Media Theatre raises roof, thanks to federal grant

This month, the sound of music has been replaced by the humming of construction equipment at the Media Theatre, where work is underway to literally support the State Street landmark.

For several weeks in June, crews are repairing the brick parapet that extends from the flat roof of the 1927 building. The parapet extends upwards past the roof around the edges, making the roof safer. A section of the parapet had failed, collapsing in on the roof.

The Media Theatre partnered with Delaware County Council to secure a federal Community Development Block Grant for $154,000 to repair the roof and maintain the integrity of the theatre, which is a cultural and economic asset to the Borough of Media and Delaware County. CDBG funds are administered through the county Office of Housing and Community Development.

“These funds come in a block which allows the county to determine the best use to meet community needs,” said OHCD Director Linda Hill. “This allows the flexibility to undertake projects like the preservation of historically significant structures like the Media Theatre.”

Hill and her staff worked with Patrick Ward, Media Theatre’s executive director, and architect Robert Linn to secure the grant and handle the bidding process. The work is being done by L.J. Paolella Construction Inc. of Brookhaven. The building is owned by Media Borough.

“The staff at the theatre is really pleased that we could partner with the county to undertake these repairs,” said Media Theatre Director

Patrick Ward. “It’s challenging to financially sustain our live theatre operation, but we also believe in trying to preserve this gem of a building too. This building started as a vaudeville house, and then it was repurposed as a live theatre in 1994, giving it new life. We thank our partners at the county for helping us to maintain this building.”

Since the pandemic forced the closure of Media Theatre in March, the stage has been dark. On June 15, the theatre reopened its doors for the children’s summer camp program which is operating under all CDC and state Health Department protocols.

“It is great to once again hear young people singing and dancing on our stage,” Ward said. “We look forward to the day when we reopen our doors to audiences for live musicals again. This is just a long intermission. We’ll be back soon, under a stronger roof.”

Delco Youth Orchestra continues making music during pandemic

As the Philadelphia area endured the past three months of the “stay-athome” order during the coronavirus pandemic, one of the things that has helped people through this period is music, whether playing it or listening to it. Delaware County Youth Orchestra, a highly selective ensemble of 103 student musicians from Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey, now in its 48th season, had to suspend its rehearsals in mid-March, and has been using music to keep its student members engaged and provide a positive experience in an otherwise challenging time.

Although not as satisfying as performing together in person, the virtual activities planned by the conductors of DCYO and its intermediate-level orchestra, the Young Musicians’ Orchestra, have provided the students a way to stay connected and play music together.

The most recent challenging exercise was orchestrating a virtual performance of “The Toreadors” from Bizet’s Carmen (https://youtu.be/vFI_ GXLlpU0), requiring members of the DCYO orchestra to practice, record, and upload videos of their individual parts at home, and having the conductor put them all together. The conductors, Andrew Hauze, who is also director of the Swarthmore College Orchestra. and

Nick Pignataro, have kept their students engaged with weekly videos about orchestral repertoire, practice tips, music theory, and music history, as well as resources for watching concerts and master classes, to help expand the students’ musical horizons. DCYO and YMO recently held their auditions online for their next season, with an eye towards returning to regular rehearsals when the pandemic subsides.

For more information, contact Momoko Kishimoto at makfrb@verizon. net or Mindyjane Berman at mjandboys@yahoo.com.