By Mark O'Brien
Even for churches, the show must go on.
St. John the Baptist, which was closed by the Albany Catholic Diocese earlier this year, is about to become a new performing arts center in Schenectady.
"We fought for this," says Mary Pidgeon, 94, who started attending mass at St. John's in the 1940's. "We didn't want it destroyed."
Parishioners learned earlier this year that the church was one of 33 the Diocese was planning to close because of fewer priests and fewer church-goers. St. John's dates back to 1830, making it the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Schenectady. Originally, the Diocese wanted to close the church in February, but the parish asked for an extension to celebrate the Feast of St. John the Baptist.
"It was like a knife to my heart," Pidgeon says, recalling her emotions when she was among those closing St. John's front doors for the final time. "I could still cry today for when I had to shut that door."
But now she's turning that into tears of joy. Taking her first look at what will become of her former church over the next five years, even she admits, "Oh, I'm so happy to see this."
Starting next year, St. John's will be the new home for the Schenectady Light Opera Company. The group plans to transform the former church complex into a community theater campus that will attract thousands of people to downtown Schenectady ever year.
"This project incorporates arts development, historic preservation and economic development in a truly unique way, creating a center for the performing arts that will become a vital component of Schenectady's growing arts and entertainment district," SLOC Board Member Bob Farquharson says in a press release.
Renovation and expansion of the St. John's complex will happen in three phases. The first will preserve the historic buildings, renovating them to create a 300-seat theater in the church, a professional training and education facility in the school, and offices and rehearsal space in the parish residence. During the next five years, new buildings will be added, including a glass lobby connecting the former church and rectory. It will feature three stained glass window moved from their current location behind the church altar. Other new buildings will add more performing space, room to build new sets, and storage area for costumes--space that's simply not available at SLOC's current location at 826 State St.
"There really is not a lot of room," says Thomas Bambury, who acts in and produces SLOC performances, among a variety of other duties. "As much as you choreograph your on stage business, your back stage business has to be just as choreographed, if not even more so."
SLOC is preparing for its 83rd season, starting with "The Pajama Game," which has its opening night on Oct. 16.
"I've seen the design. It's a really nice design," Bambury says.
But if all goes according to plan, this will be the final season at the State St. location. That's primarily dependent on funding. The total cost of renovations will reach roughly $3.6 million, with phase one costing about a third of that. So far, SLOC has received $150,000 in donations, and as more money is raised, phases two and three will be implemented during the next three to five years.
Still, the grand opening is expected to come during the fall of 2010, and you know Mary Pidgeon will be among the first in line.
"Oh, I have to be here on opening night," she says.
SLOC's plans for St. John the Baptist
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