Theater curtain to rise again

The Huntington Beach Playhouse has a 45-year history, but rising rents at its Central Park Library Theatre location have threatened to make it a thing of the past. As a handful of passionate supporters, including a former city mayor, asked the Huntington Beach City Council to find a way to save the cultural institution, the council voted unanimously Monday to have staff accept for negotiation a proposal to preserve it for three more years.

The proposal which will now be hammered out into a contract is one sent by the playhouse board of directors to the council, asking for a $60,000-per-year lease at the library. Last year’s price tag was closer to $100,000.

The issue brought former Huntington Beach mayor Al Coen to the public comment podium for the first time since he left the council.

“I remember walking through the mud into their barn [a previous location] 38 years ago to sit in the round watching their plays,” he said. “I’m disturbed there has been no movement forward to enable the playhouse to remain in its present situation or to fund some alternative facility.”

Those associated with the theater said they have done what they could to pay increasing costs but need help.

“I’ve worked in theater for the past 61 years, and 38 of them have been at the Huntington Beach Playhouse,” said Kent Johnson. “This is the best community theater in Orange County, but there isn’t a theater around that can survive without community support.”

Johnson, who recently directed “Little Shop of Horrors” for the playhouse, said costs were rising rapidly, starting with the price of lumber to build a set. Despite reusing set pieces and balancing expensive, guaranteed-hit plays with royalty-free old favorites, the theater can- not sustain itself alone, he said.

The playhouse is paying more rent than any other similar community theater in the entire country, said Joe Syiek, marketing and fundraising director for the playhouse.

“We contributed $100,000 to library funds last year,” he said. “We’re subsidizing it.”

Councilwoman Cathy Green said $60,000 per year was plenty to ask for.

“It would give them three years,” she said. “Then they can find another theater which will fit them perfectly and move them toward downtown.”

Some council members expressed concerns about giving the playhouse a financial break forever.

Councilwoman Jill Hardy said the city should revisit the issue before the lease is up to avoid being stuck in the same situation again.

“It’s important to me that there is a time limit on this,” she said. “We should look at this again, probably in two years, so we have time to find a solution.”

Once details of the contract are worked out, the council will vote on a budget amendment to pay for it. But Hardy said in an interview that she expected few bumps in the road after this point.

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