Live Performances Return To Venice Theatre Ravaged By Hurricane Ian

VENICE, FL — Live performances have returned to the Venice Theatre, which was damaged during Hurricane Ian at the end of September.

The venue’s 90-seat black box Pinkerton Theatre reopened Friday with its scheduled performances of “The Cemetery Club.”

“Catastrophic damage from Hurricane Ian caused Venice Theatre's entire main building to be deemed uninhabitable and unsafe for public use,” the venue said in a Jan. 18 email newsletter. “Now, just three months and 23 days after the hurricane destroyed the back wall of the structure and lifted the roof off the main stage house, the theatre has been granted a certificate of occupancy to use the … Pinkerton Theatre.”

The Pinkerton Theatre is found on the Tampa Avenue campus on the west side of the main building.

"Only with the entire community working together, could this be accomplished. City of Venice officials made the process as efficient as possible,” Murray Chase, producing/executive director, said. “Magnum Builders and its subcontractors have been working tirelessly. Sweet Sparkman Architecture quickly provided the legal specifications for temporary use. Our staff has been moving forward with great energy. And, of course, the emotional and financial support of foundations, donors, patrons and volunteers have kept us afloat. I am excited about this milestone in our recovery."

Before portions of Venice Theatre could reopen, the building required full water mitigation, including replacing 90 percent of the drywall and carpet, the venue said.

The theater also needed a full rerun of electric lines through the building, replacement of air conditioning, new fire alarm equipment and sprinkler monitoring, a new life safety plan, roof repair, and more before it could reopen.

It will take more than a year to complete work on the building.

“The Cemetery Club,” the first show in the main building since “The Revolutionists” was forced to close early because of Ian, runs through Feb. 12. The show is sold out.

The next show scheduled for the Pinkerton Theatre is “Arabian Nights,” which runs Feb. 24 through March 5.

For the theater’s full schedule of events, including those taking place at other venues throughout the community, visit www.venicetheatre.org.