The $21.6 million restoration project to bring into the future the 1903 theater-turned-movie-house-turned-art-supply-store-turned-decaying-monstrosity drew a sold-out crowd of 800 for the first of eight shows of the Broadway hit musical "Rent."
Men and women of all ages dressed in tuxedos, gowns, baseball caps and golf shirts came to witness what Gary P. Scarafoni, president of the Colonial Theatre Association, called a historic moment.
"You can't help but feel a little bit of what the people in 1903 felt when it first opened," he said. "It's simply exciting. It doesn't accomplish anything unless people come and sit in the seats, and they did."
Scarafoni joined Executive Director David Fleming on stage to welcome the crowd. He said he saw senior citizens "with a tear in their eyes," looking at the restorations — the ornate ceiling, the plaster cherubs, the gold-touched molding — and remembering scenes from their youth.
| » Reopening night |
The Colonial Theatre opened on North Street last night for its first show in decades.
Show began: 8:17 p.m. Attendance: 800 'Rent' schedule: Tonight, 8 p.m.; tomorrow, 8 p.m.; Sept. 1, 8 p.m.; Sept. 2, 2 and 8 p.m.; Sept. 3, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Cost of renovation: $21.6 million Original opening: Sept. 28, 1903 (the operetta 'Robin Hood') Web site: www.the colonialtheatre.org. Location: 111 South St., Pittsfield. Tickets: Available by phone at (413) 997-4444 and at the box office from noon to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and at least two hours before performances. |
"I sold candy at the counter in 1945," she said. "I was 19. It's exactly the way I remember it, just beautiful. I think it's going to bring a lot of people in here. It's good for the economy and good for the restaurants."
The reopening ties a bow around a project that had been in the works since 1987. City officials view the Colonial as a linchpin to Pittsfield's renaissance, along with restaurants, art galleries and plans for a movie theater.
It has also been blasted as a money pit into which millions of public dollars have been sunk. But proponents say it has already increased property values in the city and attracted new development downtown.
Earlier in the day, a cadre of more than 60 carpenters, engineers and electricians worked to set up the stage and equipment. Jared "Head" Ullman, 31, a sound engineer from Portland, Ore., arrived at 8 a.m. to set up the sound board. His day finished at 11 p.m.
"It's pretty hectic," he said. "That's how we like it."
He called the musical "more rock 'n' roll than Broadway." The crew left Pittsburgh Sunday night. They'll stay here until Sept. 3, and then it's off to Tampa, Fla.
"I'm thoroughly convinced I was a pirate in a past life," he said.
Around 5 p.m., Darlene Esposito, 47, received a call from her sister alerting her that there were last minute, or "rush" tickets for sale.
Esposito and friend Michelle Gamache, 24, both waitresses at Spice, rushed to the Colonial to get tickets. They were the first in line.
"I thought it was sold out," she said. "I'm so glad my sister called."
Fleming displayed a cool demeanor as controlled chaos reigned around him. Workers stopped him every minute, asking for direction.
"I saw our lawyer, Michael MacDonald, earlier," Fleming recounted. "He was running around here like a kid, saying 'Hey, there's really trucks out front. Hey, there's really actors backstage. Hey, there's really equipment in the back.'
"Many people saw this as a working project for so long and now it's a living, breathing theater," he said. "And now we get ready for the fun."
Flowers arrived throughout the day from friends and supporters across the county. As 6 p.m. rolled around, people started to arrive.
Twins Nicole and Katrina Paul, 14, and their grandmother Barbara Pratt, drove three hours from Brockton to see the show.
"They're big 'Rent' fans," Pratt said. "My doctor asked me where I was going for vacation and I said 'Pittsfield.' He was like 'what?' "
Nicole said she loved 'Rent' because of "the music, the story, everything."
Patrons purchased 'Rent' merchandise, things like CDs, T-shirts, coffee mugs, and yes, even a "Rent" stuffed cow.
Many mingled in the annex, sipping wine and beer and chatting about what the economic and cultural benefits the Colonial could bring to Pittsfield.
Former Mayor Evan Dobelle said there were a lot of memories for him here.
"I bought a car for my wife right over in this corner, a bright little red sportscar," he said. "It's obvious that this is a positive thing. It's an opportunity for people in Pittsfield to enjoy theater. There's been extraordinary talent that has brought this back to life. It will make the city feel better about itself."
The musical started at 8:17 p.m. The intermission came at 9:40 p.m., and people filed back into the annex and purchased more beer and wine. Apart from a few lighting glitches, that occasionally had the actors singing in the dark, all went smoothly. The show ended shortly before 11 p.m.
"It was awesome," said Malcolm Frazer, 54, of Lanesborough. "There's been a buzz about it for some time, and it lived up to all the hype."
During intermission, Jenifer McAlpine, of Williamstown, walked up to the third-floor box seats to snap pictures of the ornate sketchings on the ceiling.
Her simple verdict: "I will be back."