Come next year, Harrisburg theater-goers will have a new venue to experience some of the area’s finest children’s and classical theater, as Gamut Theatre Group announced plans today to relocate to an historic downtown church on N. 4th St.
Gamut last week finalized its $435,000 purchase of the First Church of God, constructed in 1854, which was long the home parish of the Harrisburg-based Church of God. It now will renovate the 12,000-square-foot church to accommodate its two troupes: the Popcorn Hat Players Children’s Theatre and Harrisburg Shakespeare Company.
Plans for the new theater space include a renovation of the 12,000-square-foot church building to create mainstage and children’s theaters, classrooms, offices, a reception lobby, a scene shop, costume shop, dressing rooms, storage and more, said Gamut. Renovation will also include facilities improvements such as installation of an air conditioning system, ADA-compliant entrances and upgrades to electrical and plumbing systems.
The renovation will proceed in two phases, said Gamut’s Executive Director Melissa Nicholson. Phase one, estimated to cost $700,000, will include construction of a mainstage and a complete upgrade of the building’s physical infrastructure, she said. Phase two will include a second theater for children’s productions, as well as classrooms and other supporting spaces. It will cost about $400,000, said Nicholson.
“It’s a beautiful building,” said Clark Nicholson, Gamut’s artistic director, “and although there will be some cosmetic changes, we are very excited that we will be preserving much of the original architecture, including the lovely stained glass windows. There is a feeling of history here, a love and respect for those things that have come before, that lends itself nicely to the telling of classic stories.”
The building at 15 N. 4th St. is located directly across the street from Strawberry Square, which has been Gamut’s home for 20 years.
Gamut has kicked off a fundraising campaign to raise the $1.6 million needed to complete the property’s renovations, which are projected to be completed by fall 2014. The company will continue to produce plays at his current location on the third floor of Strawberry Square through its 2013-14 season.
Last year, Gamut announced plans to relocate to a former fitness center in Lemoyne, but ultimately decided against the move amid uncertainties over parking, among other issues. For its new location, Gamut hopes to reach agreements to provide spaces in area parking garages, said Melissa Nicholson.
Harristown Enterprises, Gamut’s current landlord in Strawberry Square, represented the theater in the purchase and helped finance it, said Nicholson.
“We have been working cooperatively with Gamut to help them acquire and renovate their new property into a long-term theater asset,” said Brad Jones, vice president, community development for Harristown. “We are very supportive of this new project and are pleased that Gamut has chosen to remain part of the downtown community.”
Nicholson said that Harristown knew Gamut was looking to purchase its own, permanent home and wanted to ensure that the theater group stayed in downtown Harrisburg.
The purchase marks yet another conversion of an historic downtown property in Harrisburg. Brickbox Enterprises, for one, has bought and renovated several century-old office buildings for residential use in recent years. It currently is transforming the Barto Building at N. 3rd and State streets into condominiums.
The Church of God is a native Harrisburg denomination formed following a break by the evangelical Rev. John Winebrenner with the German Reformed Church in 1825. After 160 years at the location, the church put the building on the market several months ago after its congregation became too small to support the large church building. It now meets at the United Methodist Church in Midtown.
“By having Gamut go into the building, it preserves a lot of the history,” said Melissa Nicholson. “We’ll be good custodians of the building.”
For more information about the project or how to donate to Gamut Theatre Group, contact Melissa Nicholson, executive director, at 717-238-4111.
Note: This story has been updated to include the purchase price, renovation costs and other information.
