Sept. 18, 2015: Dedication of Warner Hall. Lakewood president Don Irving welcomed special guests Bill & Barbara Warner to speak at the dedication of the new Warner Hall at Lakewood. Other special guests helping cut the ribbon and speak to the importance of this new chapter at Lakewood included Lake Oswego Mayor Kent Studebaker, Oregon Treasurer Ted Wheeler, and Lakewood Executive Director Andrew Edwards. As President Don Irving noted, the dedication was slated for good weather during the fall. Construction is still ongoing and is expected to be completed by November. Fundraising is still ongoing and he urged patrons of Lakewood to continue their support to complete the campaign. Above is a video of the remarks made that day! Special thanks to all the donors who helped us get to this new chapter at Lakewood!
August 19, 2015: Lakewood Board members applaud donors for their support. Board members pictured: 1st row (left to right) Peter Jurney, Jerry Koll, Cyndie Glazer, Dr. Ricky Korach, Linda Brown, Joann Frankel; 2nd row:(left to right) Fred Breuer, Mike Dotten, Jeanne Denton, Bill Warner, President Don Irving, Tina Cauthorn, Bridget Smith, Kelly Giampa, Gail Pemble.
Want to help us with achieving our financial goal? See below or click here for a pledge form or click here to give online. Please note in the comments section that your gift is for the new building. THANK YOU!
April 2015: Construction has begun. We are within $150,000 of our goal. Can you help us complete the campaign?
February 2015 – GREAT NEWS!
We’ve met our $100,000 challenge grant for this project – thank you! This means that we can begin the next chapter and start construction. We still need your help to reach completion. Can you help? Give online safely on our secure server. Remember to check the box to designate your gift for Artist Training Facility. Need a pledge form?
Thank you for your support!
Andrew Edwards, Executive Director
We’re building for the future at Lakewood Center for the Arts with our new 40’ x 50’ building. The 1:1 ratio replicates the Headlee Mainstage footprint and will serve as a rehearsal hall and learning environment. This new facility will be built in a portion of the playground at the north end of the current building. It will be connected to Lakewood’s main hall with a raised sidewalk. Current programs that access the playground will have a redesigned space to accommodate their needs.
The new Artist Training Facility addresses artistic and programming needs at Lakewood. Here are a few ways this new facility will help Lakewood serve the region:
- Increase the quality of theatrical productions
- Dedicated rehearsal space for actors, designers, technicians
- Provide youth education and performance opportunities
- New opportunities to be trained in acting, staging and design
- Build capacity
- Eliminate the need to rent outside rehearsal venues
- Storage for sets and costumes
The Artist Training Facility provides our theatrical artists and teachers a place to train with a space built specifically to their needs.
Warner Hall: In June 2014, the Lakewood board of directors unanimously decided to name the new building in honor of the Bill & Barbara Warner family for their many years of leadership and support of Lakewood and its programs. It will be known as Warner Hall.
Bill and Barbara Warner have been strong supporters of, and contributors to, Lakewood Center for many years. Barbara has been an active volunteer with Lakewood Associates, Lakewood’s auxiliary; and Bill has been a member of the Board of Directors since 1994. In addition to making significant financial contributions to Lakewood over the years, Bill and Barbara have actively participated in leading fund drives for the Stagehouse and other projects, including the current Capital Campaign for the new rehearsal hall and artist training facility.
Part of a bigger plan – This project was the capstone project of Phase One, our capacity building and program improvement goal adopted by our board of directors in our 5-year strategic plan. The components of Phase One that have been completed:
- Enhanced Art Studio Facility,
- Expanded Office Space,
- Remodeled Gallery and Entry,
- Improved Sewer System
To learn more about Lakewood or to take a tour, please contact us at 503-635-6338 and talk with Andrew Edwards, Executive Director, or Bridget Smith, Development Officer. Lakewood is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Our tax ID number is 93-0700108 under the name Lakewood Theatre Company dba Lakewood Center for the Arts.
