Welcome to the Great Adventure! A word from Gian Morelli
““Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable.””
With all of the distressing and structural changes to our world, I did not want to add to the cacophony of information before we had an understanding of what the future will hold for the performing arts industry. Although we still do not have a full grasp of the changes, progress has been made in a number of areas.
On March 14th our live performances were stopped. Since then, our cancelled events have been rescheduled, and our immediate and mid-term financial future has been secured. This leaves us in no imminent financial danger. But the loss of over 30 events this year, and ongoing uncertainty about the future is going to be a challenge, as we continually work to re-configure our business plan.
Your Columbia has been working with a consortium of performing arts centers throughout the Pacific Northwest to develop the protocols that will be necessary to re-open safely. Masks, hand sanitizer, reduced capacity, and socially distanced performances are among the many other variables we will encounter. But when allowed to re-open,we will be ready to resume bringing terrific performances to the Columbia Theatre stage.
With regard to the fall season: the planned 20/21 season that was to be announced in May went sideways with the pandemic. Spring turned into summer and with no break in Covid 19 cases, my optimism for a fall season has abated. As with many other arts and cultural organizations, we have decided to cancel in-person performances this fall. The logistics of chance and the fact that many artists are not touring this year has made this all but impossible to schedule.
But fear not! We are nothing if not creative and resilient. Energy will go into working on a variety of enjoyable live-streaming events. We ask your patience in this—but you will be the first to know as these events become available. If you are not on our email list, now would be a good time to get yourself on it! CLICK HERE or call 360.575.8499.
EXCITING CHANGES TO ENHANCE YOUR THEATRE EXPERIENCE.
We may not be open, but we are still working to preserve and enhance our beautiful Columbia Theatre. If you drive by the Columbia later this summer you will see a lot of construction activity. Let me share some of the highlights:
Exterior paint: The entire building is getting a long overdue fresh coat of paint.
The marquee: Some structural drainage and roofing work will be done on the marquee, and the vertical Columbia blade sign will be re-painted.
Donor recognition: We’re adding interior lobby signage to honor Kenneth Henderson.
Safety backstage: A stage lift is being installed backstage, and raised flooring will be installed in the basement shop.
Preserving the stage deck: The addition of a new rubberized dance floor (a “Marley”) to cover the stage deck and preserve it.
The most visible change: Replacement of the main entry doors with new wood and etched glass panels of a design taken from the Columbia Theatre circa 1930.
These improvements were made possible by the Public Facilities District funding which began with the completion of the air conditioning project in 2019. The wise use of these funds concludes portions of the 2009 renovation that were delayed.
FINALLY, SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH US.
With all the distancing, we want to check in with you and see if you have any questions or concerns about the changes coming to the Columbia. Please feel free to contact us at 360.423.1011 or email gmorelli@columbiatheatre.com.
Your Columbia Theatre has borne witness to some of the most extraordinary events in world history over the past 95 years. This is just another part of the American experience.
It is at times such as these that we are reminded of the importance the arts play in our lives. As an arts patron, please know that our commitment is to connect you to each other and to the enrichment that comes from theatre, music, performance, and education.
Welcome to this next Great Adventure!
Sincerely,
Gian Paul Morelli
Executive Director