SHELBURNE FALLS — A renovation of the town theater is expected to begin mid-2020.
The renovation will be the hall’s first in nearly 25 years, when the space was revamped and a group established, the Memorial Hall Association, to run programs for the public. The theater now offers events throughout the year including movies, theater and music. The group was given rights to live-stream New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 2009, which it screens about 20 weekends a year.
In a study completed this month, architects projected the renovation would cost $600,000. Current plans include improving seats, floors, lights, heating and cooling, and installing a bathroom backstage. The state of the seats in the hall, viewed widely as aging and uncomfortable, was one cause for the renovation, Memorial Hall Association Board of Directors President Jessica Murrow said Thursday.
The renovation will also prompt a need to build an elevator to the stage.
To pay for the renovation, the non-profit responsible for the theater, the Memorial Hall Association, has requested $150,000 from the town in three annual installments – $50,000 every year for three years – from the town of Shelburne. The association plans to raise the remaining amount itself, hiring a grant writer and a fundraiser to pursue funding.
While Murrow expected some residents may question the need to renovate the hall, she said it is vital to invest in art. Murrow hopes the improvements will encourage residents to attend more events, she said.
Also, work is expected to reduce the costs of renting the theater to performance groups, which is currently high due in part to its inefficient heating system, Murrow said.
“I want more people to be exposed to art,” Murrow said. “Theater is very important for humanity.”
While there are many steps ahead – securing town money, raising other funds, finalizing designs, procuring contractors – Murrow expects work to begin in summer next year.