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LCT board president Sheralyn Bolton signed paperwork
for closing on the property on Friday, December 1, and LCT board
members and supporters did a walk-through later in the day to
explore the space.
The LCT board plans to use the buildings as warehouse
space to store sets, props, costumes, and equipment. In all its
previous years, LCT has rented or borrowed warehouse space. The most
recent borrowed warehouse property was sold earlier this year and
LCT had to vacate the premises. Currently, all sets, props, and
costumes are being stored in rented semi-trailers.
The LCT board is excited to have a permanent space
for storage, but also a space to build sets for the summer theater
season and the possibility of hosting board meetings and potentially
even a box office for selling tickets. Bolton stated, “This building
gives us the space to create and store the worlds we bring to the
stage. By making this purchase, we are trusting that the people of
Lincoln want to continue to see theater thrive in our community.”
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LCT founding member and current
board member Tim Searby said, “It’s a blessing to have a space
to build and to keep it [the built set] if we want.” Bolton
added, “We can loan out to the high schools and we have a space
to keep things nice so others will want to borrow them.”
The building is not quite move-in ready. Lots of
cleaning and some repairs are necessary to create a safe and
storage-appropriate space. The board plans to rent a dumpster and
schedule workdays in the future to clear out debris left by previous
owners. The main building needs a roof inspection in addition to
floor repair, and the goal for the garage space is to pour a
concrete floor in place of the current dirt floor.
Bolton, who has also starred in numerous LCT theater
productions, expressed her gratitude for the community’s support
over the last 50 years and her hope that LCT will be able to
continue to produce high quality, affordable entertainment for many
years to come. The LCT board hopes investing in a physical space
will support this goal of providing opportunities for people of all
ages to participate in theater whether on stage, backstage,
sponsors, or in the audience.
In order to make repairs and necessary updates, such as the concrete
flooring, Lincoln Community Theater is announcing “LCT on Broadway!”
a cabaret fundraiser scheduled for February. The cabaret will
feature a dessert menu and performances of musical favorites by LCT
members directed by Tim Searby. More details will be available soon
on the LCT website at
https://www.lincolncommunity
theatre.org
and on social media.
Searby added, "I am thrilled LCT has a home for sets, costumes, and
props, but I am most thrilled that LCT is on Broadway!” Theater fans
will agree that there is no more appropriate location for a theater
facility than a street called Broadway.
[Stephanie Hall]
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