Lobby Expansion at the Bigfork CPA.

By JACOB DORAN / Bigfork Eagle

Downtown Bigfork is a little noisier these days, as construction moves steadily ahead for the expansion of the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts, unaffected by the recent economic downturn.

In fact, the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts Foundation board of directors say the playhouse will continue to be a boon to the local economy, which brings 25,000-30,000 visitors to Bigfork every summer, many of whom support the local economy in other ways.

"The numbers are significant," board treasurer Walter Kuhn said of the data extrapolated in assessing the impact of the playhouse on the economy of Bigfork. "That's one reason we're trying to improve the whole theater experience. There's a lot of competition in the theater business.

"This will give the playhouse more of a presence in Bigfork's downtown area. I think in general it will give it a more theatrical look and make it more easily recognizable as a theater from the street."

The current expansion will include doubling the theater's existing lobby, the addition of tiffany lights and other cosmetic touches, improving the concessions area, creating a new tech/control center with separate sound room, new office space, a covered area outside of the entrance, improved signage, an updated fire suppression system for the auditorium (currently, only the stage is covered by sprinklers), and a brand new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to more efficiently heat and cool the entire playhouse.

Although Kuhn said the design for the interior of the lobby has undergone several changes since it was first conceptualized, including a change from traditional log columns to square columns, he said the changes have reflected the input of all twelve board members and hopefully represents the overall desire of the community itself.

"It's been an evolving design," he said. "I really think we're going to have a better end product because there has been a lot of input."

Construction began on Oct. 6 and is currently on schedule. A construction crew from Hammerquist and Casalegno finished pouring the floors for the expansion two weeks ago and then framed and poured the sidewalk in front of the theater last week.

Throughout this month, the site of the playhouse will be a bustle of activity, as crews frame the new exterior of the building and put a roof on it, as well as remove the existing front wall to create the additional lobby and office space. Electricians will work on the interior for the next couple of months, and locals can expect to see siding go on in December.

Major construction should conclude by late February and crews are scheduled to complete the entire project by the end of March. Some internal re-outfitting will continue, thereafter, restoring the lights and equipment that were removed during construction. However, the board plans to have the playhouse up and running before Bigfork Summer Playhouse returns in May.

The total cost of the expansion is forecasted to be just under a million dollars. However, fundraising efforts to date have already generated almost $800,000 in pledges and cash donations. That leaves about $200,000 that board members and supporters still need to pay for the expansion project. And, since the BCPA Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, members are reminding the community that all donations are tax-deductible.

"We've raised almost $800,000 since the first of this year," Kuhn said. "Most of that is local business and private contributions from within the Bigfork community. We've been very, very pleased with fundraising efforts and with the response from the Bigfork community.

"The support has been outstanding. You're always a little nervous going into a million dollar fundraising effort, especially in a small community like Bigfork, but the community has really gotten behind us and has been tremendous. People realize how important the theater is, both culturally and economically, to Bigfork."

Throughout the year, the BCPA board of directors lease the playhouse to other entities and community groups like the Bigfork Summer Playhouse, Bigfork Community Players, Bigfork Playhouse Children's Theatre, the Bigfork High School, Bigfork Elementary and Swan River School, and for seasonal shows like Marissa Ross' production of the Nutcracker and Horizon Christian Fellowship's Christmas program.

"It gets well-used," Kuhn said. "In the summer, from mid-May until the end of September, it's almost exclusively used by the Bigfork Summer Playhouse. About 75 percent of the weekends, the playhouse is rented by various groups, so the only other times that people can rent it are during the week."

Kuhn said he believed the expansion would make the playhouse better able to serve the many needs of the community.