Tillett Gardens is about to become the home of another creative arts dimension with the signing of Pistarckle Theater as its newest tenant.
The not-for-profit community theater company, which most recently held performances in Coral World, will open its first production in the former Pennysaver Printing facility in the Tillett complex on March 30.
Pistarckle's premiere presentation in its new home will be "Power Plays," a comedy by Elaine May and Alan Arkin. Following the opening "pay-as-you-can" night, a "house warming" fund raiser will take place on March 31.
"After four decades of visual arts, two decades of concerts and 11 years of music competitions, it will be satisfying to see Tillett Gardens also become a center of community theater," gardens general manager Rhoda Tillett said. "I'm especially pleased that Pistarckle and Arts Alive will both be able to utilize this fine indoor performance center, and that we will also be making it available to other community groups."
Pistarckle is constructing a modular stage and installing lighting and will eventually put in a sound control room for the 3,500-square-foot facility. Depending on how the stage is configured, the air-conditioned theater should seat "around 125 persons," Tillett said, about the same as the Little Theater on the University of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas campus.
According to Pistarckle artistic/producing director Nicola Emerich, the company "has been looking for a permanent home for years, and this space is ideal in every aspect. It has high ceilings with wonderful acoustics and great views from all angles to the stage. It has a loading dock to a natural backstage area, so we will be able to crate and store any number of props and sets."
The space, adjacent to and extending out behind the Tillett Gallery, was where Jim Tillett and his assistants worked for many years silkscreening his artwork and original-design fabrics. In recent years, Pennysaver had operated its presses there, with offices above. Entry will be through the area most recently occupied by Languages Unlimited, which has relocated to another facility in the garden complex.
Rhoda Tillett explained that Arts Alive, the production company of the not-for-profit Tillett Foundation, will have access to the theatrical facility "when it is not scheduled for Pistarckle's productions and summer youth activities." Arts Alive produces annual arts and crafts festivals, classical and non-classical concert series, youth classical music competitions and other events in Tillett Gardens.
"And what's even more exciting," Tillett said, "the facility will be available for rental by other community groups as scheduling permits. I'm looking forward to such events as dance and music recitals, lectures, perhaps even film showings."
Emerich added, "It's a win-win situation for everybody — Pistarckle, theatergoers and Arts Alive."
The upcoming production, "Power Plays," is being directed by veteran Pistarckle member Trudy Tucker. The cast features Amy Huentelman, Greg Fowler, Dena Elliott Benson, Randall Doty and Tucker. Performances in addition to the pay-as-you-can night March 30 and the fund raiser March 31 are on April 1, 7, 8 and 9. Curtain time is 8 p.m., with the "house warming" party starting at 6:30.
The musical revue that had earlier been announced by Pistarckle for March, "Swinging on a Star," has been rescheduled for November of this year.
Tickets for "Power Plays" are $22 except for the fund raiser party, for which pricing will be announced. Outlets are Polli's Mexican Restaurant in Tillett Gardens, East End Secretarial Services and Marina Market in Red Hook, and West Indies Coffee Co. and Bumpa's in downtown Charlotte Amalie. For charge-card purchases, call 775-7877. For information on renting the facility, call that number or the Arts Alive office, 775-1929.
