Sources tell the Cape Charles Mirror that the current Board of Directors for Arts Enter Cape Charles is contemplating selling the Historic Palace Theatre to a private entity. The plan, according to what we have gathered, comes with two scenarios. One is to convert the existing theater into a modern, up to date cinema that will show first run films, three times daily during the week, with additional showings on weekends. This scenario would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to accomplish. The second, more likely scenario, is that the theater will be converted to apartments, leaving part of the current theater as a private showing room for the owners. In both scenarios, the stage will be partly or completely removed to accommodate the renovations.
This news has created a high level of consternation for the performing arts community, especially the young dancers and actors that perform at the Palace, and think of it as a second home. Less than two hours after these kids found out about the board’s plans, they sprang into action creating social media groups called the ‘Save the Palace Squad’, and proceeded to brainstorm.
Here is a list of some of their ideas: Talent show – I played the palace!, Go Fund Me Page, Art sale by Arts Enter Student Artists, Baby Sitting for Arts Enter, Lemonade Stand in front of Lemon Tree Gallery, Tie dye t-shirt sale, Arts in Park camp with teens as counselors, Bake Sale at town events and Wednesday night Movies, better online presence, teens run Instagram page for Arts Enter,Date night movie when we have babysitting, Middle School teen dance – ticket sales support Arts Enter, Spread the word about movies through Instagram, Spread the word about camp through Instagram, Run a booth during the 4th of July parade selling lemonade, Arts Enter Kids in the 4th of July Parade,Battle of the Bands, Car Wash, Henna tattoos, Kids Party night at the theatre, Sewing Camp, Rock band club, Karoke contest, Comedy night, Fashion design camp, Knitting club or camp, Art contest,Leotard design, Video movie making – club or camp,
Casual dances in summer.
The benefit of this list is that, not only are many of ideas fully ready to implement, they are also front loaded to take advantage of the tourist season, when the population of the town swells. This is what teenagers came up with in just a weekend; it begs the question of just what the board has been doing over the last year to lead it to contemplate such a burnt earth policy. Sources tell the Mirror that this current board has not written a single grant application this season, and even left over $8k on the table because there was nobody to fill out the required paperwork.
Members of the performing arts community told the Mirror that they were hopeful that an alternative to selling the Palace could be found, hopefully finding a patron that would be willing to keep it open as a performance venue. However, others noted that they are already looking at alternatives. The general consensus was that once the Palace was gone, Arts Enter as an organization would more than likely dissolve. How the community would pick up the pieces is still speculation.
Other folks in town have contacted the Mirror, and expressed concern about the upcoming Benefit by the Bay. As one person said, “If the Palace is gone, not part of Arts Enter, then what exactly are we doing here? I wonder, what are we paying money to support, if we’re not promoting the arts, especially the performances at that theater? I’d like to, or get some idea, some assurances about what their plans are…”
Members of the arts community that talked to the Mirror, expressed anger, bitterness and sadness. The consensus among artists is that, once the theater is gone, the arts in Cape Charles will no longer be viable, and like Shore Memorial, will have to try and find a more hospitable location up north. As a musician told us, “The town has been working so hard for the last few years to brand itself as ‘harbor for the arts’, a place that promoted all levels of artistry and creativity…and now, to have the heart of that idea being ripped away from us, being thrown away like an old candy wrapper, is beyond disappointing. Where exactly are we supposed to perform with the stage gone?” It should be noted that not only will performers from Arts Enter Dance and Theater be affected, but also the theater program at the Cape Charles Christian School, as well IM Dance in Cheriton, which relies on that stage for its recitals.
Note: there is no alternative venue for the performing arts in Cape Charles. The auditorium at the old high school may have been workable, but that structure has since been sold to a Richmond developer for $10, and converted into apartments.
A source also tells the Mirror that an accountant has looked at the theater’s finances, and found that, like every other community theater in America, they were challenged, yet far from hopeless. It is, according to sources, a situation that is easily turned around with the right team in place. Those sources also tell us that Arts Enter founding member, Clelia Sheppard has formed a proposal that could provide a workable future for the Historic Palace, but has not been afforded a chance to present it to the board at this time.
Note: Ms. Sheppard has spent over $600k bringing the Palace back to life.
Wayne, Thanks for bringing this out into the light. The Palace and its numerous productions means a great deal to our family, and I am sure many more families. That stage and the the good people who direct and produce the plays have a transformative power for our community. I remember when the lights went down and saw my own boys walk the boards for the first time, well, this old football coach had a little smile cry. How many kids (and adults!) have caught the passion for arts over the years because of the Palace? I am sure others know better than I about how the Palace transformed the town into arts destination, so I’ll leave it to them to tell that side.
