By Jeff Britton
On the corner of 29th Street and University Avenue sits the Birch North Park Theatre, an object lesson in how an arts organization can transform an urban neighborhood.
Prior to its conversion in 2005 from a former movie theater to a live theater and concert venue, the Birch was little more than a derelict pigeon roost with a fence around it. The surrounding neighborhood was similarly down-at-the-heels, a sorry pastiche of sleazy bars and cut-rate stores.
It screened its last film in 1974, served as a church during the 80s and was eventually bought by the city. Until developer Bud Fischer approached Lyric Opera of San Diego in 2000 with a plan to restore the theater, it had seemed like a white elephant with a dark future.
With reverence for the theater’s unique architecture and facilities (fly wings for full theatrical productions and a movable orchestra pit), the renovation resulted in an intimate gem of 730 red velvet seats. No seat is more than 60 feet from the stage. Sporting both a pipe organ and a full movie projection room, it earned the San Diego architects’ coveted Orchid Award for fidelity to its original design.
Perhaps the best part of the story is the theater’s impetus for revitalizing the neighborhood, according to Lyric Opera general director Leon Natker. “The theater has kept property values stable and revitalized the main business hub of North Park,” said Natker, who lives in a 1921 Craftsman bungalow just six blocks away. “A whole bunch of restaurants, boutiques, and art galleries came in as a result of the theater’s revival.”
But tough times have taken their toll. Lyric Opera, which owns the theater, has seen donations and single ticket sales drop drastically. The company, which had a $550,000 annual budget when it was at Casa del Prado in Balboa Park for 25 years, saw it balloon to $1.5 million when it moved to the Birch.
“People have been hurt very badly and the stock donations from their portfolios have fallen off,” said Natker who, nonetheless, still sports a sunny outlook for the theater’s future once the economy turns around. “We are going before the North Park Project Area Committee for a grant of $200,000 for construction remediations such as the air conditioning system.”
In addition, developer Fischer has made a generous offer to see the company through this rough patch. If they raise $200,000 by Nov. 1, he will match it. To that end, Lyric Opera is holding a fundraiser on Sept. 11 called Music and Mirth at the Movies, a silent film with musical accompaniment featuring Buster Keaton, a surefire nostalgic escape from economic woes.
“We need to match that grant. It’s essential that we go forward,” Natker said.
To economize, the company is no longer presenting a concert series because it’s too risky, although they are presenting the same number of shows and performances in their light opera series, all of which are presented in English.
Three rental companies — experiencing their own shortfalls — pulled out this year, further depleting the budget: The La Jolla Music Society Summerfest, the California Ballet and a graduation event.
Natker emphasized Lyric Opera’s affordability, pointing out that tickets start at $20 and end at $50. The August comedy film series on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings are just $9, featuring classics like “Young Frankenstein,” “Harold and Maude” and “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
As for the theater’s future, Natker maintains an optimistic attitude. “Over a dozen restaurants are within walking distance and parking is only $5. I believe we can raise this money because if the community sees what we’re doing, they will realize this is good for the community as a whole. The payoff is great.”
As almost an afterthought, he added: “Opening the theater was not the end of the story, it was just the beginning.”
For information: www.lyricoperasandiego.org or (619) 239-8836
