Sometimes fundraisers help to augment a nonprofit’s goals and projects, but that’s not quite the case for Batavia Players, Patrick Burk says.
Main St. 56 Theater, an ambitious downtown symbol of the arts in all their dramatic glory — up on a stage featuring the community’s own — is dependent on the funds raised during a final push for donations.
Titled “Be Our Guest,” the campaign is designed to offer folks an opportunity to give what they can — a little or a lot, Burk said. There was a kick-off at the theater-in-progress in late April, and Broadway actor John Bolton was a featured “Be Our Guest.”
“John is wonderful and so dedicated to keeping and maintaining the Batavia Players and the Main St. 56 Theater as a top notch performance space,” Burk said. “He was very gracious and giving to the actors and volunteers and provided some wonderful insights on the profession. We thoroughly enjoyed having him here to help shine a light on our needs and the project in total.”
The project has received grant funding, however, due to COVID — yes everyone is tired of hearing about it, but the lasting effects are nonetheless real — prices of everything have gone up, Burk said. Delays, increased labor and raw material costs, have added to the total expense.
This fundraiser is for the purchase of new seating, and lighting and sound upgrades to provide a state-of-the-art facility “that is comfortable and inviting for our audiences,” the campaign material states.
“We need to raise these funds in order to complete the theater,” he said. “It’s that simple."
When might we expect to see a show at there?
That depends on who you talk to, he said. The theater is about 80 percent complete.
“Our ability to move forward is directly attached to the 'Be Our Guest' campaign. I have no idea. I have been telling myself that it will be sometime after Sept. 1 of this year. Maybe the Christmas show in December,” Burk said. “Again, all of this depends on when we can raise the funds as well as get the work done. We are looking for volunteers for a multi-day work session that will be announced soon.”
During a recent interview with Bolton, he spoke fondly of community theater and how it belongs in every city, including Batavia.
What’s a community without live theater?
“A community without theater (or any of the arts for that matter) loses so much. The arts of a community are a distinct part of that community. It would be like losing your favorite or most known landmark. Community theaters are an outlet for those that want to perform and do not have the resources or the ability to go far from home to achieve that,” Burk said. “They are spaces that help talent develop and as we have seen from the past, we do develop great talent here that goes on to bigger and better things. We have past participants of the Batavia Players performing on Broadway, being on national tours and starring on the stage and screen. John Bolton is a great example of those that got exposed to the profession locally and then went on to perform professionally all over the United States.
“The Batavia Players have been in existence for close to 93 years. When you look back at all that they have accomplished and all the people that we have touched and worked with it is amazing,” Burk said. “I feel that we are a great reflection of our community and the area in general and that we provide an excellence in the performing arts area with talented veterans and new people on a regular basis.”
Donations of certain levels will be placed on an engraved plaque in the theater lobby area. The goal is to raise $150,000. Make checks payable to Batavia Players Inc., P.O. Box 256, Batavia, NY, 14021-0256. For more information, email burk.patrick1956@gmail.com.
Photo of Main St. 56 Theater by Howard Owens.
