LAKEPORT, Calif. – A decade ago, a project of the Lake County Arts Council, the Soper Reese Theatre, reopened as the only dedicated performing arts center in Lake County.

The facility provides the community with a stage and venue for live music and dancing, theater productions, movie screenings, a space to rent for conferences and meetings, and is home to the Lake County Symphony – but fundraising is still under way.

Committed to providing a venue for a variety of performing arts, Soper Reese Executive Director Michael Adams – one of the many volunteers pitching in to make this center a success – said recently that, to date, they have raised more than $1.7 million.

However, the next phase – refurbishing the restrooms and constructing ADA-compatible access to the theatre – is still not quite funded.

The fundraising goal for the first phase of renovation, the “Restroom Re-Do,” is $350,000, Adams said.

“When we reach $300,000, we will break ground,” Adams said, noting that they have raised over half of that goal to date.

Being fiscally responsible for the funds raised, Adams explained that it made no financial sense to repaint the outside of the building, when it will have stucco applied for waterproofing and painted in the future.

“I don’t want to spend money doing the same thing twice,” Adams said.

Early on after reopening the theatre, a major donor chose another community project in Ukiah to give their $1 million donation to because, at that point, the Soper Reese did not have a financial reserve, nor had they raised all of the funds to complete projects once they were under way.

“We learned a valuable lesson from losing that major donation,” Adams explained, and they now have a policy that requires them to maintain a financial reserve, and added that they have no debt.

After Phase I, the Restroom Re-Do, Phase II will expand the lobby facade and the stage at an estimated cost of $250,000, Adams said.

He said Phase III will create a multipurpose room that can be used for conference breakout rooms on the Martin Street side and add another marquee for $200,000, for a total of $800,000 that will need to be raised to complete all major renovations.

Depending on the type of event, seating capacity at the Soper Reese ranges from 271 to 300 guests, making it an ideal venue to rent for large meetings and trainings, as well as musical and theatrical productions, movie screenings and more.

Regularly scheduled events at the theatre include two movie series – Classic Cinema and Gen X Cinema – which can be sponsored by an individual or business, the Lake County Symphony, Chamber Music series and Third Friday Live, along with other recurring events like Bastille Day Fete, Harmonica Slapdown, comedy shows, fundraisers with live music and more to come, including a jazz music series.

Beginning in October, another way to help the theatre – and have a good time – will be to sponsor a movie that you would like to see again on a big screen in a theatre.

“For $150, any member of the public will be able to sponsor a movie, as long as we can get the licensing and we’ll show it,” Adams said, and the sponsor will get to take the copy of the movie home.

For more information on events, to donate, or to volunteer with the Soper Reese theatre, visit www.soperreesetheatre.com or call 707-263-0577.

Terre Logsdon is a freelance correspondent for Lake County News.