Herein Lies A Tale

Anonymoose has left a new comment on your post "This One Is Entertaining":

Oh dear, I obviously was not clear. When I said "get over it with the museum" I was referring to the comment made by the previous commentor who said "Bring our museum back to us.".

My apologies. When I said museum you thought I was talking about Petch House rather than.... well.... the museum.


Regarding Theater Aurora, I find it interesting how in the same paragraph you can say "The town provides a building and takes care of the exterior." and "In their entire history, they have never requested a sponsorship." Do I really have to spell out how contradictory these two statements are?

The irony of course is doubled when considering how bitterly you objected to renting the old hydro building to DND, who actually will be paying real money rather than simply providing 'magic'. To be consistent you should be lobbying to give the boot to Theater Aurora. I mean after all, how many people do you think could be employed and how much tax would the town be able to collect if we sold that land and turned it back into a factory. Not to mention the windfall of cash we would get for the sale.

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I know you're there Evalina. It's you who needs to get over it. I never understood why a person possesssed of such hostility  wanted to be a member of Aurora Council.It's still not apparent.

Let's consider how the town came to possess a little theatre with all the  necessary accoutrements.

The building was constructed at the beginning of Regency Acres subdivision.  Consolidated Building , contemplated an industrial area  alongside  Sterling Drug factory. A small block structire was built on spec.

By the time we arrived  in the second phase of the residential subdivision the building  was still vacant. Subsequently it was occupied by a cement molding plant for a few months before it was vacated once again

The property was acquired. The new owner processed plans for the town house development. Ownership  changed hands again, except for the little block building. $5K  taxes were owed on the property.

A deal was  offered to  the town. The building  was offered for use by Aurora Theatre in return for taxes owing. Owner had allowed Theatre group to store stage props and such in the building.

I went in once. It was a  macabre scene. Theatre stuff was  heaped in the centre, surrounded by mounds of  mis-shapen   hardened  or broken concrete. Birds had invaded through broken windows, swooping  and cheeping  and dropping all over the place.

Until then, Theatre Aurora had, by the grace of St. Andrew's College, been able to mount many excellent plays and musicals in their theatre.   The company built parts of sets  in home basements all over town, and put them together on the night of dress rehearsal on  stage at St. Andrew's..

The town accepted the deal. The owner  threw in a couple of hundred chairs . An L.I.P.grant was available.

Penciled plans were created over a week-end.  An application made. $21K was obtained. Within weeks, a stage was constructed, dressing rooms behind, a lobby in front, washrooms at the side and a  control room  where it needed to be.

Excitement was at fever pitch. You have to be a player  to understand what it means to have your own dedicated space for a theatre. Aurora had a dedicated theatre community. That shabby little factory building  was a dream come true.

It has undergone many changes since.  Shabby  orange  stage curtains were salvaged dirt cheap from someplace in the city. The floor was eventually ramped and  theatre chairs obtained. Lighting was purchased.Over the years a real  theatre took shape. Paid for by  proceeds from various productions  requiring thousands of   hours of stagecraft by dedicated actors,actresses,directors,producers,costume designers, set builders , all volunteers.

Thousands of hours of entertainment provided to theatre- going Aurorans.   Actors and actresses trod the boards whose light might  never otherwise  have had an opportunity to shine were it not for a  shabby little shack lovingly crafted  into a  jewel of a theatre.

In terms of dollars, it cost the town little.  Our culture was enriched many times over.  

Theatre facilities have grown in York Region, mostly in schools. Gifted  young  people  are encouraged to think of  theatre as a  possible career.

It  started on  borrowed stages. Then in  small  spaces like the Curtain Club in Richmond Hill and  The Factory in Aurora.

It was a  light that could not be quenched .  Because of it, we are all the richer.