Staying on script will spell success for Balboa theater

We can picture it now.

The floodlights, the curtain calls, the standing ovations.

A vibrant and successful performing arts theater to entertain

residents of Newport Beach and beyond.

Problem is, while we are looking forward to the day in the

hopefully not-so-distant future that we’ll be able to purchase

tickets to a live show at the Balboa Performing Arts Theater,

formally known as the Balboa Cinema, we are not holding our

collective breaths.

Although, we are happy to report that this week that there is

reason to breathe just a bit easier.

In an announcement Wednesday, the theater’s foundation members set

their sights on a $2-million funding goal, installed Nancy Gardner as

new chairwoman and, most importantly, unveiled the plans for how the

construction of the theater would proceed.

The construction was the latest snag in this noble but drawn-out

$6.5-million project.

Planners have never found enough space for dressing rooms,

restrooms and office space, which were originally slated for the

basement area.

Because that area was below the water table, the construction

costs would have been astronomical and the project stalled. The

solution now is to add a second story for offices and restrooms and

an entertainment deck on top to woo prospective donors.

Also key are new rules in place for the foundation that call for

holding board elections every three years and undertaking an

independent audit of the organization every year.

This will go a long way in improving the foundation’s public image

and could bring in more fundraising dollars.

“This will not only be a project Newport Beach can be proud of,

but it will be an arts venue for all of Orange County,” Newport Beach

Mayor Steve Bromberg said at this week’s announcement.

We agree with his honor, but unfortunately, because of past

fundraising and planning snags, we feel like we’ve heard this all

before.

While we remain a bit skeptical, we are more than hopeful that

we’ll be buying those tickets very soon.