Let’s see: the middle school, the little league, the basketball courts, a safe beach… what else can the adults mess up for the kids around here? As we have seen, once it’s gone, it aint coming back. Seriously, what will Arts Enter, the organization, be when they surrender the crown jewel? It will just be a disembodied ghost of itself having fancy cocktail parties.
I love the kids ideas. Let’s make it happen. I’m all in.
This would suck the life out of our performing arts community. The board needs to completely rethink their approach to the performing. arts.
In my 7 1/2 years in Cape Charles, Clelia and Mary Anne did some amazing while overseeing the theater/Arts Enter and if one of them has a plan they should be heard. Anything less would be treasonous to the ideals that Arts Enter has been trying to uphold.
Brent Carpenter
I had suggested years ago but was ignored along with the father of a member of the board, he and i agreed that a “Spoleto” style after Gina Carlo Menotti 17 day festival in Charleston , South Carolina of “Performing, literary and visual arts” in producing new ways of “Opera, Bluegrass, Soul Blues, Theatre, Dance”.
A seperate festival for Silent Movies, many theaters in Europe are surviving old theters
with silent movies with Charles Chaplin and others.
My suggestion would transform Cape Charles into a exhilarating celebration of “performing, Literary and Visual Arts” but like all my ideas it fall on deaf ears.
Tony Sacco the dreamer
Utterly ridiculous! How about the “board” do something to save this historic institution, rather than throw their hands up in the air saying they have done everything they could. Pish posh!!! Not one grant pursued, so much money lost, and only one annual fundraiser that only caters to the wealthy. Travis and I have very respectable jobs, however, there is no way we could afford $100 a plate for a fundraiser. There are some board members that are ready to get their hands dirty in order to keep The Palace alive, but most seem to hold a position on the board for some sort of public prestige. It needs to be restructured immediately with people who are willing to act in the best interest of the theatre, and want to work hard for the ENTIRE community of Northampton County, not just the “haves” in Cape Charles.
Hey Wayne. I’m sorry you were given such incomplete information about potential plans for the Palace Theatre. Given what you heard, I can understand why you and some of the performing arts community would be so upset. But I hope you’ll be relieved when you hear more about the real plans.
I’m the one who has been working with Arts Enter over the last couple of years to try to come up with a way to show first-run movies there while still maintaining all of Arts Enter’s current programs. The reason we’ve been working at this for two years is because from the get-go, the plan has always been to keep the summer camps, the plays, the dance classes, etc. That has always been priority number one, both for me and for Arts Enter. We have approached this from various angles as to how to best mix the two, but nobody has ever put forth a plan that would involve changing the theatre space in any way. That place is a treasure for all of us in Cape Charles. It’s just that as it is now, it actually sits empty most of the time. So, by adding movies, the Palace Theatre can give so much more back to the community that has supported it over the years. And while a single-screen movie theatre is not a big money-making venture (there’s a reason that people only build multiplexes these days), by showing movies there year-round in addition to the current stage productions, additional money could be generated to offset a lot of the costs that Arts Enter has to pay to support that huge building when it sits empty so often. That would free up Arts Enter to spend more time, money, and energy creating rather than fundraising. That’s the hope anyway. But the whole idea has always been to preserve the theatre itself as well as the arts. If anything, I’d like to see even more live shows than there are now. I’m sorry that rumors have suggested otherwise.
I have been a Cape Charles resident and member of our local arts community for ten years now and have donated a lot of time to Arts Enter in the past (DJ for fundraisers, instructor for Experimental Film classes) because I love the Palace Theatre like you do and because I want to bring arts to our community like you do. Surely, we can all work together to bring both movies and stage productions into that wonderful space for Cape Charles and the Eastern Shore. I would love to see your next play there, and I hope you and the other artists and kids would enjoy seeing some new movies there as well.
Editor: Sound’s good…but… Can we get this in a contract, that is the dance studio stays, the stage stays, and we have 100% access when the kids need it…which is always. Please, contact us at capecharlesmirror@gmail.com and we’ll get the real scoop out there.
Great news Erin! Great foresight in thinking of new ways to generate money for the Arts Enter. Looking forward to this coming to life.
Do not sell the Palace Theater!!!! I thought this was some kind of bad joke. There are not enough people here for one screen movies all year. Do the math. And we have this thing called Netflix now….
I’ll bet Mrs. Shepard has a good idea or two. Give her a chance!