CASE for SUPPORT SETTING THE STAGE THE CAMPAIGN FOR NEWPORT S OPERA HOUSE THEATER

CASE for SUPPORT SETTING THE STAGE THE CAMPAIGN FOR NEWPORT S OPERA HOUSE THEATER

Constructed in 1867, the Opera House Theater is among the 10 oldest surviving opera houses in America and the oldest surviving theater building in Rhode Island. Reopening 150 years later in 2017, the revitalized Opera House Theater will once again present world-class entertainment dance, music, theater and much more and will bring year-round jobs and renewed vitality to the community s historic downtown.

CASE for SUPPORT The non-profit Newport Performing Arts Center, (NPAC) was created to establish a professionally staffed, fully accessible, year-round center for the performing arts in Newport, RI. NPAC commissioned market, feasibility, and economic impact studies to assess the suitability of the Opera House Theater as a modern performance venue. Once the site s viability was established, NPAC engaged in extensive talks with civic leaders, arts presenters, touring artists and performing arts centers across the country. This comprehensive inquiry process led to the following conclusions: the community will benefit economically from a year-round performing arts center; the Opera House is inherently best suited for use as a theater due to its ideal location and purpose-built architecture; and the timing is right because of strong regional demand and local support. For a century and a half the Opera House has operated as a successful year-round business by responding to market demand for entertainment. Today s opportunity brings the building full circle as the Opera House Theater is reinvigorated as a central, vibrant modern venue for live entertainment, performing arts and community events. 16,000 SQUARE FEET 700 SEATS The Theater: STAGE: 30 ft DEEP with a 32 ft PROSCENIUM IN THE REDESIGN, OFFICE, MULTIPURPOSE AND EDUCATIONAL SPACES OVERLOOKING WASHINGTON SQUARE ARE PLANNED WITH EDUCATION/MENTORING SPACE FOR 12 PEOPLE The Audience: THE THEATER WILL PROVIDE A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS, INCLUDING EVENTS TAILORED TO THE FOLLOWING: 83,000 COUNTY RESIDENTS 200,000 ACTIVE CULTURAL CONSUMERS Living within 30-40 minutes drive 13,000 LOCAL SCHOOL CHILDREN 3 Million ANNUAL VISITORS CASE FOR SUPPORT, PAGE 2

ECONOMIC DRIVER Residents and urban planners have identified the revitalization of the Opera House Theater as one of the best ways to catalyze development of Newport s historic downtown Arts and culture are at the root of a vibrant community, and vibrancy attracts people and dollars. People who come to enjoy the arts also spend money on parking, dining, shopping, lodging and child care; non-profit arts patrons spend $24.60 per person per event in addition to the price of a ticket. The arts are a powerful engine for creating jobs and attracting new dollars to a community. Arts nonprofits account for $324 million in direct and indirect spending in our state, and when creative and arts-driven businesses are included in the calculations the creative sector accounts for 12.7% of all employment. Rhode Island s arts sector is the only sector of our state economy currently expanding According to The Center for Policy Analysis at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, the revitalization of the Opera House Theater will have a significant impact on our local economy. During renovation the economic impact is calculated to be a minimum of $15 million. Once the theater is presenting, estimates are that the Opera House Theater and its audiences will generate $1.6 million per year in new direct and indirect economic activity. EDUCATIONAL CATALYST STAGE FROM BALCONY In Newport County alone there are over 13,000 elementary and secondary students enrolled in over twenty-five schools and another 100,000 college students within 60 miles. The Opera House Theater & Performing Arts Center will be a center for youth and family programming and the performance home for numerous local educational programs. Through this historic restoration, contemporary spaces will provide a variety of classrooms, mentoring spaces, and performance opportunities in music, theater and dance for students of all ages. Through partnerships with the professional music festivals, dance and theater companies, and other local arts organizations, students will be introduced to various art forms, opening up worlds that oftentimes are not made available to them. In addition, the theater will provide a space for different communities to interact with each other and offer opportunities for collaborative artistic endeavors. CASE FOR SUPPORT, PAGE 3

CULTURAL ASSET ROOF TOP TERRACE AND GARDEN Newport s public officials, tourism professionals, educators, business people and residents all have a stake in the revitalization of the Opera House Theater. In addition to increased year-round economic activity, the Opera House Theater will provide the community with permanent, currently non-existing facilities, year-round local access to cultural events and performers, and new educational and civic engagement opportunities. No theater within fifty miles has a capacity between 400 and 1,000; the Opera House Theater s 700 seats are a unique asset that will attract performers currently limited to outdoor appearances in the area. Partnerships with Newport s Folk and Jazz festivals, the Newport Music Festival, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Island Moving Company, Trinity Repertory Theater, booking agents for existing summer series and others will provide local arts organizations with a way to extend their seasons and develop audiences. The Opera House Theater s location in Washington Square, a National Historic Landmark District, places it squarely at the cultural, historic, commercial and architectural crossroads of the city. The three-story structure s brick façade - restored in 2002 - ties in the Federalist and Georgian architectural styles of other important historic buildings on Washington Square. Inside, the rehabilitated interior will preserve historically significant detail including the ornate plaster work, the 1929 proscenium arch, and the vaulted lobby ceiling, and will blend the grandeur of yesteryear with the technology of today. Even given Newport s unusual breadth of architectural examples, the city has no other structures even remotely similar to the Opera House Theater. The Opera House is among the ten oldest surviving opera houses in America and the oldest surviving theater building in Rhode Island. In 2013 Rhode Island declared itself The State of the Arts The Opera House Theater will present a broad range of live music, theater, comedy, dance and other cultural and entertainment programs CASE FOR SUPPORT, PAGE 4

