By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays Community Theatre is raising money to remodel its new venue, the former Eagles Building at 121 E. Eighth.
Wendy Richmeier, Hays Community Theatre president, said the remodel may take about $20,000. Work is underway now on the building, including extensive work to the restrooms to make them Americans with Disabilities Act compliant.
Once the building is completed, it should be able to accommodate 100 to 140 seats.
Currently, the community theatre is renting a venue at 118 E. 11th St. However, the Eagles buildings would allow it to have a year-round venue with space for offices.
The design of the building will allow for a more theatrical feel for productions. The high ceilings with rafters will allow the theatre to hang theatrical lights. The theatre group is hoping to bring an art deco look to the renovated space.
The former Eagles building also has a kitchen, which will be more suitable for preparing meals for the theatre group’s murder mystery dinners.
Richmeier said she was unsure when the remodeling would be finished. The theatre board had hoped to have its November performances of its murder mystery fundraiser at the venue, but at this point, the group is a long way from opening the building.
Everything that can be done by volunteers is being done by volunteers, so the construction is going much slower than if the theatre group could hire the work done, Richmeier said.
If anyone has construction skills and would like to volunteer or has any construction materials they would like the donate, they can email the theatre group at [email protected].
If you would like to donate to theatre for the remodel of the Eagles building, mail checks to Hays Community Theatre, PO Box 21, Hays, KS 67601. You can also donate to the community theatre with a credit or debit card via PayPal on the group’s website.
Pamela Grizzell, the venue coordinator for the theatre, said the group’s ultimate goal is to have a performing arts center.
“We are definitely growing and this is good,” she said.
The community theatre’s next fundraiser will be a murder mystery dinner based on the popular board game, Clue. The original script was written by the local writing group the Ink Plots.
The “Clue To A Kill” dinner will be staged Friday, Sept. 29; Saturday, Sept. 30; Friday, Nov. 17; and Saturday, Nov. 18. Tickets for the Sept. 29 and November shows are still available. The shows start at 6:30 p.m.
Guests will receive via email their assigned aliases for the night, a bio and instructions on how to play the evening out. Clues arrive throughout the night by means of secret rendezvous in the hall, whispers from waiters and the passing of discrete notes.
Tickets are $20. The menu will be smoked pork, baked potato, tossed salad, dinner role and dessert. A cash bar will be available. All funds support the community renovation of the new building. Tickets can be purchased online at HCTKS.com.
The theatre group also plans to stage its popular haunted tours in October. The winter show will be “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Dates and times for these shows will be announced at a later date. Watch the community theatre’s website for more information.