Published: September 04, 2008 01:27 am      

CITY OF LOCKPORT: Palace Theatre seeks community support

Artistic Director Chris Parada said the Historic Palace Theatre doesn’t have a single owner, but instead a lot of them.

“It’s owned by the community,” he said. “Most people don’t think of it that way.”

Purchased in 2003 by the not-for-profit group, Historic Palace Theatre Inc., the theater runs on ticket sales from shows, movies and whatever help it gets from the community. The Palace is run by a volunteer board of directors, and constantly faces financial troubles. Now the Palace has a chance for a grant and is looking to the community for some help.

The Palace is having a “Kenan Grant Challenge,” where, if the theater is able to raise $60,000 by Dec. 31, the Kenan Foundation will give the Palace a $75,000 grant. Parada said the money would be used for improvements needed throughout the Palace, including an electrical upgrade and new carpeting for the mezzanine. The bathrooms would also be redone, and be made handicap-accessible.

The success of the challenge, and the Palace itself, is dependent on community involvement.

“The big thing is support,” Parada said. “Whether it’s coming to shows or a donation, or helping out any way is how the theater survives.”

He added that the support could come in any form, even in volunteering. Helping out keeps the Palace from having to spend money to get something done that a volunteer could handle. In the past, the theater had to raise money, and donations to the Palace mostly came in the form of $5 or small amounts.

The Palace has already begun the drive with a “Picnic at the Palace,” an event that included bands and a Chiavetta’s chicken barbecue. Local artist Joe Whalen painted a picture of the Palace and sold 50 signed prints of it to help raise money, as well. But the biggest fundraiser is the seat campaign, in which donors can pay $250 for a floor level seat or $100 for a balcony seat. A plaque with their name on it is put on a random seat for 10 years.

There are about 1,200 seats in the Palace. The seats could bring in a lot of money for the Palace’s drive, Parada said: If every seat were sold, the theater would be in great shape in the challenge.

In the future, the Palace will have a talent show, “Mark Twain Live with Mike Randall,” a Shania Twain tribute band, “Stoogefest,” “Diva by Diva: A Celebration of Women,” Mike Randall as Charles Dickens in “A Christmas Carol” and a Christmas concert with the American Legion Band of the Tonawandas. All of the events will help toward the $60,000 goal.

Some people may have the wrong idea that the Palace has a lot of money, Parada said. But the Palace lives day to day, and a lot of the money made at performances has already been spent for either movies or the rights to perform a play or musical.

Board vice president Phil Czarnecki said there’s always work to be done at the Palace. Past contributions from the community, through support or grants from organizations, have made certain improvement possible. Some of them include new doors and a new heating and air conditioning unit.

“It always a work in progress,” he said. “It’s an old building.”

The seat campaign started last week, and already donations are coming in. Board secretary Jeanine Shaw said one person sent a donation along with the original number off the back of one of the seats. The person had their first date with their spouse at the Palace and took the number off the seat.

“It was cute,” Shaw said.

The Palace’s 2008-09 season starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday with the play, “Noises Off.” Season tickets are also available. The Palace is also offering five theater classes this season. But part of the Palace’s charm is the history, Parada said.

“It’s a real treat,” he said.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.