-SOME REAL TALK-
I started this article a few times trying to put a nice spin on the current problems Ukiah Players Theatre is facing. However, I couldn’t. So…this article is just real talk.
For the past four years, we have been experiencing an excessive amount of theft and vandalism. After $15,000 of equipment theft in 2018 (the thief smashed the annex windows to get inside), we installed an alarm system for the Theatre’s interior and put bars on the Annex windows; but we are still struggling with the outside of the Theatre. Not only has the building been tagged with graffiti, our large pots and benches have been smashed, the locks on the containers have been cut and the equipment inside stolen. And most recently, the local kids have been leaping over the fence and stealing tables and chairs from the work-yard, or simply destroying things. Due to fire insurance requirements, we have been and will be removing trees and bushes around the Theatre. This will also provide more visibility, which we hope may somewhat deter these ongoing transgressions. We would also like to install cameras and more lighting once we have the financial means to do so. It is a process and will take some time, but we believe these steps will help.
Having said that, changes are not immediate, and we may see more issues. For that reason, we are trying to store everything inside, and for the most part we can. The one thing we cannot store is our beautiful iron spiral staircase. Making its first appearance in A Streetcar Named Desire, it went on to star in Oliver!, Rocky Horror and The Wizard of Oz. Yet no longer having the ability to move or protect it, we have decided to sell the spiral staircase so it can continue to make history in a new place. We will also use the money made from the sale to go towards purchasing the outdoor cameras and lights.
