Thursday, Oct. 08, 2009

Leading Man: Can new director make performing arts theater happen at the beach?

The Grand Strand is a Mecca for retirees. According to Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development, our fair climate and laid back lifestyle has made the region the number one destination in the state for relocating retirees looking to kick back and spend their golden years working on their golf games and taking advantage of all the area has to offer. In his early 60s, Dale Vivirito was ready to retire from a 40-year career in theater arts and management, the last 11 of which he spent as Executive Director of the lovingly-restored, 112-year-old Valentine Theatre in Toledo, Ohio. He retired from that position in June, but it's not just sand-and-sun and golf carts that has brought him to our little corner of the world, like so many other retirees.

Vivirito retired - officially - but he's not resting on his laurels as a new challenge ensues.

He was chosen out of a pool of more than 150 candidates to be the new Executive Director of the Rivoli Theatre Group. The group was formed in 1999 by the city of Myrtle Beach with its mission of renovating the old Rivoli Theatre, located at 901 Chester Street in the heart of downtown Myrtle Beach. Eight years into the project, and having raised more than $500,000 for the restoration project, the group abandoned the site, and announced its intent to build a new Rivoli Theatre tacked onto the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Far from retiring, Vivirito finds himself not only a central character in a decades-old drama that pits the preservation of local history in our area against the steady march of development, but the leading man in making the dream of a first class performing arts center in downtown Myrtle Beach a reality.

At 63, Vivirito is robust and ruggedly handsome. His manner is warm and somewhat debonair, his life's work in theater evident by the way he works the crowd at a meet-and-greet session held Sept. 29 at Magnolia Restaurant on 26th Ave South in Myrtle Beach. To a conference room full of theater and arts supporters, civic leaders (Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes attended, as well as city council members Wayne Gray and Chuck Martino) and board members of the Cultural Arts Advisory Committee, Vivirito made his Grand Strand debut. With a firm handshake and a steady gaze, Vivirito went table to table, introducing himself amicably as Dale. "I need as many eyes and ears and minds in the community as I can get," he told the group, as he passed out newly-printed business cards proclaiming his title as Executive Director of the Rivoli Theatre Group and contact information for his new digs at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Taking center stage at the meeting, he shared anecdotes from an illustrious career that has spanned 40 years, in which he has worked in every aspect of theater production and venue management: acting, designing, producing, managing, and directing. With a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University in New York and a Master of Fine Arts from Brandeis University in Boston, his credits as an actor, producer and director hail from such cities as New York, Boston, Denver and Chicago, and he has managed arts festivals and performing arts venues in Sandusky, Ohio, Flagstaff , Ariz., and Colorado Springs, Colo.

Vivirito was hired in 1998 as Executive Director of the Valentine Theatre in Toledo and was a key player in the $28 million restoration of the 112-year-old Victorian theater. The theater originally opened on Christmas night, 1896. A movie screen was added in the 1920s to show the latest silent flicks coming out of Hollywood, and in the 1940s the structure underwent its first major renovation, becoming one of the first in a chain of Loews theaters that would pop up throughout the country. By 1983, the Valentine was experiencing the same decline that many old movie houses were facing at the time, and a city task force suggested tearing it down. Cultural and civic groups within the Toledo community rallied together to form the Friends of the Valentine. After more than a decade of stops and starts, the restored theater made its grand re-opening on Oct. 9, 1999. Under Vivirito's tutelage, more than 400,000 people have attended more than 400 international, national and area performances at the Valentine Theatre. The place to be for local theater artists and performers to see and be seen, the Valentine has presented fare from more than 30 community groups, including the Toledo Symphony, the Toledo Ballet, and the Jazz Society. In addition to local and regional groups, Vivirito brought national and international performers to the Valentine's stage, culturally and ethnically diverse groups including the Gringovich Ballet, Boys Choir of Harlem and Tango Buenos Aires. Past shows have included touring productions of such timeless crowd pleasers such as "Cabaret," "Man of La Mancha" and "Grease." The yearly Valentine Theatre Gala Benefit recently featured a performance by famed composer Marvin Hamlisch.

