A Schenectady theater company will receive millions of dollars in state funding to improve accessibility and upgrade its buildings.
The Schenectady Light Opera Company has been performing plays and musicals for nearly a century. The company opened its doors in 1926 in the Electric City.
But the company’s president, John Meglino, says its buildings need to be modernized.
Meglino says because of accessibility hurdles, people who are wheelchair bound cannot even be cast in performances.
“Right now, there is no way for anyone in a wheel chair to be able to get on our stage or even into our dressing room,” Meglino said.
Caleigh Hogan is one of those people. The 19-year-old Empire State University student says she is able to participate in auditions but cannot perform under the stage lights.
“I’ve only been doing community theater for about a year and a half and this one of the newer places that I have been auditioning with,” Hogan said.
Hogan says she knows many people who keep coming back to the theater to perform.
“I would love to be a part of that,” Hogan said.
And now, with the aid of state funding, she just might.
The company has been awarded $2.5 million improve its seating, entryways, backstage areas and restrooms to better accommodate those who are disabled.
State Assemblymember Angelo Santabarbara made the funding announcement Tuesday at SLOC’s building on Franklin Street in Downtown Schenectady.
“You see the impact of how much theater is missed when its not around so these theaters, and there is quite a few of them in Schenectady, Schenectady is certainly a theater town, these theaters are just as important as the big ones,” Santabarbara said.
Santabarbara, a Democrat from the 111th district, was joined by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie for the tour.
Meglino the company will launch a capital campaign to raise an additional $1 million for needed upgrades.
While ensuring Americans for Disabilities Act compliance is a major part of the project, Meglino says the money will allow SLOC to build “a welcoming space for everyone.”
“This building is from 1896 and it constantly needs updates and what not. So, what we also want to do is do some renewable energy, anything to make things a little bit more efficient, that are environmentally friendly, everything like that to bring us up into a modern theater so to speak,” Meglino said.
But he doesn't have an exact timeline for all the planned renovations, yet.
“It may take 2 to 5. I just don’t know but we really want to get it done as quick as possible and efficiently as possible,” Meglino said.
