Nathan Phillips. Seated, Scott Coe, left, and Ann Foxworthy Lewellen of Solvang Theaterfest. (Courtesy photo)
Solvang Theaterfest marked a significant renovation project milestone in traditional Danish fashion recently with a Rejsegilde celebration on stage at the Solvang Festival Theater.
The Rejsegilde, or topping-off tradition, placed a Danish wreath atop of one of six new lighting towers, which were set in place in January and mark the highest point in the Theaterfest’s $4.7 million renovation project.
Community supporters joined the Solvang Theaterfest Board of Directors and staff onstage for the event and were able to view the progress of the renovation, which started in September and is slated for completion in July.
Two key project announcements were made during the event. The first was an update on the capital campaign, which had an original fundraising goal in 2018 of $4.7 million.
“We’re now a little more than $100,000 from our original goal, and it’s all because of people like you,” said Ann Foxworthy Lewellen, board vice chair and capital campaign chair. Minor cost adjustments to the original budget will increase the final cost marginally
“A lot of people said we would never be able to get here, and now, we’re almost there,” Foxworthy Lewellen said.
In the second announcement, Chris Nielsen said new seating for the 700-seat theater is now included in the scope of the renovation, after not being a part of the original scope. Nielsen is immediate past chair of the board, and current chair of the construction committee.
“We’ve been asked hundreds of times if we were getting new seats, and now the answer is yes,” said Nielsen, who unveiled a sample of the new seats on stage, which he described as “Danish blue.”
The theater renovation project will accomplish the following key elements:
• Ensure structural integrity for generations to come.
• Upgrade electrical, lighting and sound technology.
• Assure safety for audience, stage crew and staff.
• Comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act.
• Reduce wind and noise for the audience.
• Replace the old seating with new seats.
For more, email Scott Coe, Solvang Theaterfest executive director, at exec.director@solvangtheaterfest.org, or call 805-588-4112.