Why did Lakewood initiate this project?
Lakewood Center is experiencing a growing demand for education and arts programs services and is invested in maintaining excellence in theatre performances. The Center is housed in an older 1928 building that was at one time a public school.
Demand for classes and classroom space has been growing in recent years. Metro area schools have been forced to make cuts in classes related to the arts and Lakewood is meeting, and wants to continue to meet, this growing demand. Lakewood Theatre Company offers a year-round program in theatre and arts education for adults and children at the Center and rents out classroom space to independent contractors for specialized art classes. Lakewood currently offers 70 classes per term with four terms per year. Enrollment is approximately 850 per term, with an estimated 350-400 students served per term.
As the founding organization, the Lakewood Theatre Company is the financial engine driving the entire organization. Prior to the building of Warner Hall, rehearsals have no dedicated space and were held in whatever 800 sq.ft. classroom space was available in the main building, while the stage is 2,500 sq.ft. Due to the nature of scenic construction, rehearsals cannot be held on the actual stage until shortly before the actual performance. This created a two-fold issue:
- Classroom space cannot be utilized for the growing demand for classes if space is needed for rehearsals and
- Inadequate rehearsal space creates less than optimum conditions to choreograph and rehearse for the actual performances, impacting the quality of performances.
Depending on the time of year, there are up to three separate shows rehearsing at any given time. By creating designated space (Warner Hall) for rehearsals that is a mirror image of the actual stage, actors and directors now have the tools they need to adequately prepare for productions while reducing the added expense of renting offsite locations for rehearsals and/or classes.
Timeline History:
In 2009, the Lakewood Board of Directors authorized an exhaustive study to determine facility expansion opportunities and maintenance needs. The building committee worked with the Executive Director for 18 months reviewing alterations to the building with professional guidance from LRS Architects. The Board decided to implement the project in phases to avoid, as much as possible, disruption to the Center’s programs. The renderings shown on this page are from LRS Architects.
In 2012, the Board adopted Phase I of the Master Building Plan, as part of the Five-Year Strategic Plan: build dedicated rehearsal/enhanced artist training space to free classroom space to meet the increasing demand for other art classes; improve office space to accommodate the growing staff needed to meet the current demand for services and increase operating efficiency (at the start of this project, 14-18 staff operated out of workstations designed for seven); improve the sewer system as required by city code; increase storage space and improve the entryway to better facilitate large events and meet expectations of a performance entry that matches the theatrical performance excellence housed inside.
Phase One Contributors – Artist Training Facility
Donations received
$100,000 – $249,999
Michelle & Mark Dorman
Lakewood Center – Prior Fundraising
Lakewood Center Associates
Meyer Memorial Trust
Murdock Charitable Trust
Bill & Barbara Warner Fund of the
Oregon Community Foundation
$25,000 – $49,999
Anonymous
The Bank of Oswego
The Collins Foundation
The Gerald E. and Margery M. Koll Family Charitable Fund
Drs. Ricky & Bill Korach
The Oregon Community Foundation
$10,000 – $24,999
Anonymous (2)
Fred & Shirley Baldwin
John & Diane Bradshaw
David & Kathy Bussman
Dr. Fritz Camp
Michael & Cheryl Dotten
Cyndie & Peter Glazer
Paul & Teri Graham
Don Irving & Margaret Zuercher
Lew & Sonia Johnson Fund at the Seattle Foundation
Malcolm & Linda Mathes
Don & Sharon Plumb
Daryl L. & Patricia L. Swenson Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation
Mary Ann Swinford
Jay & Char Woodworth
$5,000 – $9,999
Anonymous (2)
John Bastian
Linda & Bob Brown
Jeanne & Mike Denton
Stephen & Nancy Dudley Family Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation
Joann & Edward Frankel
Sandy & Tom Hageman
Carol & Cliff Halvorson
Craig & Linda Hannum
Henry Lea Hillman, Jr. Foundation
Rocky & Luann Johnson
Peter & Gloria Jurney
Donald Nussmeier
Rolf & Luann Sohlberg
Youth United Fund at the United Way of the Columbia Willamette sponsored by Thomas Aschenbrener
$1,000 – $4,999
Anonymous (3)
David & Jean Avison
Susan Ayers & Jeff Wiles
Bob & Katy Barman
Mark Birge & Tenley Webb
Larry & Susan Black
Tyler & Jeanne Bliss
Fred & Rita Breuer
Corey Brunish
Martha Butler
Jerry & Pam Carlson
Tina Cauthorn
ComForCare
Community Arts Preschool
Bonnie Conger
Debbie & David Craig
Allen Dobbins
Michaele P. Dunlap, Psy.D.
