Oregon Shakespeare Festival to Restage Angus Bowmer Performances in Lithia Park
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, dealing with the unprecedented challenge of the closure of the Angus Bowmer Theatre, has decided to stage performances that would have been held in the Angus Bowmer Theatre in a large tent structure that will be erected in Lithia Park, adjacent to the Festival campus.
The Ashland Parks Commission called a special meeting Wednesday night after OSF requested an opportunity to explore the option of temporarily erecting a large tent in the park, south of the lower duck pond and below the Elizabethan Theatre. The main structure of the tent is roughly 66-feet by 120-feet, with seating for 600. A date for the opening of the tent will be made next week when OSF has contracted with a provider.
Executive Director Paul Nicholson said, "We believe this is a win-win situation for OSF and the community. The decision will give our thousands of patrons a unique experience and hopefully keep them coming to Ashland to enjoy theatre and all the offerings of this community. We feel we can now move forward and create an experience
that will be powerful in all of our memories."
The Angus Bowmer Theatre has been closed since Saturday morning, June 18, due to structural damage of the main support beam of the theatre. Crews from Adroit Construction shored up the 70-foot beam (78 inches tall and 14 inches wide) last Sunday with supporting columns to halt additional damage.
OSF has involved two different structural engineers, who are working in collaboration to determine the best way to remediate the split beam. The three options being explored are inserting two 44" steel beams on either side of the existing beam; inserting a 60" beam under the existing wood beam to provide support; pinning and adding post-tension cables to the existing beam. Mr. Nicholson expects that the remediation of the beam and refitting the theatre for performances will take four to six weeks.
Performances continue as scheduled on the Elizabethan Stage and in the New Theatre.
OSF has moved all Angus Bowmer performances to two venues from June 23 through July 3:
Thursday, June 23 and Sunday, June 26 performances will be held at the Historic Ashland Armory on B Street between Oak and Pioneer streets. Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25 performances will be held at the
Dorothy Stolp Center Stage Theatre on the Southern Oregon University campus. Performances from Sunday, June 26 to July 1 will be held in the Ashland Historic Armory. Performances on July 2 and 3 will be held at the Dorothy Stolp Center Stage Theatre on the SOU campus. Closed circuit spillover will be available to over capacity crowds in the SOU Recital Hall (original ticketholders only).
"Audience response to our re-staged versions of productions at the armory and SOU has been overwhelmingly positive," said Artistic Director Bill Rauch. "The exchange between actor and audience has been electrifying. I am confident that our new temporary venue in Lithia Park will continue to deepen the great adventure that we are on together as a company and audience."
These restaged versions of the Angus Bowmer performances-which will feature full casts, costumes and props-are being offered free of charge to ticketholders of the relocated performances. Ticketholders can show a voucher, refund or donation receipt or original ticket at
the door. This is particularly important at the Dorothy Stolp Theatre, because seating is limited. Performances will be at the regular matinee and evening curtain times.
In addition to seeing these free restaged versions, patrons may also exchange their original tickets for a performance in the Elizabethan or New Theatre (depending on availability), receive a voucher for another play, make a donation of their tickets or receive a refund. Ticketholders must return their tickets up to seven days after the performance to take advantage of these options.
Please visit MyOSF.org for more information and continued updates.
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