Festival Theatre Task Force to Meet Soon

The task force that will lead the revamping efforts of the Festival Theatre has a couple big name commitments.

Although the group has yet to formally assemble, Stratford Councilman -- and former stagehand -- Matt Catalano said that Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and Fairfield University Theatre Head Dr. Marti LoMonaco have agreed to serve on the unit.

"The task force is going to be a robust group," said Catalano.

About 12 members with backgrounds in business, fundraising and theatre will be responsible for a "feasibility study, cost projections and [determining] what it's going to take to put the theatre into a shape that will work in this marketplace," he said.

Catalano said he expects the task force to have a formal sit-down within a month's time.

Catalano, Stratford's 3rd District Republican, envisions a venue that's multi-use, environmentally friendly and "up to date with this century." Although Shakespeare may be a powerful draw for the renovated theatre and grounds, Catalano said the artistic and business options for the location are open-ended. Uses could stretch from country music shows to corporate meetings, he said.

"The goal is to build a not-for-profit institution that's going to live on the property and be able to go about raising the money that we need to do the work here," said Catalano. And as a not-for-profit, taxpayers' pockets would be spared and funding would come from foundation money and grants, he added.

Putting together a task force is phase two of the six-phase plan put forth by the consulting group the town hired to head the Festival Theatre's overhaul. Out of about a dozen consulting groups -- which were "the best and the brightest in the business of building not-for-profit cultural institutions" -- a committee lead by the town's chief administrative officer Geen Thazhampallath chose the Arts Consulting Group (ACG) of New York to guide the town through the revitalization process, said Catalano. 

Stratford is paying ACG with money from the general fund, according to Catalano. If the town employs the company through the entirety of its six-phase plan -- which would take about a year and a half -- then Stratford would end up paying ACG about $160,000, he said.

One of the initial changes ACG is delivering to the theatre is splitting the amount of seating in half -- from 1500 to about 700 -- to create a more intimate setting, said Catalano.

The Councilman believes that the investment of potentially $160,000 to the consulting group would be a small number compared to the millions it can raise in fundraising, as well as to the amount of commerce that visitors could bring to area businesses once the project is completed.

"The people will come for the art and the money follows the people," said Catalano. A rebirth of the theatre grounds would lead to increased traffic for area restaurants and hotels, he said. "The theatre doesn't have to make money; the economic return happens on Main Street."

One of those nearby restaurants Catalano is referring to is the Blue Sky Diner at 273 Ferry Boulevard.

Owner Mary Avramopoulos said when the theatre was in its heyday more than 30 years ago, the diner had patrons "coming from all over" and "busloads of people came in from New York City." She added that all the businesses in the town benefited. Avramopoulos said business has declined since that time.

"They should bring it back like it was before," she said.