Can Kaleidoscope Theatre in Lynn Haven raise enough money to rebuild?

Apr. 15—LYNN HAVEN — When Kaleidoscope Theatre members broke ground on reconstruction of the program's home facilities in November 2019, they expected to be hosting performances again by the autumn of 2020.

Now, they say they don't know when that dream might yet become a reality.

Formed in 1971 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, Kaleidoscope Theatre had mounted about 300 full-cast shows by autumn 2018, when Hurricane Michael arrived. At three shows a week for a three-weekend average run, that's at least 2,700 performances. And that doesn't include special events, summer camps and other functions the theater hosted.

Hurricane Michael damaged beyond repair the community theater's two buildings at 207 E. 24th St. in Lynn Haven on Oct. 10, 2018. But what the Kaleidoscope Board of Directors considered a good insurance payout, coupled with community donations, set them on course for an anticipated re-opening in mid-2020.

It's now spring 2021, and they still don't know when they might move into the new facility.

A lack of large performance venues in the area — the Marina Civic Center and the Martin Theatre downtown were both damaged by the storm and are yet to reopen — has meant using school auditoriums to stage plays in the interim, which has translated to fewer potential ticket sales. And ticket sales are the lifeblood of the volunteer organization.

Then came COVID-19.

"KT has come a long way over the last half a century by the grace of God and volunteers, but the challenge has never been greater," said Sandy Wilson, a co-founder of the theater. "Putting on plays is a challenge in good times. Having to find other places to perform and meeting COVID requirements and trying to tempt audiences to come back is making it almost overwhelming."

A lot of costs factor into every show a troupe puts on, whether it's a high school or college drama program, or an all-volunteer community theater. Royalties and music rental for a musical run between $6,000 and $10,000 for a standard run of nine performances, Wilson said. Non-musical royalties are around $1,250 per play.

Add to that the cost of costumes and set building.

"A non-musical show budget is usually between $2,500 and $3,500, including royalties, and a musical between $8,000 and $12,000, depending on how many costumes and how many set pieces are required," Wilson said.

The price of lumber has almost doubled since Hurricane Michael, Wilson added, which makes set construction even more costly.

"Set building time and cost depend on how complicated the set is," Wilson said. "A one-room or unit set built from scratch would take a work crew of 10 between six and 10 eight-hour days to build and paint. We always need volunteers to help with building. We can reuse set pieces that have been made sort of like Legos, but our set pieces are currently in storage."

The Mosley High School drama department let Kaleidoscope borrow enough pieces from the school's storage for a unit set for "The Amorous Ambassador," which Kaleidoscope presented in March. Mosley drama students and teacher Bruce Taws built the set on the Rutherford High School stage, and now volunteers have transformed that set for use in Kaleidoscope's current show, "Last of the Red Hot Lovers."

"It has been a life-saver for us," Wilson said.

According to Wilson, COVID-19 cleaning alone added between $400 and $1,200 each time a new user came into a rented venue for a project, on top of the rental fees and show costs.

"When we can use our own building and our own people to do COVID cleaning, it will only cost the supplies instead of having to pay a professional company to do it," she said, adding, "New CDC guidelines seem to indicate that there will be a reduction in the cleaning requirements in the future."

In addition, COVID-19 social distancing concerns have meant that less than half of available seats in an auditorium could even be allowed for ticket sales, which has further decreased the theater's income. For the current show, social distancing has meant alternating empty rows and keeping two empty seats between groups or individual ticketholders.

Replacing two buildings is just the beginning of the reconstruction. Much of the costs were in the details: dressing rooms and shop space, a "black box" theater lab, a sound and lighting control booth. The auditorium as designed will have a new stage, carpeting and all new seats. And both structures will be joined by a glass-enclosed walkway and courtyard.

"Since all of our tech equipment was ruined, we will be getting state-of-the-art sound and light set-ups," Kaleidoscope board president Hilary McAlinden said at the groundbreaking more than 18 months ago. "We are also installing a hearing aide loop for those with hearing impairments, as well as six more wheelchair-accessible seating."

"The cost of materials and difficulty of keeping workers during the pandemic have slowed the completion of our building reconstruction and have caused cost overruns that have almost doubled the original cost estimate," Wilson said.

The projected price tag for reconstruction was just over $1 million, McAlinden said in July 2019. Some of that was covered by insurance, but community donations helped as well, she added.

Kaleidoscope board member Harley Pummill told The News Herald in 2019 that the organization had been setting aside funds earmarked for building improvements for the past decade, which would be used to meet the initial cost estimate.

In addition, a GoFundMe page to aid in reconstruction was started in November 2018, just a month after the hurricane. It currently stands at only $3,665 raised of a $100,000 goal.

"The cost of running the facility will probably be increased by loan or mortgage payments in addition to the cost of productions," Wilson said. "We are working on major fundraising projects, but the best way for us to make money is to do shows — so getting back into the Kaleidoscope facility is our most desperate need."

And Wilson added that there was always a need for more volunteers: "We need ushers, costume sewers, actors, sound and light techs — and audience volunteers as well."

The new facility is based on a design created by Kaleidoscope founding member Charles Wilson, Sandy's husband, who died on Jan. 1 at age 74. Charles Wilson was recognized nationally for his contribution to community theater shortly before his death. And his absence after serving as a director, costume and set designer, and board member for nearly 50 years, has no doubt also had a devastating impact on the organization.

Sandy Wilson said the members are looking forward to the building being completed and getting to see what is still usable after the costumes, props and other belongings come out of storage.

"We count on ticket sales to cover the cost of production and season ticket sales to cover the cost of running the facility," she said. "So our current need is for folks to come out and laugh at the Neil Simon comedy, 'The Last of the Red Hot Lovers.'"

The show, which Sandy Wilson is directing, is being staged at Rutherford High's Performing Arts Center, 1000 School Ave. in Springfield. For tickets and other details, visit the website, KT-online.org.

The challenge, while greater than initially expected, remains unchanged at its core since board member Lois Carter summed up what faced Kaleidoscope in mid-2019.

"Our challenges, as I see it, are to build the buildings and then re-create the magic of Kaleidoscope as a place where locals can participate as creators of the productions, and locals and visitors can enjoy the wonder of theatrical productions," Carter said. "We all need to find activities that can help us forget the shadows of Michael and spend a few hours in the light of theater."

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