As he prepares to leave, Healey looks back on tenure at Weinberg

Jun. 2—Perhaps having the timing of an actor helped John Healey know when to bring down the curtain on his time as manager at Frederick's Weinberg Center for the Arts and New Spire Arts.

"I've got plenty of other things I wanted to do. I just thought it was time," said Healey, who will leave his position in September.

Healey arrived at the Weinberg in June 2006, after the center went through several managers in a short time.

The theater lost a lot of money in the years prior to Healey's hiring, and some city aldermen were upset about the toll it was taking on the city's finances, he said.

In talking to officials and donors, Healey was pleased to see that the community's enthusiasm for the venue was still strong.

"People were angry, but they weren't apathetic," Healey said.

Not all of the fundraising efforts went smoothly.

The theater held a gala event to kick off a major fundraising campaign on the same night in 2008 that the investment firm Lehman Brothers collapsed, marking the start of the Great Recession.

But despite the inauspicious start, the campaign reached its fundraising goal six months ahead of schedule, Healey said.

As he worked to stabilize the theater's finances, he also tried to make upgrades when he could, to give people tangible signs of improvement.

In 2008, all of the theater's seats were replaced, beginning a renovation that would include upgrades to the lighting and sound systems and a complete makeover of the interior.

Around the same time, downtown Frederick started to be revitalized, and people saw a chance for the Weinberg to be a centerpiece of a vibrant area.

Studies show that spending by arts patrons such as those at the Weinberg contribute significantly to the economy through ticket sales, concessions, dining, and retail purchases, Richard Griffin, the economic development director for the city, wrote in an email Friday.

A robust arts scene is also important for attracting and retaining talented workers in the city, he wrote.

"This trifecta of economic, cultural, and workforce impact is something few other entities can accomplish," Griffin wrote.

He praised Healey for the improvements at the Weinberg since his arrival.

"He is leaving the Weinberg in terrific shape for the future and I wish him all the best for a well-earned retirement," Griffin wrote.

Healey has worked to foster a dynamic environment with diverse programming, to bring a mix of cultural and socioeconomic audiences into the Weinberg.

"How do we bring in programming that's not just geared to one type of audience?" he said.

The theater hosts amix of events, ranging from concerts and dance recitals to speakers and classic movies.

On one day in 2016, the theater hosted a Ted Cruz campaign event in the morning and an event with social justice activist Bryan Stevenson in the evening.

In recent years, speakers have included authors David Sedaris and Bill Bryson, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and historian Jon Meacham, among a long list of others.

The effort to provide a wide range of voices hasn't always been appreciated by all of Healey's audiences.

A 2015 visit by actress and activist Jane Fonda brought "lots of interesting comments," he said dryly.

But he's proud of the lineups he's helped provide, and the cultural discussions they've sparked since he arrived.

"There was such an attitude of that old 'Fredneck' attitude that just doesn't exist any more," he said.