What a difference a week makes.

Since writing my column last week, I have been inundated with e-mail messages

and phone calls concerning the need for theater space in the community.

People have expressed their desire to help, their concerns about other

aspects of local theater that need assistance, and their agreement that

a theater would greatly improve our area.

I also received news that there has been motion in procuring a space for

such a community theater and it is one of the vacancies mentioned in last

week's column. The old Westpark Walk movie theaters are to be converted

into two theaters.

If you remember the old theater, and you should it only closed a few weeks

ago there was one theater on one side and two theaters on the other. The

one theater will be converted into a 150-seat theater that would not have

wing space or a backstage area but could be used for recitals, lectures

or children's plays that you would typically see produced at an elementary

school. The two theaters will be converted into a 350- to 400-seat theater

with wing space and a backstage area.

The theater has high ceilings, an upper level where the projectors were

and raked seats.

The lobby will be converted into a small gallery for art work and the

small kitchen in the concession stand will be used for storage. There

will even be a small area in the back that can be used for set construction.

All of this will cost money and though the ECCA, the group that is undertaking

this effort, has some money, there will be a need for more. That is why

a fund-raising effort, most likely something like the theater festival,

will need to be done to help this project along. There will be a meeting

soon, where different groups can come together and brainstorm and help

this project see its completion.

To stay updated and offer your help or ideas, you can continue to e-mail

me at [email protected]. I like getting e-mail from people in the community.

It is nice to see everyone come together to achieve something. I am completely

energized by this and know that many others out there are as well.

Thanks again for your support. In next week's column, I will be