We’ll be patient for next show at Balboa’s theater

For those with a vision of one day watching live shows at the Balboa

Performing Arts Theater, they must have felt a mix of hope and

impatience after reading about the progress of the theater’s

construction in the Daily Pilot on Sunday (“When’s the next show?”).

Admittedly, that’s how we felt when we learned that the goal for

opening night of the theater is not until the fall of 2008.

“There’s a sense that it’s not happening or that it’s not moving

forward because we aren’t publicizing everything we do,” Mary Lonich,

the executive director of the theater foundation, told our reporter.

“For some people, building is the only thing they’ll acknowledge.”

That’s true, so we decided to step back a bit and do a little

acknowledging.

First, we must say that one of the best things that the theater

visionaries have done is hire Lonich.

She brings a professionalism and determination that is needed to

get this project off the ground. She has worked behind the scenes to

prepare the theater for its eventual opening night, raising money and

cleaning up the facade of the aging former movie house, a venue that

once showed X-rated movies and midnight showings of the cult classic,

“Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

With $20,000 invested into cleaning up the entrance, Lonich is now

working to get the rooftop entertainment area up and running.

Once that entertainment spot clears state Coastal Commission

approval, Lonich will use it for events that will help meet the

fundraising goal -- $6.5 million -- that is needed to complete the

venue, which Balboa Peninsula and city leaders hope will one day be

the centerpiece of a downtown refurbishment project.

So while we are hopeful, forgive us for sounding impatient, but we

have good reason.

Next year will mark 10 years since community activists came up

with the goal of refurbishing the abandoned cinema.

Since then, there has been a Bulldozer Ballet, much, much

fundraising, and talk of opening night drawing ever closer but never

materializing.

Theater visionaries must understand that the public is used to

things moving a lot faster, and a trust needs to be built that

ensures the fruits of that same public’s philanthropy is going to pay

dividends -- hopefully sooner rather than later.