PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Community Playhouse, a building that has served as a Port Angeles venue for theater shows and productions for 47 years, has a leaky roof in need of replacement and members are asking for donations.
After the Port Angeles Community Players (PACP) second stage production, “The Laramie Project,” volunteers found several leaks coming from the ceiling, collecting in the theater’s chandelier and running off the light fixture.
The leaks are above audience seating which is now covered with tarps for protection. Fans are set out to dry the carpet and members of the Players routinely vacuum water off the roof daily.
The initial estimated cost to replace the roof is about $21,000 and the organization is able to pay half of what is needed, leaving it to turn to the community for help, according to Janet Lucas, PACP board president, in a press release.
“This building really belongs to the community who helped build it and continue to come here for entertainment, and now we need their help again,” Lucas said.
The PACP is a 501(c)(3) organization that was started in 1952 by Betty Sleeper and Audrey Hartnagel. For about 20 years, the group produced plays throughout the community, including in the college’s Little Theater, the Elk’s ballroom and Harrington’s Sky Room. With contributions from the community, the Playhouse was built in 1971.
“We’re asking the people who have supported our shows for 65 years to donate to help us with the $21,000 roof the building desperately needs” Lucas said. “For an organization that has no debt, this is a tough one for us.”
The Playhouse also experienced a plumbing leak earlier this year that resulted in re-plumbing the entire building, which took a big chunk out of the Player’s treasury.
“Having that necessity fixed and now to have the roof right on top of it, it was a little bit of a challenging year for us,” Lucas said.
Volunteers who normally build sets now double as maintenance people and when it comes to re-plumbing and re-roofing a commercial building, volunteers are not enough.
“Until this year, we’ve always been able to depend on the revenue of our shows in their regular season to provide for paying our bills and building maintenance,” Lucas said.
Players don’t anticipate the leaks will impact any shows this summer, but Lucas said the Children’s Theatre holds rehearsals several weeks before its performance in mid August and is hoping the roof is replaced before then. A local roofer has been contracted to replace the roof, Players said.
To donate to the Port Angeles Community Players, mail a check to P.O. Box 2807 Port Angeles, WA, 98362, or go to www.pacommunityplayers.com click on ‘tickets’ then ‘donations.’
For more information, call Lucas at 360-461-1989.
