Calabasas, CHS should have a better theater




Calabasas, CHS should have
a better theater


Recently I attended a wonderful performance of "Into the Woods" at the Calabasas High School Theatre. Just before the play started, a tall person came and sat directly in front of me. I still enjoyed the play, although I had to keep peeking to the right and left of the tall guy to see most of the action. A couple of scenes, which were played downstage with the actors seated on the floor, escaped my view entirely. At least I heard the delightful dialogue and the fabulous musical accompaniment by the CHS pit band, in spite of the less than fabulous acoustics in the theater.


The acoustics could stand some improvement, but the seats are horrible. They are uncomfortable and ought to be tiered so that everyone can see what is happening on stage. Instead, the audience is crammed into banquet chairs, all on one level, in a seating situation that is unworthy of the fantastic productions presented at CHS.


At intermission, there is no real lobby. Instead, at the back of the seating area, there is just a small space where audience members squish together. If you manage to escape from the crowd soon enough and leave by the side door, you might catch a glimpse of an actor darting from the "theater" (really an assembly hall with a stage) to the "dressing room" (really a classroom).


With all the excellent work done by the teachers, students and parents, Calabasas High should have a much better place for its performances.


I have heard that some day the school district will build a real theater on the CHS campus and that it could take at least 10 years. Meanwhile, the city of Calabasas has offered its citizens a beautiful plot of land behind the Commons so that we can build a theater. What we citizens have to do is raise the money.


The space will probably accommodate a moderately-sized theater with about 350 seats. We would still have to have six to seven performances of each play, but at least the new theater will have a lobby with an art gallery, dressing rooms and probably even a green room. Best of all, it will have fixed, tiered seating so that even short people can enjoy the show.


Public schools, music and dance schools, adult and children’s theater groups and visiting professional performers would all be able to use our community theater.


Anyone interested in helping to make such a theater a reality can log onto www.SpotlightTheArts.org or call (818) 725-2978.


Stephanie Cooper


Calabasas



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *