Chanhassen Dinner Theatres prepares for theater makeover
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) has entered into a project agreement with a local design team to update the theater’s public areas, according to a CDT release. The project will be parceled in stages, with the first installment currently in progress.
The facelift project will take place over a period of time to be completed in stages: entry and outer lobby; fireplace, box office and main stage lobby; merchandise wall/coat check/Brindisi’s Pub corridor; restrooms; and Hogarth Lounge. In addition, there will be many smaller projects added along the way, according to the release.
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres opened in October 1968. It was a dream realized and built by Herbert Bloomberg with interior designs by his business partner and wife, Carolyn Bloomberg. The last time Chanhassen Dinner Theatres made renovations to its building was in 1988, when the front lobby and box office areas were expanded, changing the building front and adding office space to the second floor. In addition, the Director’s Room, a private dining room and viewing box overlooking the Main Stage, was constructed to accommodate groups of up to 32 guests.
When the 90,000-square-foot theater complex was sold in March 2010, the building and the business had fallen into disrepair and there were many ideas on the owners’ wish list, according to the release. First things first, the business needed to be built back up to a position of solid footing and a new business model was established.
In 2013 the opportunity was presented for theater owners to purchase the building and the land it sat upon from the founding family. This gave new ownership some latitude in moving forward with some updates. Vice President Tamara Kangas Erickson stated, “We are so happy that after five years of focusing on infrastructure and equipment improvements that we are now in a position to make these facility updates.”
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres has entered into a project agreement with local design team, Smart Associates. “A lot of work went into the designs,” said Jim Smart, president of Smart Associates. “We researched the history of the building and the business. My early training was in the theatre as a scenic designer and educator, so I’ve put my heart and soul into this project.”
Things that will be improved will include all finishes including: carpeting, entry stone floors, wall finishes, ceiling finishes, lighting and furnishings. One of the challenges posed to the designer was the importance of maintaining many of the strong signature traditions associated with Chanhassen Dinner Theatres that give it its unique charm and ambience. Stone features will remain, as will most all of the rough-hewn wood finishes, although the colors will change.
The first phases of the project have already begun to appear. CDT Vice President Tamara Kangas Erickson said the changes will not affect upcoming productions.
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres President Michael Brindisi said, “It’s a fantastic time to begin this exciting and important improvement stage for our theater that we love so very much. We’re not only dedicated to preserving it, but also to making it better. Our audiences care and we do too.”
Chanhassen city officials are expected to review project details next month.
Reported by: SWNewsMedia.com
The facelift project will take place over a period of time to be completed in stages: entry and outer lobby; fireplace, box office and main stage lobby; merchandise wall/coat check/Brindisi’s Pub corridor; restrooms; and Hogarth Lounge. In addition, there will be many smaller projects added along the way, according to the release.
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres opened in October 1968. It was a dream realized and built by Herbert Bloomberg with interior designs by his business partner and wife, Carolyn Bloomberg. The last time Chanhassen Dinner Theatres made renovations to its building was in 1988, when the front lobby and box office areas were expanded, changing the building front and adding office space to the second floor. In addition, the Director’s Room, a private dining room and viewing box overlooking the Main Stage, was constructed to accommodate groups of up to 32 guests.
When the 90,000-square-foot theater complex was sold in March 2010, the building and the business had fallen into disrepair and there were many ideas on the owners’ wish list, according to the release. First things first, the business needed to be built back up to a position of solid footing and a new business model was established.
In 2013 the opportunity was presented for theater owners to purchase the building and the land it sat upon from the founding family. This gave new ownership some latitude in moving forward with some updates. Vice President Tamara Kangas Erickson stated, “We are so happy that after five years of focusing on infrastructure and equipment improvements that we are now in a position to make these facility updates.”
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres has entered into a project agreement with local design team, Smart Associates. “A lot of work went into the designs,” said Jim Smart, president of Smart Associates. “We researched the history of the building and the business. My early training was in the theatre as a scenic designer and educator, so I’ve put my heart and soul into this project.”
Things that will be improved will include all finishes including: carpeting, entry stone floors, wall finishes, ceiling finishes, lighting and furnishings. One of the challenges posed to the designer was the importance of maintaining many of the strong signature traditions associated with Chanhassen Dinner Theatres that give it its unique charm and ambience. Stone features will remain, as will most all of the rough-hewn wood finishes, although the colors will change.
The first phases of the project have already begun to appear. CDT Vice President Tamara Kangas Erickson said the changes will not affect upcoming productions.
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres President Michael Brindisi said, “It’s a fantastic time to begin this exciting and important improvement stage for our theater that we love so very much. We’re not only dedicated to preserving it, but also to making it better. Our audiences care and we do too.”
Chanhassen city officials are expected to review project details next month.
Reported by: SWNewsMedia.com