Almost a year ago, as his three-year contract with the Valentine Theatre was about to expire, Vivirito sent out several resumes, one of which was to the Rivoli Theatre Group, which had begun searching for an Executive Director. At the same time, he began to toy with the idea of slowing down. He says, "I thought, I've worked hard all my life - wouldn't it be interesting to try retirement?" At his home in Toledo, he had cultivated a garden, but had little time for tending it. He thought about traveling, visiting his 36-year-old son, an architect in Boston, as well as spending time with his 88-year-old mother, who still lived in his hometown of Chicago. He announced his retirement from the Valentine Theatre in June and within days received the fateful call from the Rivoli Theatre Group asking him to come to Myrtle Beach for an interview. In the midst of producing his final show for the Valentine (an elaborate production called "There's No Business like Show Business," which featured songs from beloved musicals such as "South Pacific," "Chicago" and "Man of La Mancha"), Vivirito flew to Myrtle Beach for the interview, and was impressed by what he saw. "Coming from Toledo, where 80 percent of the economy is auto-related - they're having a terribly tough time," Vivirito says. "The city is in deficit, the county is in deficit, the state is in deficit."

In contrast, despite a dour economy and the hit the local tourism industry took with the city's crackdown on motorcycle rallies, Myrtle Beach still attracts tourists to its shores, and the combination of sand and surf continues to bring people to the region. As for the theater project itself, Vivirito says, "This is a remarkable thing that's happening here. It's a public/private partnership, and Myrtle Beach is fortunate to have leadership that sees value in the arts."

The need to enrich culture and the arts in what has been a decidedly honky-tonk kind of town had been outlined in the Myrtle Beach's comprehensive plan in 1999. Meant to serve as a guide for city planning through 2020, the plan states, "a diverse, affordable arts program will be created that provides educational and cultural enrichment, recognition of local artists and regional exposure" - (Myrtle Beach Comprehensive Plan, Cultural Resources, Subgoal: Arts). A cultural arts advisory committee formed with three main objectives: to prepare an ordinance for art in public places, to facilitate the exchange of information and coordinate activity within the arts community, and to establish a performing arts venue. That same year, the city purchased the Rivoli Theatre for $700,000. As the comprehensive plan also noted the importance of preserving local neighborhoods and landmarks, the renovation of the Rivoli Theatre into a performing arts venue seemed to achieve both goals.

Diane DeVaughn Stokes is a beloved member of the Grand Strand arts community. She is the former host of Southern Style, a Time Warner cable show which ran locally from 1985-2008, and she and husband Chuck Stokes own Stages Video Production Co., which specializes in marketing and training videos, as well as television commercials. DeVaughn Stokes is active in local theater and a vocal advocate for funding of public art in the community, and she has been on the Cultural Arts Advisory Committee Board since its inception. "Between the Cultural Arts Committee and the Rivoli Theatre Group, you have two strong arts committees working to make this performing arts center happen," says DeVaughn Stokes. "Early on we took surveys, and from day one it was clear, every organization we talked to needed a place to perform."

The Cultural Arts Advisory Committee heard ideas from local architect Steve Usry, who outlined how to transform the theater on Chester Street, which had originally been a cinema but was also transformed into various nightclubs through the years, into a cultural arts center. Usry suggested keeping the building's original 200 stadium-style seats, and adding an additional 300. An orchestra pit would need to be constructed, and the ceiling would need to be raised so the stage could be enlarged to accommodate scenery sets and curtains.

The addition of a new wing would create space for rehearsals and dressing rooms, as well as for an art gallery that would display both local and national artists. "Twelve years ago, at the time these plans were originally made, it would have been wonderful," says DeVaughn Stokes. The Cultural Arts Committee board was chaired by Harry Love, whom DeVaughn Stokes jokingly refers to as the "godfather of the arts," due to the many years he has worked as a vocal advocate for the local arts community. Under Love's leadership, the group moved ahead with a fundraiser called "Carousel Horses on Parade", which was held during the spring and summer of 2003. Businesses sponsored fiberglass carousel-style horses designed by local artists. After going on public display, the horses were auctioned off in the community, and a total of $350,000 was raised towards renovation of the theater. City council moved to approve the Independent Corporation for the Arts, a non-profit group that would be in charge of fundraising and renovation of the theater. In 2004, a "Masterpiece Auction" featuring artwork by local celebrities fetched another $35,000. With the addition of private gifts and donations, the amount raised for the restoration totaled slightly more than $500,000

In 2006, the Independent Corporation for the Arts became the Rivoli Theatre Group, and it began to move forward with its plan to restore the theater. In addition to the original renovations that would require adding a wing and raising the ceiling, other issues began to crop up. Asbestos needed to be removed from the building. There were concerns about adequate parking (despite the multi-story parking garage across the street from the theater), as well as concerns over staffing the theater. The site began to look as if it would be inadequate for the type of performing arts venue the city was looking to create. "In the last 12 years since plans were first talked about restoring the Rivoli Theatre, both the arts community and Myrtle Beach in general have grown tremendously," says DeVaughn Stokes. "We needed something bigger than the 300-500 seats the old theater would give us. The arts groups in the community needed something bigger."

