Flashback Theater is on the Move!
When Sommer Schoch approached Diane Giddens to ask for space at Carnegie Community Arts Center to incubate a fledgling theater company, she was met with immediate enthusiasm. Now, the demand for Flashback Theater’s programming has given Schoch, Flashback’s Producing Artistic Director, along with Flashback’s Board of Directors, the confidence to move into a space that will allow for more rehearsals, more workshops, and more productions. Beginning in September 2017, Flashback Theater will be located in Old City Hall.
FbTC’s mission of exploring the world through the lens of our past interactions as a community makes Old City Hall the perfect next step for the growing company. The building has significance in Somerset’s history and lends to the growing arts presence of the downtown area. “Theater brings people together and we like to use that opportunity to educate about the history of the community at the same time,” Schoch points out.
About the New Location
Over the next few months, the former city council chambers will be transformed into a black box style performance space. A black box is a type of theatrical space that can be configured in several different ways to accommodate the needs of the performance. FbTC has experimented with black box style shows in the past with shows such as And the Tide Shall Cover the Earth and Circle Mirror Transformation.
“It’s time to give our theater artists the space to fully explore their capabilities,” says Schoch. “By having space dedicated to the production process, we will save time and resources in setting up and tearing down all the equipment needed to give the community a truly theatrical experience.”
Transforming the performance space will take some time but Schoch expects the first full scale production in the space to take place next May. In the meantime, smaller workshops and concerts will be held as the improvements allow.
In addition to a black box style performance space, there will be room for a dedicated lobby, box office, and storage areas for props and costumes. “What people usually take for granted is the amount of storage needed for a theater company. Audiences don’t often see that side of things but props and costumes accumulate quickly and have to be stored somewhere in between uses,” Schoch adds.
FbTC will now have plenty of room to prepare for productions that tell the story of Somerset, its place in our history, and our place in the world.
Contribute to the Move
Flashback Theater is supported by generous donors. Contributions to help with the costs of moving and updating can be made here or by contacting Sommer Schoch at [email protected] or by calling (859)322-2739. You can learn more about the company at www.flashbacktheater.co.
Contributions of time can be made by volunteering for one of the work days to clean up and move into the space. Sign up for work days by following this link.