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Originally Posted by sugit
Actually, from what I heard, the CCT is pretty big. (2500 seats) Memorial is even bigger (3000 I think) I've sat in the last row a couple times, it's FAR back. Any further back would really suck.
During the council meeting, the director was saying that unless it's one of the big muscials (Mamma Mia, Lion King, Nutcracker, ect) it's hard to fill that place on a regular basis
The places I have been to in NY and SF seem like they are around the same size, but nicer, and they have more of them.
On the downside, it's too big for a lot of the smaller musicals and performances that would like to come here, but they could not sell out the CCT and it's expensive to rent and not fill it up, or close to it. Unfort, there is no other place smaller for them to go, at least that I know of
That's why I hope we get a nice 1000-1500 seat one at 10th and K, or somewhere else DT.
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The one asset that the CCT has is it's stage and the prodcution set up, which allows for the Big Musicals such as the Phantom of the Opera. It is one of the larger stages for the the Touring Broadway series. What needs to be renovated is the Lobby, the Bathrooms, the environs, (so to speak).
I attended a Concert last night at ARCO (it was for Andre Rieu) who is a Violinist and leads his own Johann Strauss Orchestra.
There were approximately 13,000 people (which is nothing to sneeze at for a classical concert).
Now I'm not suggesting that we need a concert hall that seats 10,000 people. But walking around ARCO and listening to that concert convinced me of a few things.
#1 ARCO is litterally falling apart. It's also obvious that the Maloofs have decided not to invest another penny to fix things as they break or to keep repairing the old girl. Her days are seriously numbered. If the Council and Supervisors refuse to replace ARCO, there's a future that inolves no professional sports or concerts in Sacramento. We will be forced to drive to San Jose, Oakland, Fresno or Stockton. ARCO is beyond repair.
#2 Sacramento needs a concert Hall (or a smaller stage) that seats about 1,000-1,500 people, as Costa pointed out. We need the theater to have the best acoustics, so that when touring orchestras from Viennna or (wherever) stop in Sacramento, they have a beautiful venue to play in. Granted, lastnights concert was far too big for it to have been performed anywhere else but ARCO. However the acoustics didn't do the concert any justice. Nor did the poor state of the environs. The clock is ticking on ARCO.
#3. We do need a renovated Community Center Theater, and though I swore my speaking days at the various meetings was over, I think the arts are a personal crusade for me. For everything that can be said of Sacramento, one thing that can't be said is that the arts aren't alive and well in Sacramento. It's appropriate that they are provided and environment in which to flourish. The CCT needs to be preserved and renovated in order to anchor the East End of the K street Pedestrian Mall. That combined with a smaller performing arts theater at 10th and K will really give this city options and help create a theater district, which would include the Wells Fargo Pavillion and a refurbished memorial Auditorium.
Unfortunately it sounds as if the council may have the same attitude in regards to the CCT as they do ARCO. In other words
they think that it's fine and doesn't feel that there's anything wrong with it. I hope that Sheedy's opinion isn't the prevailing opinion on the Council, because if it is, then the day is fast approaching when we loose touring Broadway shows due to the lack of a serviceable Theater.
I just can't beleive the hick town parochial character of this city and other local municipalities and it's refusal to invest in it's own civic amenities, Out of all the cities I've lived in during my life, I have never lived in a city with such an attitude and lack of self worth. It's really embarassing at times, and I really feel bad that there is a future senario in which Sacramento may not have a professional sports team, arena or even can't even support it's many performing arts in a decent facility.
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Nobody thinks it is really falling apart... really sad
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