Anyone who has been involved with Brunswick Little Theatre for any length of time has probably heard the question. "So where IS Brunswick Little Theatre?" We have lately had to answer that we were a traveling company of sorts, we performed in a variety of venues. Since moving out of our home in the Centennial Center in 2004, BLT shows have been hosted in a wide range of places. Our big summer musicals have been at Odell Williamson Auditorium and our free spring shows have been performed in Franklin Square Park, but otherwise we've moved around a lot performing in the Amuzu Theatre, the Brunswick Center at Southport, Playhouse 211, even the second floor of Southport's Town Hall. Our audiences have been wonderful about following us wherever we go, but it's been a challenge finding suitable spaces and then spreading the word about where we are for each show. We'll keep performing in Odell and Franklin Square Park, but the days of moving our smaller venue shows from place to place are coming to a close.
As of August 1, 2014, Brunswick Litttle Theatre has a new home.
We signed a six-month lease with an option to renew for six more months on the former Southport Christian School/Christian Alliance Church property at 8068 SE River Road, Southport. Perhaps you recognize it, it's on your right as you travel north on Rt. 133 between Southport and Sunny Point. Keep a look out, we'll have at least a temporary sign up soon.
This property is over three acres of land with three buildings (one large building in front and two smaller two-room former classroom buildings in back), a couple of sheds, a playground and ample parking.
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| Classroom building from the back of the main building |
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| Two buildings with two rooms a piece |
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| Playground :) |
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| Ample Parking |
The main building features a large room that used to be the church sanctuary and will serve as our performance space as well as several smaller office-type rooms, a spacious lobby area, a kitchen with two stoves and two sinks and lots of cabinet space, a couple of large closets and two large and one small bathrooms.The two building out back have identical floor plans with two large rooms apiece with closet space between them, a sink in each one and four more bathrooms.
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| The Big Room |
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| An Audience View :) |
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| The Kitchen |
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| The Lobby |
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| One of the "classrooms" in the back buildings |
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| It even has chalkboard for drawing blocking diagrams :) |
This property screams "POSSIBILITIES!!"
The first order of business is to build our stage in time for the August 15
Let's PLAY! Showcase. That will have the side benefit of opening up the possibility for
Steel Magnolias, our first show in this facility, to rehearse on their stage and set. With both the large performance space and four rooms in the buildings out back, we can now be rehearsing more than one production at a time with ease, while also providing workshops at the same time, all on one property. The main room can be used for fundraisers, parties, auditions, or any number of things. We have, thanks to the generosity and quick action of several in the BLT family, 150 very comfortable theater armchairs than can be put out and taken up as needed. We now have storage for all the things a theater needs to operate.We are very pleased.
We are also a bit overwhelmed. This is a very large property, both in acreage and interior square footage. We have lot's of bathrooms now, which is great, but they all need to be cleaned. There is mowing and sweeping and vacuuming and dusting to be done. The stage must be built and seating arranged. There is a lot of mundane upkeep required, and we will need the help and buy-in of the entire BLT family to make this work.
We also now have more regular bills than BLT is used to having, We are responsible for utilities as well as rent, and the outfitting of this space to make it what it needs to be will not come cheaply (we would really like someone to step up and sponsor a new sign for the front yard for one thing). You can help with a
donation of money or time, we need it now more than ever. We hope to be hosting some fun fundraisers soon, please keep an eye out and participate when you can. Come to see our shows in the new Brunswick Little Theatre, beginning with
Steel Magnolias October 17-19 and 24-26, mark your calenders now!
Another benefit of this new space, and a requirement if it is to work to its full potential, is that we can put on more shows each season than we have in the recent past. We need
directors to submit proposals (the board will be reviewing proposals at its August and September meetings), and actors and tech crew to make the magic happen. And our family has to grow. We need to reach out and include more of our neighbors and friends in the joy of live community theater.
Brunswick Little Theatre is entering some exciting times. The sky is the limit. Join us, and together we'll FLY.
TAKE A COOL VIRTUAL TOUR ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE HERE!!!!!
