Quick Take
The Colligan Theater at the Tannery Arts Center, abandoned after the closure of Jewel Theatre Co. last spring, has a new managing tenant, the local nonprofit Theatre 831, which runs the children's theater organization All About Theatre.
Almost a decade ago now, the sparkling new Colligan Theater opened at the Tannery Arts Center, and in that time, the Colligan has essentially served one purpose: to be the home base for the celebrated Santa Cruz theater company Jewel Theatre.
In mid-November, almost exactly on the date that the Colligan first welcomed audiences nine years ago, the theater will open for something other than a Jewel show, when All About Theatre presents its new production of “The Little Mermaid.”
Call it a new era for the 182-seat theater, built for $5.8 million as the third and final phase of the ambitious Tannery Arts Center. It not only means a new tenant at the Colligan, but — according to that new tenant — a new orientation of the theater to the community.
The newly announced manager at the Colligan is the local arts nonprofit Theatre 831, the parent organization of the children’s-oriented theater company All About Theatre.
Lindsey Chester, the artistic director of both organizations, said that her focus is to dramatically expand the number of community groups using the Colligan for theater, music, performance or other uses. AAT will be the de facto resident company on the grounds, but, said Chester, her company will make it a priority to make room for other events and organizations.
Chester said that, under her management, the Colligan will be “the heart of the arts.” AAT is likely to do anywhere between nine and 12 shows there a year, but “it is going to be a central space that all community members are going to want to be a part of, to come and see the vitality and the life that’s being brought back into this place.”
Jewel managed the city-owned theater and used it almost exclusively for its own productions until the company closed last spring after 20 years of producing theater in Santa Cruz. The city then solicited proposals to establish a new tenant in the building.
Already, Chester said, Theatre 831 is forging partnerships with the Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center and other potential performance groups at the Tannery Arts Center. She said that her organization will be busy building a calendar in 2025 and beyond that includes a wide range of presenters. She pointed to models such as the Rio Theatre and the Kuumbwa Jazz Center, both beloved local performance spaces that serve as both arts presenters and facility managers for other freelance presenters.
“That’s probably coming within the first three to six months,” said Chester. “We’re actualizing just the first few steps of that, but it’s definitely coming to life.”
If demand for the Colligan is strong, Chester said that she would give a “slight head nod” priority to groups and/or artists associated with the Tannery, though she would work to adapt to any presenter, even if it means moving AAT productions to other venues. “We would look at our calendar, and even be willing to bump ourselves out to ensure that the Colligan represents this community’s richness and diversity.”
Chester added that the Colligan would also potentially be open to hosting workshops, training classes, rehearsals and other kinds of presentations, and that it would offer itself as an alternative space for UC Santa Cruz and Cabrillo College, if those schools wanted to stage something closer to downtown Santa Cruz than their usual venues. Rent for presenters will be charged on a per-hour or per-day basis. Daily rent will be around $875 on weekend days, less on weekdays. Lower rates will also be available to nonprofits.
Chester credited Julie James, the longtime artistic director of Jewel, with helping her learn the building and address the many challenges of being the facility’s manager. In addition to building maintenance, the new manager will have to figure out a way to activate the theater’s food/drink concession, develop policies and guidelines for outside presenters, maintain the theater’s light and sound technologies, and deal with security concerns and the ticketing process.
However, as the new manager who just received the keys to the building less than two weeks ago, Chester is talking like an excited new homeowner. She said now is the time to dream big about the space’s capabilities and face whatever limitations and logistical problems there might be only when they arise.
“Right now, I don’t think there are any bounds or boundaries,” she said. “That’s the big passionate vision for this space.”
Those interested in renting the Colligan Theater can find more information here.