Andrew Edwards
In honor of Elizabeth Ericksen
Laura Fisher
Gerald & Heidi Fox
Laura & Todd Gentry
Brian & Tamara Glover
Ray & Betty Guenther
Kara & George Hale
Carol Ihlenburg
Bruce & Sherry Klein
Dale Kresge
Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce
Ramzan & Seda Magomedov
Stan & Kathy Martin
Marylhurst University
Monte McLachlan
David & Jill Mertens
Lois Mitchell
Nancy Mitchell
Les & Kris Modell
Beatrice Neuburg
Beth Oliphant Hoover in honor of Doug Oliphant
Skip & Lynda O’Neill
OnPoint Community Credit Union
Oswego Crest Financial Group
Sen. Bob Packwood & Elaine Franklin
Patton Family Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation
Gail & Scott Pemble
Roberta Pierce & George Kent
David J. Pollock
Laura A. Rosow
Wayne Schweinfest
Ronald & Rebecca Shellan
Donald & Gerri Tisdel
Becky & Richard Turnock
Kay Vega
Watkinson Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation
David & Molly Whiteford
Ben & Elaine Whiteley
Randy & Linda Zmrhal
$500 – $999
Jan & Dick Andersen
Jan Coulton
Jeanenne Chizum
Nancy J. Falconer
Nancy Headlee
Robert & Cecelia Huntington
Pamela Jones
Ray & Lin Loen
Nan Harp Nelson
Marilyn & Bob Pamplin
Art & Cindy Scevola
Curt & Jan Taylor
Joseph & Diane Thompson
Dr. John & Nancy Tongue
Martha Schrader
Bev & Pete White
Meg Wilson
$250 – $499
Anonymous
Randy & Katie Arthur
Mary Beth Baker
Robert & Candita Bock
Mark Buser
Yvonne Cauthorn
Carol Christofero
Kristin Coleman
Dee Denton
Dennis & Cheryl Denton
Tris Denton
Denton Plastics Inc.
Michael Fox and Deborah Garman
Cultural Fund
Philip & Lorraine Engstrom
Fritz & Yvonne Fraunfelder
Bruce & Joan Freed
Paulette Furness
Kelly Giampa
Mary & Bill Goss
Alan Hansen
Scott & Lee Havens
Margaret & Stephen James
Glenice L. Jones
Thomas Maginnis
Curtis & Mary Jutzi
Mike & Marilyn Katcher
Jon & Linda Kerl
Sophia Kremidas
Marcy Lasley
Kittie Larson
Sally & Alan Marble
Ann & Tom McGranahan
in Memory of Betty Brooks
Lois & Martin Moll
Neptune Studios
Nancy McDonald & Laurence Overmire
Shirley D. Perkins
Chuck & Sarah Pollak
John M. Prince
Bill Ramirez
Viv Ross
Darlene Russ-Eft & John Eft
Erik Szeto
Sharon Starr
Donald & Gerri Tisdel
Joseph & Diane Thompson
Mary Turnock
Maureen Vega & David Kanner
Lakewood is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Our tax ID number is 93-0700108 under the name Lakewood Theatre Company dba Lakewood Center for the Arts.