A wine and hors d”oeuvres reception, held on Wednesday, Feb. 21, provided theater supporters with an update on renovations to the Soper-Reese Community Theatre.
Construction Committee Chairman Mike Adams reported that the committee will start going to bid in the next month for the first phase of renovations and that committee members hope to have the theater open in some fashion by this fall.
Funding has come from various sectors of the local community in support of the Soper-Reese. On Feb. 5, the Lake County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement between the county and the Lake County Arts Council to provide $30,000 in funding. According to County Administrator Kelly Cox, the agreement is “to make sure they continue using it for what they have been using it for and what they intended to use it for.”
The Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake is hosting a series of live musical performances with 10 percent of dinner proceeds benefiting the Soper-Reese.
In response to a challenge by Jim Soper to raise $300,000 in donations, the local community has contributed more than $147,000. This is still less than half of what is required before Soper will match the donations with an additional $200,000.
Jim and Florence Soper have donated $393,000 over the past nine years, according to a recent newsletter update.
Donations can be sent to the Soper-Reese Community Theater, PO Box 756, Lakeport, CA 95453. For more information on how you can assist with restoring the Soper-Reese, please call John Ross at 263-5120.
