to do
something about the ventilation in the building to make the space more
comfortable for everyone who comes here in the warm months; and to
create some padding for future access to the performing arts in
Concord.
For the first and most immediate need, we are purchasing a
portable lift that will give access to the drama and music stages. The
access ramp outside and its doorway will be upgraded to meet current
code. The handicap bathroom off the lobby will be enlarged to better
accommodate wheelchairs, and a bi-level water fountain will be added to
the lobby. We're also going to connect the bathrooms to the town's
sewer.
The next phase will be the overhauling of the ventilation system,
making it more comfortable for audiences and performers in fall and
spring months and setting some infrastructure in place for future HVAC
improvements.
And the last pot of funds will be for future projects, such as a
need to replace the roof, or other major expenses an old building like
this might need.
Our goal to make all of this happen is $500K. Yes, it's
ambitious, but we have a plan in place that involves major donors, local
businesses, grants, special events, and smaller initiatives that allow
everyone to participate to help keep our beloved building
operating.
We are still in the quiet phase of the campaign, and we'll be
doing a soft opening in November and a larger kick-off in January. I
wanted to tell you now, as we kick off our season, that you'll be seeing
more about this in the coming days. We'll be doing mailings and making
calls, but also having some fun events to help in the effort. There is
more info up on the 51 Walden website
PLAYERS NEWS
The Savoyard Light Opera Company presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel this November in Carlisle. Carousel was an adaptation of Ferenc Molnar's play Liliom. The
cast features Concord Players members Tom Frates as Billy Bigelow,
Lonnie Powell as Enoch Snow, Connell Benn as Nettie Fowler, and John
Small as the Starkeeper/Dr. Seldon. The cast also includes Players Emily
Chapman, Margaret Healey and John Saul. Carousel runs November 11, 12,
18 & 19. Please visit our website for show times and ticket
info: savoyardlightopera
