The Schenectady Light Opera Company’s Electric City presence hasn’t dimmed in over eight decades of theatrics, and a round of renovations is illuminating a bright future.
A variety of musical styles and subject matter round out SLOC’s upcoming 2012-13 theatrical season, which is its 86th offering. SLOC Business Manager Brett Putnam announced the five shows on Thursday, Feb. 2, which in order of performance includes “Next to Normal,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “The Sound of Music.” The season will conclude with “Sweet Charity.”
John Samatulski, spokesman for SLOC, also gave a tour of phase one renovations to the theater, which are nearly completed. There are two additional phases encompassing the $3.6 million project to renovate three historic buildings to create a modern performing arts center.
Start of a lasting performance
The non-profit community based theater company has deep roots dating back to 1926, but SLOC’s purchase of the former St. John the Baptist Church in April 2010 set the stage for a new path. The group was formerly at 826 State Street.
“It is a very exciting time, because in essence what you see is one of the oldest theater companies in the country kind of reinventing itself for the 21st century,” Samatulski said. “I think given the long history of producing musical theater has given the organization … wisdom. When we looked at this project we thought about the long term.”
Since hosting performances in the new theater for the 2011-12 season, ticket sales have increased more than 30 percent compared to the previous year, according to Samatulski.
“It has definitely been a good move for the organization. It has been a good move for the community,” Samatulski said. “We are just a block away from Proctors, surrounded by parking and three historic buildings.”
The first phase of renovations sought minimal improvements to utilize all three buildings, which involved converting the church into a theater, the rectory building into a theater annex and improving the school building to provide low-cost rental opportunities for educational and nonprofit organizations.
Even the minimal repair of replacing the sprinkler system cost $150,000 and seating platforms came in at $30,000, but Samatulski said now the vacant church and surrounding buildings are seeing a new life.
“There was some talk about making this whole thing a parking lot,” he said.
The education building is already hosting Northeast Ballet on the third floor, with the rooms decked out in wall-to-wall mirrors. The second floor holds over 20,000 costumes, but also serves as another performance area down the long hallway, which Samatulski dubbed “The Great Hall.” The original church pews line the corridor.
Part of the second phase of renovations is already underway, with the first floor of the education building being turned into a multi-use performance area. This area could also be used to host workshops or conferences.
Additional plans for phase two include constructing an outdoor stage in the courtyard garden with new landscaping. Also, the Franklin Street entrance is planned to have a new lobby to welcome guests.
Samatulski said it was important to move SLOC to downtown Schenectady to be attached to the rebirth of the city.
“We had made the strategic decision to move downtown and be a part of the arts and entertainment district,” he said. “(SLOC’s former building) did not have air conditioning, did not have adequate parking, had no handicap accessibility, so there were major issues with that building anyway.”
The final phase of the project will solidify the project as a model for other community arts developments and historic renovations, Samatulski said.
“The third and most ambitious phase we anticipate four to five years out — we are here for the long hall — is to build a new stage house,” Samatulski said.
The new stage house would be set back from the current stage, allowing SLOC to present a wider range of productions and events while respecting the historic architecture. New sound, lighting and rigging is also planned.
Without help from sponsors, donors and hundreds of volunteers, SLOC wouldn’t have been able to achieve its vision, Samatulski said. All of the members of the theater company are volunteers.
“It is very empowering and it is very encouraging,” he said, “people have continued to give time and time again … it is the theater company members that are really the core of what is happening here.”
New season for new digs
“This year we have decide to come together with five shows, all of which we are very excited to present for the next theatrical season,” Putnam said.
“Next to Normal” is a “very hot and new show” just off of Broadway, said Putnam, which will be its first major local production. The rock musical is set in modern suburbia and focuses on one family’s struggle with mental illness. Mike Mensching will direct the show, with performances on Oct. 12-14 and 18-21.
“Little Shop of Horrors” is SLOC’s youth show for the season, starting on Dec. 7, and it will feature budding actors along with a production group mostly comprised of peers.
“It is a great opportunity for SLOC to reach out to the youth of the area,” Putnam said. “Our youth productions have been very well received in the past and we continue that commitment.”
“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” directed by Mike Gatzendorfer, is a musical about two con men living on the French Riviera swindling women out of their money. A battle soon ensues, pitting the two men against each other to decide how much to leave the small French town. The show will be performed on Feb. 8-10 and 14-17.
The iconic musical “The Sound of Music” has performances on March 15-17 and 21-24, with Jeff Hocking and Becky Strait directing. The upcoming season will end with Richard Rowe directing the musical comedy “Sweet Charity,” with shows on May 10-12 and 16-19.
Tickets for the new season are on sale now and start at $18 a seat, and a season subscription with “good seating” for all five shows is $120. For information on the upcoming season and remaining shows of the current season, visit SLOC’s website at www.sloctheater.org. Performances are at its new location at 427 Franklin St. in downtown Schenectady.
“When you consider the high quality of our musicals, a season subscription is one of the best entertainment values in the region,” Kate Kaufman Burns, president of the SLOC Board of Directors, said. “We believe this season builds upon the initial success at our new location.”