Hello friends, patrons, and supporters!
It’s about time to do a little review of the current state of WWCA and some of the major changes that we have been working through. First, a moment to give a shoutout to another local business that has stepped up to help us out immensely – Josephines (And more specifically, Gathered) on Bay Street have been amazing neighbors for us this last month. They graciously opened their space, let us store set items, and let us make sure that Spookley had performances while being some of the nicest and kindest people to work with, and they deserve any extra business that can be brought their way.
Now, why did we have to move Spookley to Josephines? That is a little trickier. Long story made short, our building occupancy permit was wrongly classified and the city requires us to not have audience events until everything is redone and properly classified. That is something we are currently working on, so please don’t worry if you go by the theatre and see that the stage is missing – it is only a temporary setback, as the city requires us to return everything to a basic level while we are resolving this. Unfortunately, getting properly re-certified takes time. Because of this, we have had to make the difficult decision to postpone several shows – not cancel them, but simply postpone them until we are able to have our audience and stage again. We still plan on bringing every announced show to you, don’t worry. Currently, we are getting architectural redrawings of the property to reapply for occupancy – a process that may take a few months in total, with an optimistic outlook for the start of the new year.
But it isn’t all unfortunate news – after some consultations with our landlords, we have a clearer picture of what the future holds for WWCA. And while it may not be exactly what we originally anticipated, we are in a good position to prepare ourselves for it and to work towards our goals. At the end of October, we participated in the Kitsap Ghost Train event with the Kitsap Steamer Association, which was a resounding success and is something we hope to make a yearly tradition. The Charleston in Bremerton hosted a concert in our benefit that they graciously donated 100% of the ticket sales from in a team effort to focus on local arts. We are encouraged by the support we continue to see in the community, and we know that at some point we will look at this setback and know it was just a momentary pause.
The arts continue to be vital in todays world, and we see them as a great way for people of all levels to grow confidence, express themselves, challenge themselves, bond, and unite. WWCA has never been defined by a building, but by the heart and effort of the people in it and supporting it. We strive to expand ourselves as a position for community arts to thrive, a place where we can be involved in the city and area around us, and above all – as a place where community meets theatre.
Sincerely,
The WWCA Board of Directors
If you have the ability to donate or want to financially support us, every cent helps.