Durband’s Urban Update
by Donovan Durband on Aug.10, 2009, under Arts, City of Tucson, downtown
Beowulf Alley Theatre launches capital campaign for façade redo
Design of Beowulf Alley Theatre's new Facade.
A few weeks ago I noticed an appeal on Facebook from Beowulf Alley Theatre Company to contribute to its new capital campaign for façade renovation.
Always pleased to see Downtowners working to help themselves, I made a small donation to the cause through a program called “Cause”, and emailed Beth Dell, the Managing Director at Beowulf, to learn more.
It was clear that Dell wanted to be proactive, self-reliant, and to make Beowulf’s theatre, which occupies what was once the Johnny Gibson Gym Equipment Company, an attractive feature on 6th Avenue in Downtown. “A few weeks ago, I decided to go about this on my own because it’s really important to me to see us grow and cleaning up the front of the building for our 5th anniversary on 6th Avenue,” says Dell. “It would not only help us but will also make a difference in the Downtown appearance, too.”
Just today, a Facebook announcement from Ms. Dell confirms what she told me a few days ago, that Beowulf has been selected by the City of Tucson to receive a façade renovation matching grant. It seems that her and Beowulf’s initiative is being rewarded.
Last year, Beowulf was among eight semifinalists for funding from the Downtown Façade Improvement Program, but was not among the four selected for the first round of grants. Two projects are under construction through the program: The Screening Room marquee on Congress and the office building at the corner of Scott and Broadway. Also awarded grants: the Rialto Block project and the Wig O Rama building at Scott and Congress.
Dell was informed that one of the latter two projects has dropped out, leaving some funding available to Beowulf as a replacement project.
“I’d like to try to raise the full $10,000 to do the original façade plan,” she told me last week. “If I can do that, the Gibson’s (Johnny Gibson’s family, which still owns the building) seem willing to offer their original commitment of $15,000, and we have an in-kind commitment of $5,000. The City would match these dollars with $30,000, and our $60,000 renovation would make a huge difference in the outside appearance of the building as well as attract a whole lot more attention to help us grow and expand our service to the community.”
“I am not really good at making appeals but I am sure excited about this.”
Dell has raised just shy of $1,000 through the Facebook appeal and from a few others who didn’t want to contribute through the “Cause” page.
Dell seems giddy, grateful, and proud at the same time. “It’s almost as if we were meant to be here to have this phone call (with the news of the grant). We’ve spent the past season building many new programs and have more planned for the fall. Our commitment to the community is strong and many performing artists have benefited from our being here. We’ve doubled our season subscribers, had a huge increase in single ticket sales, added both youth and adult education classes, late night and lunchtime theatre programs and started a program for playwrights to have their plays read. This fall, our new season has many new local directors, actors and technicians added to our roster. All of this meets our mission of creating a community of theatre where our home-grown artists can come to create.”
Beowulf has a design for the refurbishment of its Art Deco-style façade, drawn up by local architect Bob Vint.
Beowulf’s 2009-2010 season features six productions, leading off with Seascape, by Edward Albee, September 26 to October 11. November brings Rabbit Hole, by David Lindsay-Abaire (November 7-22). Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love runs January 16-31, 2010, followed by Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage, by Jane Martin, February 27-March 14; Last of the Boys, by Steven Dietz, April 10-25; and The Vertical Hour, by David Hare, May 29-June 13.
Significant donations to the façade renovation campaign will receive 2 season tickets.
For more information on Beowulf’s programs and upcoming season, visit www.BeowulfAlley.org or call 520.622.4460 (administrative office), or 520.882.0555 (box office).
To contribute to the facade renovation campaign, go to Beowulf Alley Theatre Company’s “Causes” page on Facebook.
Beowulf Alley today, from near Broadway and 6th Avenue.
