EL CAMPANIL THEATRE MAKEOVER Rebirth of a Graceful Antioch Lady
	JuLY/AUGUST 2004

by Rick Carraher
Photos by Brad Shifflett

I've lived in Antioch for the past 33 years, after growing up in Southern California. When my wife Janis and I opened our restaurant, Rick's on Second in 1986, the El Campanil Theatre was still showing movies across the street.

One of the clear memories I have from those days is when the Antioch Rivertown Business Association rented the theater during one Christmas season. For the donation of a can of food any child could come see a free movie. I remember that about 500 happy and noisy kids showed up for the event. It was great!

The potential for the theater restoration first came to my attention about three years ago when I participated in a meeting of the Economic Development Committee. At that meeting Nordyn Anderson proposed that we look for some way of saving the El Campanil. At the time the theater had been rented out for a number of years to a church.

Nordyn envisioned the idea of the project and I immediately agreed with the potential. The two of us worked together to develop a strategy to make the restoration happen. We approached the City Manager who put us in touch with a consultant specializing in theater restoration and preservation.

Identifying the Path and Taking the First Steps
The first thing we had to do was to identify the scope of the project. Calpine Corporation gave us a grant of $25,000 to put together a business plan. A big part of the plan included bringing together community members and other people who were interested in preserving the theater and keeping it alive as a center for the performing arts.

We then had discussions with the theater owners, the Stamm family. Fortunately, the family encouraged us to continue our efforts. We spent the next year refining the plan, working on strategies for funding, developing a capital campaign approach, while seeking support from the City of Antioch and from the community.

In early 2003 we successfully negotiated an acceptable purchase arrangement with the theater owners and in June 2003, the City of Antioch assisted us in obtaining funding through another grant from Calpine Corporation. The El Campanil Theatre Preservation Foundation, a non profit organization was formed and took ownership of the facility in July 2003.

In late 2003 the Foundation put together a proposal and made a presentation to the City of Antioch Redevelopment Agency. The project plan included details of how we intended to restore and renovate the theater at a cost of four to five million dollars.

To make the project more feasible we divided it into four phases. The first phase, costing a little more than one million dollars, makes necessary renovations to enable the facility to open for public use by July 4, 2004. These improvements include replacing the carpet, installing comfortable seating, new sound and lighting systems, expanding the stage, renovating the projection equipment, new power, gallons of paint, and restoring the historic mural on the wall above the stage.

In December 2003, the Antioch Redevelopment Agency approved a $750,000 grant to get the first phase of the restoration process underway. The El Campanil Theatre Preservation Foundation is now raising the remaining $400,000 through its capital campaign. To date the Foundation has successfully generated over $150,000 in contributions.

On July 4 of this year, (less than 6 months since improvements began) we will re-open the theatre so the community can begin to enjoy it once again.

Moving Ahead from This Point
We will integrate the initial July 4 "Community Preview" with the always-lavish downtown Antioch Fourth of July Celebration. A wonderfully talented local ensemble (Vocal-ease and the Boogiemen) will have the honor of giving the first live commercial public performance in the renovated El Campanil Theatre.

The Capital Campaign is the way we will continue to make progress. One of the major ways we plan to encourage support is through our seat-naming program. For $750 businesses and individuals can have a name or message of their choice displayed on a plaque on the armrest of one of the seats. Contributions may be paid over a three year period.

The Second Phase of the restoration plan will cover structural improvements. A structural engineer has already determined the facility to be sound, but some long-term structural changes ultimately need to be made.

The Third Phase will include interior renovation. During the first phase we were able to make cosmetic changes. We actually hired some set designers and artists who work in Hollywood to create temporary replicas of the original decorations, artifacts, and trim details. During the third phase we will replace these, restoring the theater to the original décor and quality as much as possible.

The Fourth Phase will include the rehabilitation of the exterior of the building.

We have a financial plan in place for completing these renovations but don't have a specific time-line. We'll make our way through these next phases as funds from private donations and grants become available.

In the meantime, the El Campanil Theatre will provide a venue for live performances as well as the showing of classic films. Events will include music, dance, comedy, and live theater. Our grand "gala" opening is currently being planned for October.

Other scheduled events include the Sonos Handbell Ensemble which will perform December 4. Sonos is widely considered the best hand bell group in the U.S. Other planned events include December performances of HUMBUG by Frank Ballesteros Productions. The staging of HUMBUG during the Christmas Holidays is an Antioch tradition. Frank has been putting this show on in Antioch for decades. My children performed in these productions 20 years ago.

The Foundation has recently negotiated an arrangement with Playhouse West which is a repertory theater group performing at the Dean Lesher Theatre for the Performing Arts. In the near future, Playhouse West will perform a series of five plays in Walnut Creek followed by the same season at the El Campanil.

A series of blockbuster classic films is being developed and a schedule for their showings will be published soon.

With so many events in the planning stages we welcome individuals who are interested in volunteering as ushers, ticket takers etc.

The Current Players in the Preservation Project
We've recently expanded the El Campanil Theatre Preservation Foundation Board from three to six members. Nordyn Anderson remains on our board as a Director Emeritus.

Gary Reiman, one of the three original board members, also serves the City of Antioch as the President of the Arts and Cultural Foundation of Antioch.

Dave Brink, a retired electrician from Dow Chemical, has brought to the table a wonderful spirit getting things done – day after day. He is passionately interested in the restoration of the theater.

Sharon Beswick is active in the Capital Campaign and is diligently laboring to get the financial resources we require to move the project toward completion.

Esther Park is head of the Classic Film Committee. Esther showed up one day when we asked for the help of people interested in classic films. A real classic film buff, Esther organized the film committee and is responsible for recommending our film season as well as marketing it to the community.

Our consultant is Venue Tech Management, from Lafayette. John Lind and Judy King are providing the technical guidance for us, as they have done in many theaters nationwide. They provide consulting services as well as technical support resources.

Jump-starting Downtown Redevelopment
My passion for the El Campanil Theatre Preservation project is based largely on the economic opportunity that I see for our downtown area. I believe that the theater and other planned downtown improvements will attract people back downtown. I imagine that the El Campanil will serve as a catalyst of many redevelopment activities.

The rebirth of downtown Antioch is already underway. The vacancy rate is currently at one of the lowest it has been in many years. There is a good mix of small retail shops and service industry businesses. The area is beginning to attract new restaurants. There is a vibrant, hopeful atmosphere; things are changing. During the next five years the downtown will undergo even more dramatic changes. City planners are in conversation with a number of developers interested in the prospect of revitalization.

Plans are being considered for such things as upscale housing along the waterfront. I don't have a picture of what changes the next five years will bring, but I imagine that they will be positive.

The El Campanil Theatre Preservation project is a wonderful undertaking for Antioch. But I believe it is only the beginning of the great things that will be happening in downtown Antioch in the years to come.

For more information about the El Campanil Preservation Foundation please visit our website at www.elcampaniltheatre.com or call us at (925) 757-1366.