Posted: October 27, 2011
After ten years of planning and research, Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara is publicly launching its Ensemble at the New Vic capital campaign to completely renovate the 80-year old Victoria Community Hall at 33 West Victoria Street. This project will transform Victoria Hall into a modern, intimate, 300-seat theater that will become the permanent home for Ensemble. It will also complete the City's long-term vision for a downtown performing arts district to serve the broader arts community.
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| Derek A. Westen, Léni Fé Bland and Jonathan Fox |
Chaired by Léni Fé Bland and Derek A. Westen, the campaign is seeking $9.9 million for construction and planning-related expenses to completely renovate the interior of the building, and an additional $4.5 million for an endowment and reserves. The campaign has already raised $5.3 million, or 53.5% of the renovation goal. "I am excited at how far we've already come, and thrilled that we will be able to make such an important contribution to Santa Barbara's performing arts by finally providing an intimate, downtown theater," Mr. Westen said.
Campaign Co-Chair Léni Fé Bland has devoted herself to the project, explaining, "It has long been my dream that Santa Barbara have a beautiful theatre in the performing arts district, and that it would become the new home for Ensemble Theatre."
Ensemble's current facility, the Alhecama Theater, has served Ensemble well, but it is only held on a short-term lease, is too small, hidden from the public, and artistically limiting. The transformed New Vic will enable Ensemble to further raise the artistic quality of its work and transition into a nationally recognized company. "This is the reason I chose to come to Ensemble," said Jonathan Fox, Executive Artistic Director. "The quality of our facility will finally match the level of our artistic work. This theatre will give us the platform to further deepen the talent we bring to our stage."
"The New Vic will be a wonderful setting for Ensemble Theatre. It will make an invaluable contribution to the vibrancy of Santa Barbara's performing arts," said Michael and Anne Towbes.
At the New Vic, Ensemble will continue its youth-oriented programs and will be able to grow its main-stage productions into a broader scope of plays each season. With a larger stage and state-of-the-art lighting, sound and technical capabilities, the New Vic will provide expanded opportunities for more complex set designs and larger cast shows, as well as musicals and dance productions, that can attract top-notch performers.
Long ago the City of Santa Barbara identified the critical need for a comprehensive performing arts district consisting of large and medium-sized venues as well as a 300-seat theater, and identified Ensemble as the optimal owner and operator of the this facility. The Redevelopment Agency of Santa Barbara has made a $1,000,000 contribution to the project. "I am so pleased that Ensemble's New Vic campaign will at long last complete the City's performing arts district. I congratulate Ensemble on its terrific progress toward a project that will benefit all of Santa Barbara," said Mayor Helene Schneider.
The New Vic will be an exceptional, affordable venue for lectures, film, dance, chamber music, and other performing arts, complementing the other much larger venues in town. Ensemble's downtown presence will bolster the economic strength of the city's downtown and contribute to the cultural vitality of Santa Barbara. Simon Williams, Professor and Chair of the Department of Theater and Dance at UCSB remarked, "Moving into the new Victoria Theatre will be a tremendous boost for the company and we can expect to see from it professional theatre performances that will attract much larger audiences and help turn Santa Barbara into a Mecca for the live performing arts. The Victoria will offer a wonderful venue for UCSB-related events and performances."
The project has now received unanimous Historic Landmarks Committee Project Design Approval for some necessary changes to the exterior of the building that still preserve the look, feel, and charm of the "Old Vic." With the continued success of fundraising, construction is expected to begin in spring of 2012 and take 12 to 16 months to complete. "We have more than 50 dedicated community volunteers helping to raise funds for this project. We are working diligently to reach $8 million by early next year so we can break ground," said Westen.
Prominent donor tribute and naming opportunities are still available for the New Vic. For more information on the project, please contact the Ensemble Theatre development office at 805-965-5400 x105.
Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara was founded in 1979 and is celebrating its 32nd anniversary season. Under the leadership of Executive Artistic Director Jonathan Fox, Ensemble is Santa Barbara's longest-running, award-winning professional theatre company—the only Santa Barbara professional theatre that selects, designs, casts, directs, produces and presents its own productions.
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