Auditorium stage being remodeled

As many of you know, Cleveland’s auditorium has supposedly been undergoing remodeling since August, yet the truth is that contractors haven’t even started to remodel the old stage and fix the electrical wires. It has left questions about when the auditorium will be ready to stage performances.
According to Tom Beckett, drama teacher, the improvements were scheduled to start in August, and should have been completed this month. Now, as the start date is unknown, the completion date is unknown as well. The result is the performing arts departments have had to alter their practice and performance schedules, which has created challenges to overcome.
Contractors have brought in wood and tools to begin work, but actual work has not taken place. Due to this, the only department to actually use the space has been choir, because the choir has put the risers in front of the stage.
“I think that with the choir performances there’s definitely some confusion now that we don’t have the stage, but since we have risers in the front we are able to do some performances, and I think it’s just as fun for the audience and there are a lot of other opportunities for us,” said Shayla Bailey, choir member.
The drama department put on LOL, a play produced by Cleveland juniors William Balmer and Jonah Leidigh, in the drama practice room. The play sold out each performance in accordance to safety regulations. Some theater patrons were turned away.
“See, we’ve been having to do those shows in the black box theater in our room, and they are so popular that they fill fast, but for the safety sake, we can’t cram more people in,” said Beckett.
With the auditorium out of commision still, LOL couldn’t be moved to make more space for people. Luckily, the theater department compromised and developed a system where you can pre-order tickets online to any play by going to their website, companyofwarriors.weebly.com.
In order to accommodate large crowds, the drama department is staging Night of Ashes Nov. 27-29 at the Winningstad Theater. The play is a prequel to the video game Hell’s Rebels.
The band department will hold its winter concert Dec. 7 at Warner Pacific College.