Bay Street Theatre Needs A New Home, Moving In May of 2013
I’m kind of sad about Bay Street needing to move from its location on the Sag Harbor Long Wharf. I really love that building. What does the owner of the building think is going to happen when they move out? That magically somebody else is going to come in and solve all of his problems? I really wish the landlord and Bay Street Theater would work something out. It’s an iconic building in Sag Harbor. I don’t think that anybody really believes that Bay Street really is going to move, but as things stand right now, it very much is.
Contrary to some headlines, the theatre is not closing its doors. The theatre will celebrate its 21st season in 2012 in its current location on the Long Wharf in Sag Harbor. The lease is up in May, 2013, so the 22nd season will take place at a new or temporary facility.
“The long term goal,” says Murphy Davis who is one of the Artistic Directors for Bay Street Theatre, “is to find or create a permanent home. It is a major expense each year to rent the current space, the Riverhead shop where we build the sets and the rent for our actors and production crew each summer. The combined total is going to be up to $500,000 a year just in rents.”
Sybil Christopher, Artistic Director, added “There isn’t a not for profit theatre anywhere that can sustain that kind of financial impact each year.”
Bay Street is a year-round presence on the East End, offering everything from live theatre to comedy, from live music to The Picture Show, serving up classic films from September to May. Bay Street’s educational outreach initiatives include a 20 student College Internship program, musical theater camps for kids, and the already popular LITERATURE LIVE production, now in its third year. This year’s selection TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD runs from November 7-26 and includes local talent such as Lily Spellman, Susan Galardi and her son Hudson among others. So far over 1,500 students from local and regional schools are booked to attend. Tickets are $10 for kids and $20 for adults. The show is recommended for ages 13 and up.
Celebrities that have performed at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor are Susan Sarandon, Jimmy Buffett, Billy Joel, Bob Balaban, Mercedes Ruhel, Harry Belafonte, Alec Baldwin, Darrell Hammond, Lewis Black and countless others.
Tax deductible contributions can help ensure that Bay Street remains strong, as CBS Sunday Morning reported “one of the country’s pre-eminent regional theaters”. These contributions are essential to the theater’s mission to “entertain, inspire and enhance the cultural arts for the East End and beyond”. Donations can be made by sending a check to Bay Street Theater, PO Box 810, Sag Harbor NY 11963 or donate on line at www.baystreet.org.
Send Bay Street Theater money folks, the arts are important!