Robert Pickett is the Chairman of the Rivoli Theatre Group, and he is an endearing elder gentleman and talented artist. On the Web site, rivolitheatregroup.com, his computer-aided watercolor renderings illustrate how the new Rivoli performing arts center will one day look - taking up the corner of the convention center in front of the so-called "Whaling Wall," one of a series of internationally-famous murals painted by renowned environmental artist Wyland. A promenade will allow visitors a closer look at the right whales, bottleneck dolphins and loggerhead turtles depicted in the mural on one side; as well provide viewing for the theater's gallery space on the other. Pickett's illustrations come complete with smiling families strolling about the promenade, looking at exhibits, pausing to soak in the atmosphere on benches amid beautifully manicured grounds. (In the renderings Pickett showed at Vivirito's meet-and-greet, he inserted a picture of himself blending into the scenery in a comical "Where's Waldo?" kind of way) He freely admits, with obvious regret, "We promised people we'd restore the (existing) theater, but we can't do it." What they are restoring is the Rivoli name to the marquee - it's just that marquee will be at the convention center; much in the way remnants of the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park have taken on a second life at Broadway at the Beach as the Pavilion Nostalgia Park. The abstract sculptures that once sat outside the Chester Street theater, done by artist Gerard Tempest and said to be worth more than $250,000, will be incorporated at the convention center theater location. The $500,000 the theater group raised through fundraisers and charitable gifts will be used to offset costs of building a new theater at the convention center site, which has been estimated at $8 million. Pickett justified use of the funds raised for restoring the old Rivoli being funneled into the project for a new Rivoli in a story in the Weekly Surge published on June 12, 2008, stating: "The way we see it, we did the fundraising for the Rivoli, for the sake of preserving it, and we see no reason to change that. " The theater group will retain the rights to the Rivoli name, and the original theater site will be sold, with the money going towards the $2 million the group still needs to raise for the new site. "For many reasons, the building on Chester Street proved not (to be) a good place for the theater, and not the best use of the money," Pickett says, and he is eagerly looking ahead to completion of the performing arts venue, perhaps as early as fall 2011. Pickett points out how much the community stands to gain from the new project. "A feasibility study estimates the annual economic impact of the new theater would be an estimated $7.8 million, while offsite spending from visitors is estimated at $3.3 million. The impact on the cultural life of the community? Priceless."

Having been involved in six previous theater restorations, Vivirito understands the feelings of nostalgia and fierce loyalty felt for relics of another era, such as the decaying Rivoli on Chester Street. "People feel strongly because they grew up in these theaters,'' he says. Long-time locals and visitors alike have fond memories of the Rivoli - as kids paying to get in with soda bottle caps, as teens taking a first date to see the latest Frankie Avalon movie. The theater opened in 1958, and throughout the 1960s, when Sloppy Joe's still ruled Ocean Boulevard, the Rivoli played host to the Sun Fun Festival, as well as movie premieres with Hollywood starlets and lines of theater-goers stretching around the block to get a ticket. As with the renovation of the Myrtle Beach Train Depot, it was hoped that the Rivoli Theatre would be restored, and could take its place as a cultural and historic city landmark. Vivirito points to Disney Chairman Michael Eisner and his $35 million restoration of the New Amsterdam Theatre on West 42nd St. in New York City. What motivated Eisner to devote so much time and money to the enormous project? "His parents took him there as a child," says Vivirito. "That's a powerful force." At the same time, Vivirito agrees with the assessment of the old theater as inadequate for meeting the needs of the community, and is focusing his attention on the convention center site. "While I very much appreciate the architecture and the history of the old theater," he says, "in this case, I think the board and the city made a wise decision. There are a lot of benefits to working with the convention center."

