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EXCITING NEWS ABOUT OUR
AREA
New Chipola College
Center for the Arts
from Foster Folly
News
MARIANNA—The new Chipola
College Center for the
Arts moved one step
closer to curtain time
Tuesday when the Chipola
District Board of
Trustees selected the
construction firm of
Allstate/Southland of
Tallahassee to design
and build the new $16
million center.
According
to Joan Stadsklev,
Director of Fine and
Performing Arts, the
project will indeed be a
“center” for the arts
for the college
community and beyond.
The
theatre within the
center will seat around
650 with a balcony, and
will include new
dressing rooms, a scene
shop and costume shop.
An art gallery and
reception area is
planned, along with a
small concession area.
The most intriguing
feature of the new
complex is a “black box”
theater especially for
theater students and
audiences of 100 or
less.
The
project will house
Chipola’s entire Fine
and Performing Arts
Department with teaching
studios, a recital hall,
recording studios and
offices.
“This
inclusive project will
offer strong educational
opportunities,
facilities, and
state-of-the art
equipment in theatre,
music (vocal and
instrumental arts),
visual art, and the
graphic arts,” said
Stadsklev.
“The
public will enjoy the
fine and performing
artistic work of our
students in theatre,
music, and art in the
new 650-seat proscenium
theatre, black box
theatre, recital hall,
and art galleries. The
space also will provide
a strong artistic venue
for the annual Artist
Series and visiting art
exhibits. Audience
members and arts patrons
will truly enjoy an
aesthetically pleasing
and total artistic
experience from the
moment they enter the
center grounds through
the final curtain.”
Chipola
Capital Projects and
Contracts Administrator
Louy Harris reported
that groundbreaking for
the 56,000 square foot
center is set for
November with an
estimated 600 days for
completion. “This is
what’s known as a
“design-build” project
which brings an
architect and contractor
together to complete the
project from conception
to completion within the
budget.”
Chipola
Theater Director Charles
Sirmon says, “This is
the culmination of five
years of planning and
dreaming. The larger
theater will enable us
to stage big musicals
and accommodate large
crowds. The size of the
theater will also
enhance our educational
theater outreach program
so that more students
will be able to enjoy
theater.”
“I’m very
excited about the black
box theater which will
give students the
opportunity to work on a
smaller stage and
produce their own work.”
Sirmon says the
technical side of
theater also will be
greatly enhanced with
state-of-the-art systems
for rigging, hanging,
lighting and set
construction facilities.
The
college has enlisted the
services of Theatre
Consultant Robert
Lorelli of New York to
assist with the project.
He has consulted on a
number of theatre design
plans.
Chipola
president Dr. Gene
Prough, said, “This will
be a showplace for the
performing arts in the
Panhandle of Florida. We
want to thank Rep. Marti
Coley and the rest of
our legislative
delegation for
supporting this project
for our students and
community.”
The
center is to be
constructed on the
college’s new access off
of River Forest Road.
The new road is near
completion and will
provide a second major
entrance to campus.
The new
center will replace the
current 350-seat theater
which was constructed in
1958. The old theater is
short on space and even
shorter on restroom
facilities. Set
construction is now
performed outside and is
subject to the weather.
Insufficient dressing
room space and the
absence of a costume
shop are just some of
the challenges in the
current theater.
The
Chipola Theater is a
busy place with an
estimated 10,000
visitors per year. In
addition to three annual
college theater
productions, the theater
also is home to four
annual artist series
events and other
performances for
thousands of area school
children.
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