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Leader calls theater community property
Opening night just weeks away
By NIKIE MAYO, News Editor
Coming off what he calls “a wild two weeks,” the new executive director of Turnage Theaters Foundation says he has a singular mission: To let people know that a piece of community property is about to make its long-awaited debut.
“The construction is right on the money and everything is really beautiful,” said Robert Chumbley, who has held his post all of 16 days. “I’ve never restored an existing theater — just started them from scratch — but this one is done right, and it’s almost ready to receive its community. This really is their theater.”
The foundation has had a stormy chapter recently, with former leader John Vogt being fired Aug. 14 and Chumbley being named to replace him almost immediately. But Chumbley says the only drama he is interested in is the kind that will soon make its way to the 1930s-era theater on Washington’s Main Street.
“The construction will be finished by mid- to late September and the opening gala is set for Nov. 23.,” he said. “We’ll have a marketing blitz going in a few weeks. ... We’re also working on our box office, because we believe people will want the full theater experience. They’ll want to go up to the window to purchase their ticket, touch it, feel it, see it.”
Chumbley is assuming his role as director on an interim basis. The terms of his contract have him sticking around until early January.
“After that, we’ll see what happens,” he said. “That’s largely up to the board.”
In the meantime, he has all the shows from Nov. 3 through Jan. 1 “solidly booked and contracted,” he said. But he isn’t offering any hints about what is to come after the gala, which involves artists from East Carolina University.
“We’ll certainly reveal that shortly,” he said during an interview at the Daily News office Friday.
What Chumbley will say is that “you’ll see a little bit of everything,” including classical, jazz and folk concerts, and certainly, “straight-up theater.”
“I really believe we have enough diversity here that we can speak to everyone,” he said, “And that’s what we want. We want people to feel comfortable, to understand that this is not an elitist thing, that it really does belong to the people who come to enjoy it. I mean, wow, this has been in the works 11 years.”
The restoration effort began in 1996. Since then, more than $2.5 million has been put toward rehabilitating the theater. In the second phase of the project, a 1913 Vaudeville stage will be revived.
But for now, Chumbley is focused on a successful opening night.
“Obviously, we want the theater full and we want a buzz,” he said.
Part of making sure the opening is successful is keeping ticket prices reasonable. Tickets will range from $12.50 for a child’s seat to $35 for the best seat in the house. And Chumbley says for his money, the best seats are the first two rows of the balcony.
“But really, anywhere here will be good because it’s an intimate space,” he said. “We just want people to be ready to enjoy themselves.”
community property
By NIKIE MAYO, News Editor
Coming off what he calls “a wild two weeks,” the new executive director of Turnage Theaters Foundation says he has a singular mission: To let people know that a piece of community property is about to make its long-awaited debut.
“The construction is right on the money and everything is really beautiful,” said Robert Chumbley, who has held his post all of 16 days. “I’ve never restored an existing theater — just started them from scratch — but this one is done right, and it’s almost ready to receive its community. This really is their theater.”
The foundation has had a stormy chapter recently, with former leader John Vogt being fired Aug. 14 and Chumbley being named to replace him almost immediately. But Chumbley says the only drama he is interested in is the kind that will soon make its way to the 1930s-era theater on Washington’s Main Street.
“The construction will be finished by mid- to late September and the opening gala is set for Nov. 23.,” he said. “We’ll have a marketing blitz going in a few weeks. ... We’re also working on our box office, because we believe people will want the full theater experience. They’ll want to go up to the window to purchase their ticket, touch it, feel it, see it.”
Chumbley is assuming his role as director on an interim basis. The terms of his contract have him sticking around until early January.
“After that, we’ll see what happens,” he said. “That’s largely up to the board.”
In the meantime, he has all the shows from Nov. 3 through Jan. 1 “solidly booked and contracted,” he said. But he isn’t offering any hints about what is to come after the gala, which involves artists from East Carolina University.
“We’ll certainly reveal that shortly,” he said during an interview at the Daily News office Friday.
What Chumbley will say is that “you’ll see a little bit of everything,” including classical, jazz and folk concerts, and certainly, “straight-up theater.”
“I really believe we have enough diversity here that we can speak to everyone,” he said, “And that’s what we want. We want people to feel comfortable, to understand that this is not an elitist thing, that it really does belong to the people who come to enjoy it. I mean, wow, this has been in the works 11 years.”
The restoration effort began in 1996. Since then, more than $2.5 million has been put toward rehabilitating the theater. In the second phase of the project, a 1913 Vaudeville stage will be revived.
But for now, Chumbley is focused on a successful opening night.
“Obviously, we want the theater full and we want a buzz,” he said.
Part of making sure the opening is successful is keeping ticket prices reasonable. Tickets will range from $12.50 for a child’s seat to $35 for the best seat in the house. And Chumbley says for his money, the best seats are the first two rows of the balcony.
“But really, anywhere here will be good because it’s an intimate space,” he said. “We just want people to be ready to enjoy themselves.”
community property
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tunne rat wrote on Jul 6, 2009 8:55 PM:
that is the biggest propganda word that every came out of butterfields and rino jones mouth in the past hundred years .
just 2 water boys for the obama socalist party , and a hand full of red necks that dont have a clue about whast they are talking about . "