Canton's historic theater will get a makeover

Jun. 28—CANTON — As Canton leaders dream big about how to rebuild the Colonial Theater following massive flooding, there was an unspoken obstacle — funding.

It is estimated that between $800,000 and $900,000 in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds will be coming in to restore both the Colonial and Canton armory, and a portion of that must be used to flood proof the buildings.

Town leaders are looking at the opportunity to re-envision uses for both buildings so they can play a vital part in the community's post-flood — and post-mill future. Though no estimates have been floated yet, with the town budget about to drop $3 million or so with the mill loss, funding availability is key.

"That is the question I think we are all asking right now," Canton Town Manager Nick Scheuer said about funding improvements. "Next steps will be to figure out how (FEMA) funds align with the proposed improvements recommended through these exercises. Considering our financial situation, any betterments would have to be funded through grants, etc."

The town is working with Greenville, South Carolina, architect John Hansen with the firm Craig Gaulden Davis on the design for both buildings.

During a charrete, which is basically an exchange of ideas so the architect can make the board's vision come true, Hanson asked board members to outline how the theater had been used in the past and how they envisioned it being used in the future.

Most of the initial discussions focused on the Colonial.

All agreed the theater could be an economic driver as a working, widely-used facility that could draw people to downtown Canton amid the riverside green spaces the town would have after flood mitigation projects were in place.

For that to happen, several changes would be needed, however.

Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers praised Greenville's widely acclaimed river front park and facilities, indicating elements there could serve as an example for what Canton's river corridor could look like. The Colonial Theater can be a linchpin.

"The challenge is how to get the theater to where it needs to be. It's a jewel sitting in an area that will soon become usable park land, but it reminds me of a grandmother's living room that is used for special occasions, but you didn't go there often. The theater needs to honor history, but have the look of a place you're not afraid to touch."

Board members listed the challenges to filling the venue — the acoustics are bad, the post-flood 2004 restoration was very formal and beautiful, but lacked broad appeal, and the fact no concessions could be brought inside didn't help. The awkward setup for concessions and the theater annex which was configured in a way that created noise and wasn't very useful were other drawbacks.

Promoters looking for possible venues seemed to need facilities with a capacity of at least 350, said Assistant Town Manager Lisa Stinnett, and the Colonial could only seat 300. Another obstacle was that the audio/visual capabilities where outdated equipment meant small screens than people were accustomed to.

The board agreed the new equipment had to be digital, and Alderman Ralph Hamlett suggested the theater space needed to be a "black box" or a space that could be used for a multitude of purposes — from standup comedy to small theater productions and smaller music performances.

Mayor Pro Tempore Gail Mull said old films, especially Elvis movies, brought in a lot of people, as have the Miss Labor Day pageants.

"We're creating recreational corridor from dawn to dusk," said Alderwoman Kristina Proctor, throwing out a vision of the future for the flood prone areas near downtown.

Alderman Tim Shepard said the Colonial should be a multi-purpose venue that attracts a multitude of different people to different events.

"I literally just want to see people in it," he said.

Follow up

Two weeks after the initial meeting, Hansen and his team were part of a virtual meeting with board members as he floated a number of ideas for consideration.

Rough plans were presented to remove an apron that had been added to the stage that reduced seating capacity and made performances less visible to those in the balcony.

He offered a variety of suggestions on how the theater and its annex could be primarily used for cinema, amplified music, chamber music, drama productions with small sets and props only, standup comedy, lectures, weddings, banquets and community meetings.

A proposal for the Colonial annex showed an expanded concession area that played off a soda shop theme and tied into one of the building's past uses, a reconfigured upstairs area that met federal ADA standards, more restrooms and a new traffic pattern to reduce congestion and noise that would distract from performances or films.

The design incorporated the annex into the theater space, making it the theater entrance, complete with a corner marquee advertising the event. The existing entrance would become only a space to exit.

The proposals are just that for now, but the board agreed they incorporated much of what was discussed in the previous session as goals for the facility.

The path forward is undetermined because of the overriding unknown — where will the funding come from.