New Lobby Remodel and new Executive Director bring new face to Theatre

(Madison, WI) The Bartell Community Theatre Foundation, a Madison not-for-profit organization, announces it has been rewarded a $25,000 grant from Madison Community Foundation. The grant will be used to update one of the Bartell’s two performance spaces as well as to help fund a remodel of the lobby and box office. The larger upstairs Drury auditorium will be updated with a new sound system, amps, cables and other infrastructure items.

The Bartell Theatre, located at 113 East Mifflin Street (just off the Capitol Square) in Madison has been a home to community theatre companies since 1998. Currently five resident companies (Madison Theatre Guild, Strollers Theatre, Madison Ballet, Mercury Players Theatre, StageQ) share the space. Collectively they sold over 12,000 tickets last season.

“This generous grant,” said Bartell Board President Steve Noll “will allow us to install and take full advantage of the Drury sound system that was donated to us from Overture’s Capitol Theatre (after they did a recent upgrade). This new system will make our musicals sound top notch and allow us to bring in local concerts.” Noll added “We hope to soon add a video projection system to allow renters to incorporate video or other multi-media into productions, corporate meetings or even do the occasional film screening.” The Bartell is housed in the same building that was once the Esquire Movie Theater.

The grant will also provide support for a planned remodel/update of the lobby including a new ticketing booth, seating and gallery space for local artists. The lobby remodel is underway and expected to be completed in the spring of 2015.

Finally, the Bartell also announces that Kirk Stantis has accepted the position as Executive Director for the Bartell Foundation. Stantis has volunteered for many years for the Bartell and has an extensive background in technical theatre, corporate marketing and fundraising. One of the major goals of fundraising in 2015 is the creation of an endowment fund for the Bartell Foundation.

The Madison Community Foundation has served the residents of Dane County and beyond for over 70 years with over $150 million in assets and over 1000 individual funds.