Change afoot
Town’s mayor, BPACC supporters are in agreement on direction
Bartlett will announce the new director of the suburb’s Performing Arts and Conference Center this week as Mayor Keith McDonald and theater supporters strive for common ground regarding the theater’s direction.
McDonald said late last week that he has offered the BPACC position to someone, but declined to shed light on the selection, including whether the new director is from the area or the person’s background.
BPACC is being evaluated in the wake of the departure of longtime director Ron Jewell, who left in May to become vice president of operations for the Orpheum’s new Centre for Performing Arts and Education. McDonald met with BPACC’s Advisory Board this month to discuss the facility’s future, the type of artists to book and taking a more aggressive approach in getting sponsorships of events.
“We found we’re pretty much on the same page,” McDonald said.
Lorraine Williams, the board’s chairman, agreed with the assessment, saying the meeting clarified some of the points.
McDonald may have caused some concern among board members when he said Jewell’s departure would provide an opportunity to evaluate the venue’s future. Jewell is credited with bringing popular performers, such as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Charlie Daniels, Clint Black and Arlo Guthrie, to the 350-seat theater. Next season’s Legend Series includes The Time Jumpers featuring Vince Gill, Kenny Sears and Ranger Doug Green in September and an Oct. 16 show with Pat Boone.
Several speakers at Jewell’s final Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting in May noted the key was to continue the success under his direction.
“We are at a critical crossroads with Ron leaving,” BPACC board member Beverly Holmgren said. “... It is a time for re-evaluation, as has been said, not for what happens at BPACC, but how we can continue its success.”
Williams said last week, “It would be silly to change a winner. We have winning seasons.”
One aspect on which many agreed was the need for more sponsorships to support the acts. McDonald noted there are two directions for the theater — bringing in the major acts and other performers audiences might not see elsewhere, and also supplying a learning experience for Bartlett residents and an opportunity to display their talents. Covering the costs of the major acts is not usually a problem. Sponsors help offset the expenses.
But the learning workshops don’t have that benefit, the mayor said, and he encouraged the board and staff to find more financial help to cover those costs.
“We were singing from the same song page,” McDonald said about the meeting. “We just had to sit down together and talk about it.
“I’m comfortable that their desires are very much in line with mine.”