Butler Eagle, Tuesday, September 4th, 2001, Feature Story

Strand promoter goes public

Meeting slated to present idea

By Angela Pfeiffer

Eagle Staff Writer

ZELIENOPLE – The organizer of an effort to bring live theater to Main Street is asking the public for support.

Having received endorsements from borough council and the Zelienople-Harmony Chamber of Commerce and Business Association, Ron Carter, president of the Strand Theater Initiative, will take his ideas before residents at a town hall meeting Sept. 11 at Passavant Retirement Center.

Carter wants to turn Zelienople’s abandoned movie house into a live theater hosting 35 professional shows a year as well as shows by community groups and educational activities for young actors. The theater would seat 200 to 300 people.

Carter has told the borough council of his $1 million project. He now wants to do the same for the public.

At the meeting, Carter will update the status of the project, explain what is needed to restore the decaying building, describe how he will raise funds from non-profit foundations and endowments, and answer questions.

Carter also promised that professional actors would “give a taste of the kind of programming we would have” at the Strand.

Residents of Zelienople and Harmony learned of the meeting last week from postcards left in their front doors. It is sponsored by the chamber of commerce and business association.

Carter elicited the support of these two groups, as well as borough council, because he said this would make his idea more attractive to funding sources.

Marnie Repasky, executive director of the chamber, said the board members of those two groups decided to support Carter because a thriving Strand Theater could revitalize sluggish Main Street businesses.

Festivals such as Horse Trading Days and the Fall Festival, Repasky said, are one way to bring customers into town.

“The Strand is another way to develop the economy” Repasky said. “( Carter ) came to us and said he really felt it was important we support this to give credibility to what he’s doing.”

On Aug. 27, the borough council endorsed a proclamation reading that the borough “recognizes the impact a cultural center can have on the social and economic development of the Zelienople community.”

Council member Jim Zeigler voted against the proclamation. He said, “First of all, I don’t think it’s a project they could possibly pull off. I have serious doubts it could sustain itself for a long period of time.

“I feel like I want to call this a pipe dream. If I felt it could sustain itself, I would vote for it, but I don’t see how that’s possible in Zelienople borough.”

Zeigler earlier had questioned whether Carter could raise enough money to pay for the project.

Carter has applied for a $1 million state grant, similar to the $200,000 the Three Rivers Regatta received this year to stay afloat..

The grant is supported by state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-12th ; state Sen. Mary Jo White, R-21st; and former governor and U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburg.

“We qualify because it would have a beautification aspect and certainly an economic aspect of revitalizing the local businesses,” Carter said.

He also said once restoration is completed, the theater could, if needed, continue to raise money for operating expenses from foundations and endowments.

“There is very little chance, once we are up and running, that we will end up being dissolved,” he said.

Another sticking point for the theater initiative has been the availability of parking, since the theater is on Main Street.

Carter has said a second building on the rear of the lot would be demolished to create 20 to 30 spaces.

In addition, the theater would use street parking, as well as seek a parking arrangement with a nearby shop or church from which it would shuttle patrons.

Carter’s latest effort in taking his plan public was to develop a Web site detailing the Strand’s history and showing what the theater would look like after restoration.

Carter said one of his goals for the Web site is to clarify that community acting groups would be welcome at the theater.

“We are a presenting theater,” Carter said. “We host touring companies to come in and put on a show. We’re not going to have our own production facilities.”

He continued, “I wouldn’t want the Comtra Theatres an Red Barn Theatres of the world to view us as a competitor.”

For information about the Strand Theater Initiative, visit www.TheStrandTheater.org.