A black box theater at the Baca Center is a no go.
The architect hired to determine the feasibility of placing a small theater in the Grand Room of the Allen R. Baca Center for Senior and Community Affairs stated in a letter the facility “is inadequate to provide a professional level quality black box theater.”
Kirk Johnson of Corgan studied three options for a black box at Baca:
- Placing a black box in the Grand Room at the Baca Center
- Option 1, plus adding dressing rooms, makeup counters, a green room, technical booth areas, etc.
- Building a black box theater at the loading dock area of the Baca Center
None of the options were feasible, when looking at 12 criteria examined by Corgan.
“The Baca Center functions well as a community center but has significant spatial, logistical and operational challenges as facility for a professional black box theater,” Johnson stated in a Sept. 29 letter to the City.
We first shared the exciting possibility of a black box in downtown in this Jan. 15, 2016, Quarry post.
The City will continue to look at options for a location for a black box theater, Arts and Culture Director Scot Wilkinson said.
“While we’re disappointed this option isn’t feasible, because it could have been completed relatively quickly and cost effectively, we are moving on,” Wilkinson said. “There are other possibilities we are now pursuing that are very promising. We need a performing arts venue in Round Rock.”
