WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – They have nearly a century of history, but they don’t have a home. Watertown’s community theater groups are vying for a dedicated venue since their go-to is something they now can’t afford.
They’re calling it guerilla theater. Local acting troupe Little Theatre of Watertown has held performances in Clayton, online, and most recently at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.
Organization head Amanda Morrison says that the nomadic approach comes with some cons.
“It becomes difficult for people to know where you are because you don’t have a consistent spot. It becomes difficult to plan and schedule shows because you don’t know where you’re going to be,” she said.
Normally the city’s performing arts groups’ go-to location would be the Dulles State Office Building’s auditorium.
“People wouldn’t have to bring their own sound or light. The seats were renovated so they’re comfortable. The view from every seat is fantastic. The stage is well made,” said Laura Oakes, president of Northern Blend Chorus.
But due to an April 2022 mandate from the state, the venue has become prohibitively expensive, sometimes tripling in price. That’s because it’s now charging for rehearsals, setup, and teardown instead of events on their own.
“At the rate we’re going with the cost of venue usages, we’re going to have to stop pricing ourselves out of the accessible line and I believe that goes against what all of us are here for,” said Jonathan Cole, president of Watertown Lyric Theater.
Morrison says local theater groups have reached out to the state to see if it would be able to make the venue more affordable.
Meanwhile, these organizations have high hopes for the former Club Rio, a space Jefferson Community College and Neighbors of Watertown are redoing as part of the state’s downtown revitalization project.
“That’s really perfect for the size of shows and stuff that I need to do because straight plays just average a smaller audience,” said Morrison.
Making the most of what they have, but hoping for a more stable future.
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