Colony May Join Local Theater Scene in 1997

For most theaters, the holiday season works like an intermission, coming between the struggles of the first act and, one hopes, the happy denouement of the second. That seems particularly true in the case of some prominent Valley theaters, and one potential newcomer, which might join the cast in 1997.

The possible new kid on the block is the highly regarded Colony Theatre, an Actors’ Equity 99-seat-plan theater, which has held forth on Riverside Drive in the Silver Lake district for many years.

The Colony has been known for inventive productions such as Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451,” classy revivals and highly honored original plays, including entries in Otis Guernsey’s annual “Best Plays of the Year.”

The Colony planned to step up to a larger space and a larger Equity contract, and there were rumors for a while that they might find a home in Glendale. But things have changed and it looks as though they will move to Burbank’s Media City Center in a 5-year-old building at the corner of Cypress Avenue and Third Street that formerly housed a branch of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.

The Colony’s artistic director, Barbara Beckley, explained that negotiations with the Burbank Department of Parks and Recreation, which controls the building, and the Burbank City Council, have been going on for almost a year.

The council seems agreeable at this point, she said, and the project has been placed in the hands of an architectural firm. The firm is designing a 299-seat theater that will be constructed in the building, and shortly will submit plans and specifications to be put out for bids.

Of course, the City Council’s final decision to authorize funding is yet to come, but Beckley and the Colony are optimistic. Negotiations are also underway to iron out the final contract with Parks and Rec as to whom will be the primary tenant of the building.

The Colony wants to operate the building and present its full season of plays, but also provide time, space and equipment for the building’s use by other Burbank arts groups, such as the Burbank Chorale, the Burbank Civic Light Opera and the Burbank Symphony.

“We’ve agreed conceptually and philosophically on everything,” Beckley says. “Now we’re down to negotiating the actual deal. We’ll run the facility, but we’ll provide support for these other groups. It will be, in fact, a community performing arts center.”

Mary Alvord, director of Burbank Parks and Recreation, is just as optimistic about the prospects.

“We’re probably within a month and a half of knowing where the negotiations stand,” Alvord says. “If we bring the Colony over, it’s a win-win situation, because they already have a following and are very prestigious. We’re very excited about trying to work it out with them. It’s almost as though this use of the building is meant to be. It’s a good blend with the Media City Center, and there are a lot of really positive things that can make this ideal.”

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While the Colony is working toward a new home, Interact Theatre Company is trying to stay in its present home on Hart Street in North Hollywood. That’s the group that produced the long-running “Counsellor-at-Law” a couple of years ago, and has another hit on its hands in Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods.”

The owners of Interact’s building, which used to house Theatre Exchange, decided to sell the building and open a theater back East. Interact had a choice: look for another location or buy the theater. They want to stay where they are, so they’re in the middle of a fund-raising campaign to take over the facility.

Leon Russom, Interact’s president, says they first mailed out brochures explaining that if each subscriber sent in $10, they could make the down payment. If each subscriber sent in $30, they could buy the building outright. Interact has received one-third of the total amount, and is now able to make the down payment. The company is forging ahead toward its goal of drumming up the full price.

The 50-member company is trying to raise the money itself, and has announced a special performance of “Into the Woods” at 7 p.m. Jan. 12 as a benefit for the purpose. Ticket prices for that one night only will be $100, and reservations may be made by calling the theater at (818) 773-7862 or (213) 466-1767.

“So far, we’ve only approached our subscribers and those people that our members could contact. It hasn’t yet been made a public thing. Some people have given us $1,000 checks, but the most gratifying thing is how many people have just sent us $10. They do add up.

“It means they are committed to helping us, which I find rather nice. I love the idea of them thinking it’s a sort of grass-roots thing that’s theirs.” Theater lovers imbued with the holiday spirit of giving may contact Russom at (818) 901-6988.

When the Northridge earthquake did its number on North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre, just a week before Actors Alley was to present its grand opening in that venue, it looked as though they might have to look for a new home. But theater folks don’t give up that easily.

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After several years of dealing with bureaucracies, Actors Alley managing director Bob Caine says reconstruction is finally underway in the Lankershim Boulevard theater.

Actors Alley has continued their seasons, first in a tent across the street, and now in a 99-seat plan space at the front of El Portal. Caine says they will probably produce two plays in the small space this year, but by fall should have the two theaters inside the big building ready, finally, for a grand opening.

“It’s moving,” Caine says. “We’re putting together a marketing plan, a subscription plan and all that stuff, so we can kick into gear probably in April or so. The opening looks definite this time, whether it’s September or October of 1997. Our construction projection calls for completion by the end of July. So I’m saying, all right, realistically it’ll be the end of August. But that’s a reasonable time frame.”

Another time frame is firming up around the corner from the El Portal on Magnolia Boulevard in NoHo, where the American Renegade Theatre hopes to build a large facility. Renegade artistic director David Cox has been fighting the usual battle with permits and estimates, but said Christmas would mark the end of all that.

“That means,” Cox says, “that the hammer should start falling the beginning of January. I’m hoping we’ll be open for the NoHo festival this summer, but we can’t really promise that. As the contractor said to me, ‘I’d rather play the stock market.’ ”

It looks as though this new year of 1997 might just be a banner year for Valley theater, and as David Cox said, “This whole area is going to fly.”