OSP raises the curtain on updated theater
Courtesy of Old Schoolhouse Players
This photo of a production from the 1990s shows the stage before a second tier was added. The old seats can also be seen.
Courtesy of Old Schoolhouse Players
Painting after making repairs to the ceiling was difficult, said OSP artistic director Cindy Berg, because the pink hue was difficult to match.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Little details, such as paint effects to mimic marble, were used to update the theater.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Renovations inside the Old Schoolhouse Players theater are nearly complete as they prepare for Opening Night of “Things My Mother Taught Me.”
The Bud Allison Auditorium, home of the Old Schoolhouse Players (OSP), is getting a literal floor-to-ceiling makeover just in time for opening weekend.
New seats upon new platforms, paint, carpeting, and a light booth will be ready in time for a Friday reopening.
“We’re blessed so many people came in to help,” said Cindy Berg, OSP artistic director. “Volunteerism is a powerful thing.”
With the closing of their holiday show, “A Winnie the Pooh Christmas Tail,” on Dec. 10, members got to work on extensive renovations of the theater, located inside the Mount Pleasant Township Community Center.
“A lot of people helped us tear down,” said Berg. “We sold the old seats, so we disassembled them and had them all stacked in 45 minutes.”
Painting the ceiling, however, was a much more time-consuming endeavor.
“We renting the scaffolding, so we had a deadline. But it took about a month plus another week of work,” said Berg, who did a large portion of the painting, changing the color from a hard-to-match pink to white. The art deco details of the space have been left intact.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
New seating with old-style details and a lighted strip for safety
Berg’s husband Wayne led the teams of volunteers who worked on the renovation, expected to total $65,000. OSP, which formed in 1992, collected donations and held fundraisers to cover the entire cost.
OSP rents the theater from the community center.
“They’ve allowed us to make a lot of renovations,” Wayne said.
The center, orginally Hickory High School, was built in 1914. In 1990, the unused building was purchased by Mount Pleasant Township for $1, and work began to convert it into a space for the community. Now, in addition to OSP, it houses a day care, offices for Intermediate Unit 1, dance and music classes, Western Pennsylvania Railroad Society, Mount Pleasant Township Historical Society, and an event space that can be rented.
“We’re grateful to be here, in a building that was saved from the wrecking ball,” said Berg.
Berg, a retired drama teacher from Canon-McMillan School District, said the board has been planning renovations for many years. The group had already replaced old drapes and added a second tier to the stage.
A campaign to replace audience seating was successful, and the new seats are wider, more comfortable, and are off-set, allowing for optimal viewing. When renovations are complete, the theater will be able to seat about 220 people.
OSP produces five to six shows a year. As artistic director, Berg assembles a list of possible productions for the season, keeping in mind what audiences want to see. Once it has been narrowed down, members vote on the final selection.
About 25 people are involved in smaller productions, while musicals involve 40 or more.
“We like to include at least one show with children, and this year we have two,” Berg said. “We like do shows that appeal to children, so families are able to see live theater affordably.”
Operating on box office sales, the theater has a tight budget, but Berg is proud of OSP’s product.
Natalie Reid Miller/Observer-Reporter
Natalie Reid Miller/Observer-Reporter
From left, Jack Okarma, Brian Kadlecik and Wayne Berg construct a platform in the Bud Allison Auditorium in Mount Pleasant Township Community Center.
“So many people think, ‘Oh, it’s only community theater.’ I used to tell students, ‘I don’t want to hear that it’s only a high school production. You give the best you can possibly give,'” she said. “We try to make it feel as professional as we can with our budget, and try to be very polished.”
The season starts with “Things My Mother Taught Me,” a new romantic comedy, that runs Friday through Sunday and March 23-25. Future productions include “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka,” “Shrek the Musical,” “Dearly Departed,” and “The Christmas Schooner.”
Final touches were being done in the theater early this week, but Berg was confident audiences would be pleased with all of the renovations.
“It’s been such a group effort,” she said. “We’re really proud of the results.”
The theater is located at 20 Wabash Ave., Hickory. For more information, visit www.osptheater.com/.