BUDGET SOURCES OF FUNDS HARD COSTS COST PUBLIC FUNDS Construction & Renovation $10,354,000 Contingency (10% Hard Costs) $1,138,940 SUBTOTAL Hard Costs $11,492,940 2014 Cultural Facilities Bond $4,216,800 Federal Historic Tax Credits (net) $1,800,000 TOTAL PUBLIC FUNDS $6,016,800 SOFT COSTS COST PRIVATE FUNDS Acquisition Loan Elimination $700,000 Operations (2015, 2016, 2017) $990,000 SUBTOTAL $1,690,000 Architecture, System and Design Fees $923,910 Permits, Tax Credit Fees $59,090 Foundations $3,300,000 Corporations $1,000,000 Individuals $4,500,000 TOTAL PRIVATE FUNDS $8,800,000 CAPITAL CAMPAIGN GOAL $14,816,800 Professional Svcs - Tax Credits / Fundraising $487,000 SUBTOTAL Design & Fees $1,470,000 SUBTOTAL Soft Costs $3,160,000 CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TOTAL $14,652,940 SEVERAL PROMINENT NAMING OPPORTUNITIES Theater Hall $1,500,000 Roof Top Terrace $1,500,000 Proscenium Arch $750,000 Balcony $250,000 Loges (2) $250,000 Main Entrance Lobby $250,000 Grand Stairway $100,000 Roof Garden Sitting Room $100,000 Box Office $100,000 Education Classroom $100,000 Dressing Rooms (4) $50,000 Concessions $50,000 Wardrobe Room $25,000 Visiting Company Room $25,000 Coat Room $25,000 Third Floor Offices (3) $25,000 CASE FOR SUPPORT, PAGE 5

Capital Campaign Update In November 2014 voters approved the Rhode Island Cultural Arts Facilities Bond which provides a $4.2 million grant to the Opera House Restoration Project -- one of the largest state investments in Aquidneck Island. The Opera House and its peer performing arts organizations contribute $150 million in economic activity and more than 1,250 jobs annually in Rhode Island. We are excited about the momentum created by this matching grant and wish to thank our friends who have made early and impressive commitments to match this state support. The time is now for all to step forward to ensure a bright future for this beloved cultural asset. With a solid plan in place to bring the Opera House back to its original elegance, the work to ensure long-term viability of this classic venue is in high gear. Construction will begin this spring 2016 and the theater will reopen for its 150 th Anniversary in December 2017. The fundraising goal of $14.6 million includes structural upgrades, restoration related construction and state-of-the art theatrical equipment, lighting and sound. Please consider the immense and lasting value of a revived Opera House Theater and be a part of this cultural, economic and educational project. There are numerous permanent naming opportunities available from $10,000 to $1.5 million. The complete construction drawings are readily available for review. To discuss a campaign contribution or to arrange a tour, contact the office at 401-619-4599 or visit our website at www.operahouseri.org for more information. Renovation of the Opera House Theater Includes v Restoration of Historic Interior and Fixtures v New Passenger Elevator ADA Compliant Building v Replication of Marquees v New Restrooms v New Box Office v Second Floor Lobby Expansion v Educational/Office Space v New Roof Top Garden and Terrace v Modernized Stage and Auditorium with New seats and curtains State-of-the-art theatrical equipment, projection, light and sound New heating & air conditioning systems New guest artist and group dressing rooms New freight elevator and loading area Opera House Theater Performances Will Include a Broad Range of v Music v Dance v Comedy v Theater v Youth and Family Programs v Presentations v And Much More... Help deliver the economic, educational and cultural vibrancy of the performing arts to our community! Join us in Setting the Stage for a restored Opera House Theater in downtown Newport.

The Opera House Theater was built in 1867 as a first class amenity to the newly finished Perry House Hotel. Commissioned by railroad man and hotelier PC Shanahan and designed by architect and builder James Rudolph, the building was a handsome addition to the impressive architecture already ringing Washington Square, the civic and commercial heart of Newport s stylish post-civil War era. A successful theater from the very beginning, the Opera House presented entertainers including Douglas Fairbanks, John Barrymore and Mary Pickford and projects produced by Oscar Hammerstein, George M Cohan and the Shuberts. Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglass and Duke Ellington all made contributions to the fabric of the city s cultural life by appearing on the Opera House stage. For over fifty years traditional productions, musical comedies, minstrel shows, burlesque performances, pre-broadway theatrical openings, important oratories and key civic and community events (including funerals for prominent Newporters!) took place at the elegant and central Opera House Theater. In the 1920s, as the flourishing motion picture industry began to dominate entertainment, the Horgan family purchased the Opera House Theater and converted it into a single screen cinema palace. In response to the high demand for movie screens, the theater was reconfigured again in the 1970s as a three-screen multiplex. After careful study of a variety of possible locations in which to establish a live performance theater to serve the region, a charitable non-profit organization, the Newport Performing Arts Center, took action in 2000 to purchase the deteriorating building and rededicate it to its original use as a performing arts theater. Newport s Opera House Theater is scheduled to reopen in 2017, its 150th Anniversary Year. PO Box 234 Newport, Rhode Island 02840 operahouseri.org info@operahouseri.org (401) 619-4599