New Life Comes To A Favorite Old Ketchikan AddressBy MARY KAUFFMAN
October 22, 2014
This favorite old Ketchikan address is being revived as the new Ketchikan Performing Arts Center. This sturdy art-deco building at 335 Main Street, first opened in 1949 as Elks Lodge 1429 and was a favorite community gathering place for decades. This building was revived later as the Fireside Restaurant, with dances and other events - from theatrical productions to weddings. And now, a new life as a community performing arts center is just beginning.
335 Main Street, the site of the new Ketchikan Performing Arts Center
Two of Alaska’s longest-lived performing arts groups will make homes in the new Ketchikan Performing Arts Center. First City Players, established in 1964, owns the facility and Ketchikan Theatre Ballet will lease studios and offices. was founded in 1961 by Virginia Klepser. Ketchikan Theatre Ballet’s performing company formed in 1968 and a nonprofit board accepted leadership in 1980. Marguerite Auger led Ketchikan Theatre Ballet after Klepser’s retirement. Ketchikan Theatre Ballet presently boasts four instructors and more than 200 students. The Ketchikan Theatre Ballet faculty teaches creative movement, ballet, jazz and tap six days a week. The new 21,000 square-foot Ketchikan Performing Arts Center will include some features that are essential such as: a flexible theatre that converts easily to a gathering space; studios for dance instruction and rehearsals; and offices for the community theatre company and the dance school. The new Ketchikan Performing Arts Center will be directly across Main Street from the Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council. KAAHC, like First City Players, reclaimed a historical property to turn it to a vibrant new use for the community. Phase 1 of the project will consist of architectural and engineering services, including evaluation of the current structure, an intense period of planning with stakeholders regarding design needs and preferences and design plans up to 30%. The prime architectural firm is John Sergio Fisher & Associates, Inc, working out of the Bay Area. This firm has designed more theatrical venues than anyone else in the United States. John Fisher recently worked in the community of Sitka on Sitka's Performing Arts Center and has expressed he is delighted to have been chosen for Ketchikan’s project. John Fisher will be working closely with Associated Architects, Ketchikan’s Linda Millard of Millard & Associates Architects LLC. The Ketchikan Performing Arts Center project was put into motion by investments on the part of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly, the Ketchikan City Council and the state of Alaska. These public bodies contributed start-up funding to purchase the vacant Fireside and to proceed with initial design. Approximately $700,000 in private contributions, were raised for the project and First City Players welcomes donations. Bringing this project like this to life for performances and gatherings requires a deep commitment from the community. According to Debby Otte, Office Manager for First City Player, it is easy to donate to this endeavor. Donations can be made anytime online or when you are purchasing a ticket to a First City Players’ event, either online, in person or on the phone.
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