ATHOL – After a seven year hiatus, the Main Street Stage Company is hoping for an encore at a new venue, the site of the former York Theater downtown. MSSC Artistic Director M.E. Kane told the Downtown Vitality Committee Tuesday night that one day when she drove by the Main Street building and saw the big red X sign indicating it was vacant, her thoughts turned to reviving the stage company, which was previously known as Athol Community Theater and last performed the play “Harvey.” The building is currently a tax held property.
Kane said there is renewed local interest in performances and envisions a professional theater company with a creative team and a production company. A home improvement contractor, Kane said she would like to renovate the space for a black box theater which can be filled with modular units, risers and stackable seating for flexible staging.
The building is not up to code and is labeled as abandoned, according to Kane who said she, Building Inspector Robert Legare and an engineer will take a tour inside to see if salvaging the space for public use is feasible. It must also follow the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Kane would like the town to acquire the building, which could take up to two years. Town Planner Eric Smith mentioned redevelopment grants and crowdfunding programs.
Kane will also request permission from Town Manager Shaun Suhoski to hold a formal kick off dinner in the Town Hall to introduce the revived Main Street Stage Company. The event, set in a “Downton Abbey” theme based on the popular television show, will be held around the first week of November.
Kane would like the stage company to produce two yearly shows. The first one, “Annie” would involve local school children, and the second, “Music Man,” to be performed at Fish Park.
Kane also plans to meet with Suhoski to reinstitute the Athol Performing Arts & Cultural Events committee with core members consisting of a set designer, box office manager, administrative support and outreach coordinator.
Kane said as the plans for the town fall into place, the Main Street Stage Company will continue to establish actions so that it will become available for direct contact.
In other business, Smith discussed the Massachusetts Vacant Storefront District Program and getting tax credit to help make improvements, creating a vacant storefront district, establishing a mission statement and business owner outreach. The committee agreed to keep the district within the downtown boundary. Smith will work on the application and report his findings at a later meeting.
Tree Warden Travis Knetchel said he asked for an additional $5,000 to $8,000 for Main Street trees and received $2,000. Knetchel plans to start planting them in the fall and said that amount should get about 10 to 12 trees, depending on the type. He is also looking into getting businesses to sponsor trees.
The next Downtown Vitality Committee meeting will be held September 17 at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall.