Tates
Creek Drama
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If you or your business would like to support the Wilton Fuller Theatre restoration project, please contact Jason Meenach (381-3620, jason.meenach@fayette.kyschools.us) or Debbie Howe (381-3030 howe@qx.net). Checks can be made out to Howe Charities, Inc. and sent to: The Howe Charities, Inc 658 Montclair Drive Lexington, KY 40502. Please write "Tates Creek" in the memo line.
Wilton
Fuller Theatre Restoration Project Tates Creek High School Tates Creek High School (TCHS) is a comprehensive, public high school accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It is one of five public high schools within the Fayette County Public School District. TCHS opened in 1965 and was the final addition to the complex which includes Tates Creek Elementary and Middle Schools. The school serves a diverse community of families from several ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds. The school's mission statement is to provide a strong academic and social foundation within a safe and nurturing environment, whereby all students aspire to use their acquired knowledge and skills to become responsible, contributing members of society. The purpose of this proposal is to suggest much needed upgrades to the William Fuller Auditorium. These upgrades are necessary if the Fuller Auditorium is to continue to serve the Tates Creek High School community and the many civic groups which use it. Additionally, these upgrades will support the expected implementation of Tates Creek’s IB Theatre Arts class. The IB Theatre arts class requires that students are acting in, directing, and designing several productions per school year. This requirement will put an increased demand on our theatre resources, which are too antiquated and inadequate to handle the strain of such a significant increase in usage. School and Community Needs / Risk Factors TCHS underwent a major renovation in 1992-1993; however, the William Fuller Auditorium only received cosmetic enhancements (new seats and carpet) and did not receive any structural/physical upgrades during renovation or since. The auditorium has continued to operate using many physical and electrical structures that are now 40 years old, many of which no longer work adequately or at all. An overview of the major problems: ●In 1997 new structures were installed to hang lights; however, the physical isolation of these structures makes them nearly inaccessible, and the auditoriums’ antiquated electrical wiring has made the lighting unreliable and inconsistent. ●The overhead, incandescent stage lights are also inaccessible; bulbs which burned out long ago have never been replaced and as a result the backstage area is treacherously dark. ●The lighting strips which are used to cast different light hues are working at only 50% capacity. The strip units themselves are likely from the original building construction. ●The current sound system is outdated, incorrectly installed, and inadequate. The speakers which currently hang from the ceiling are really floor monitors ill-suited for ceiling speakers, and they are angled improperly so that the trajectory of the sound waves allows for poor sound quality. ●Pocket lights located just above and in front of the stage are not working due to faulty electrical wiring. The pocket lights are inaccessible and therefore cannot be easily fixed. This leaves the entire apron of the stage (approximately 105 square feet in area) cast in shadows. ●The auditorium is using old curtains and draperies which not only pose a fire hazard, but they are also torn, covered in paint splashes, and overall are aesthetically displeasing. As a result of these problems described above, the auditorium has become an impractical and unsafe facility for the school community to use. This presents a problem for many groups who use the auditorium. These groups include but are not limited to the following: ●the theatre arts program uses the auditorium for drama rehearsals and performances of three mainstage productions each school year. ●many classes use the auditorium throughout the year. In particular the drama classes and the anticipated IB Theatre Arts classes require students to mount dramatic productions using the full capacities of the auditorium. ●the marching band use the auditorium for sectional rehearsals and parent meetings. ●the orchestra and chorus programs use the auditorium for at least one concert each year. ●many class meetings, student council meetings, and public assemblies are held in the auditorium ●Battle of the Bands, the student fashion show, and another very popular event sponsored by Y-Club, Mr. TCHS, all take place in the auditorium. ●the senior class has many informational meetings with parents and students to organize the annual Senior Trip and to order graduation caps and gowns. ●the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, which TCHS will implement in fall 2007, will continue to use the auditorium to hold community forums and orientations for students and families interested in this very exciting special programme. Therefore, the auditorium should be an appealing, inviting space that might help attract prospective students and families to Tates Creek High School. •Recent guest visitors who have given talks in our theatre include former Lexington Mayor Teresa Isaac, current Mayor Jim Newberry, and University of Kentucky President Dr. Lee Todd. Addressing School and Community Needs In order to re-establish Fuller Auditorium as a safe and fully functional venue that will support the educational and artistic goals of the many groups which use it, we are seeking funds to renovate the physical structure, modernize the technology systems, and make much needed interior improvements. A brief itemization of targeted upgrades and their purpose follows: ●Install a fully accessible cat walk across the middle of the ceiling of the auditorium, fully equipped with lighting instruments. This will allow for adequate lighting along the front of the stage, and the cat walk will make these lighting instruments easily accessible. This will allow for more focused and specialized lighting that will meet the demands of all groups wishing to use the auditorium. ●Contract electricians to install the electrical structures needed to accommodate the cat walk lights described above, and to repair the existing theatrical lighting structures (i.e., overhead border lights) that are currently inoperable. ●Install new overhead fluorescent lights which can be easily accessed to change whenever a bulb burns out. This will better illuminate the backstage area and make it safer for use. This will also save the life of lamps in the theatrical lighting fixtures, which are often overused for general lighting purposes that fluorescent lights could provide. ●Install a new hang-down projector from the ceiling of the auditorium that can be used for multimedia presentations. ●A new computer, light board, patches panel, and software that will serve the demands of the new lighting and sound systems. ●Replace the strip lights which currently work at only 50% capacity. ●Install new speakers, feedback monitors, choir microphones, and a sound board which will provide sufficient sound amplification and quality for all uses. ●Install new curtains, wings, and borders which meet fire code. ●Install new, larger seats that will seat adults comfortably. ●Purchase cabinets, shelving, and bins for storage. Vision 20/20 and Educational Objectives The requests for this proposal support Fayette County Public Schools 2020 Arts Recommendations, a vision-sharing process which was borne from members of the Lexington community. 2020 Arts Recommendation #4 recognizes the need to provide appropriate facilities, materials, and capital resources for arts instruction, creation and production. Tates Creek High School’s Auditorium is the most outdated and poorest-equipped venue of its type in the Fayette County School system and therefore should be first to receive consideration for upgrades. The targeted upgrades will support Kentucky Core Content in Arts and Humanities : AH-HS-4.3.1Students will create and perform using elements of drama. (Literary - script writing, Technical - designing and directing, Performance- acting) AH-HS-4.3.2Students will identify skills and training necessary for a variety of careers related to drama. Vendors, Services Rendered, and Estimated Cost of the Renovation Project please see Jason Meenach for information about vendors, etc.
Anticipated Impact of the Fuller Auditorium Renovation Staff and Administrator impacts Staff and administrators wishing to use the space for classes and different school groups will have access to a fully renovated, state-of-the-art auditorium which has all the capabilities that a school venue needs in the 21st century. The drama classes and IB Theatre Arts class will be able to more fully explore all the possibilities of theatre production in the 21st century. Student impacts Students will be able use the auditorium to the fullest extent of its capabilities and to enjoy their educational and extracurricular experiences there. For the first time, Tates Creek students will be able to explore and learn about all the skills, technologies, and job opportunities available in technical theatre, an industry which also requires excellent skills in reading, communication, and mathematics. Parent / Community impacts Parents will be able to see their chorus, drama, band and orchestra students well lit on stage when they go see a performance in Tates Creek’s Fuller Auditorium. Anyone sitting in the audience of a parent orientation or community form will be able to hear as well as they should expect to hear. All parents and community members will be able to better enjoy the overall experience at Fuller Theatre and will look forward to returning. Goals and Objectives
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