Vivirito met with project architect Usry several weeks ago to see and discuss the plans. "It's brilliantly designed," says Vivirito. "Steve Usry has created a variety of performing spaces which can all be used for more than one purpose - local performance, lectures, exhibits, training workshops." He outlines three major uses for the venue - one is local usage by community groups (there's already been talk of the Coastal Carolina University Theatre Department perhaps doing summer stock); also under the direction of Vivirito the theater will have its own lineup of performances; and thirdly, the convention center would be able to use the spot for various training events and presentations. "It's interesting," says Vivirito, "We'll be able to use the space for more than one purpose, which will enable the project to be more self-sufficient." To attract national touring productions of Broadway shows and international dance companies, Vivirito stressed the importance of a large stage and ample seating to the architects, and he says, "We had an engaging conversation in which I said 'more seats, more seats!" Vivirito points out that it costs the same to bring an act in, regardless of whether the venue seats 500 or 1,500 seats (new plans call for the theatre to have 802 seats) and the more seats, the more revenue generated. "The dressing rooms, the green room, the rehearsal room and the stage...this whole thing is generously designed," says Vivirito. Within the theater, there will be a separate black box experimental theater that can seat as many as 250, the rehearsal room is being made so it can double as a recital hall as needed, and an art gallery at the front of the new theater will showcase local, regional and national artists.

Gina Trimarco is a bright, vivacious young woman who shares with Vivirito the bustling city of Chicago as a hometown. Trimarco moved to Myrtle Beach in 2007, and when she looked around for an improv class to refresh her skills (she studied improvisation at the famed Second City in Chicago), she found none. She founded the Carolina Improv Company in September 2008, which offers improv classes and employee training as well as live, improvisational performances. Trimarco has sat on the Cultural Arts Advisory Board for a little more than a year. "In Chicago, you can find hundreds of performance spaces. In Myrtle Beach, I couldn't find any," says Trimarco. "My frustration with the lack of black box theaters motivated me to open my own space. Waiting two years is not an option for me." She recently founded Uptown, a new performance arts venue located at Myrtle Beach Mall, 10177 North Kings Highway. Trimarco envisions Uptown as a theater, a meeting place and a venue for local visual and performing artists, and she would love to see more opportunities for artists to thrive and work in the Myrtle Beach area. "What will be interesting to see is how the Rivoli will be able to balance shows they bring in, local groups and convention center obligations," she says. "I'm still unclear on whether or not local groups will be charged to use the space and how all of that will work."(Vivirito says there will probably be a tiered system at which groups can be charged, with the lowest or least expensive tier offered to area non-profits.) She likes that the art gallery will be beneficial to the many local artists in need of exhibit space, and thinks the next step would be to create affordable studio space for artists; a project she says is next on her bucket list.

Trimarco is looking forward to working with Vivirito and the Rivoli board, and, for his part, Vivirito is looking forward to working with Trimarco, too, as well as with other local artists and arts advocates. As a newbie within the Grand Strand's multi-faceted and rapidly-growing arts community, Vivirito is in the process of discovery. "I come into a new community as an observer," he says. "I try to discern what they might like to see at the theater. I listen, ask questions, let people express themselves."

Vivirito is looking forward to getting out into his new community and talking to potential patrons of the new Rivoli Theatre, because, in the end, it's all about the audience. "The audience is the most important part of the theater. They are the real stars, not the performers," he says.

Vivirito learned that lesson as an actor, and when he "crossed the floodlights" to become a director, he took that knowledge with him. "Never underestimate your audience," he advises. "Just because you're not in New York ... what you present has got to be the best there is."

He accepted the position as Executive Director of the Rivoli Theatre Group because he was confident about the project and the potential for the facility. The Rivoli Theatre Group will begin working in the near future on raising the $2 million it needs for the new theater. For its part, the City of Myrtle Beach has pledged $6 million in bond money to the $8 million project. "That's a terrific start," says Vivirito. "Most cities, when you say theater, they go 'uh...uh...' and start backing out of the room."

He is enthusiastic about the area he has relocated to, with the ground breaking on the new Boardwalk downtown and the efforts of the city to rejuvenate the town and attract more visitors to our sunny shores. "I've traveled from New York City to Berkeley, Calif., and it's rare to see these things happen," says Vivirito. Looking with fresh eyes and a clean slate at a city that has taken its share of lumps during the past few years, Vivirito sees the possibilities that lay just over the horizon. "There is an energy here," he says. "I'm impressed - this is a vibrant, healthy, growing community."