It's official: Theatre Babylon is leaving the Union Garage at 1418 10th Avenue. On Sunday, Feb. 20, the Theatre Babylon board met to discuss the decision by the Seattle Fire Department two days earlier to limit the total occupancy of the space to 49 people.
Previously, the Fire Department had allowed 49 people in the audience, plus whoever was needed to put on the show, such as actors, backstage personnel and box-office staff.
Since the new restrictions greatly reduced the number of tickets that could be sold for a show, the board felt continued occupancy of the Union Garage was no longer a viable option.
"When I talked to the board on Sunday, they gave a unanimous decision to seek out another space. While we are losing our home, the board understands that heart is more important than home, and Theatre Babylon still has amazing heart," said artistic director John Longenbaugh. "We have a board that is unprecedented, in my experience, with their sheer loyalty to this company and their tremendous belief in this company. As we grow, this is the one element of Theatre Babylon that I never want to go away."
For Longenbaugh, his first feeling upon hearing the board's decision to leave the Union Garage was one of relief.
"When I took this job, I thought my job would be programming a space over a period of time and developing outside programs. That was a wonderful dream," he said with a tired laugh. "But after one show, 'The Countess,' we had the problems show up."
Almost exactly one year ago, the production of A Theatre Under the Influence's "Blasted" had to be moved to the Intiman Theatre. At that time, the Fire Department decided only one theater space in the Union Garage could be in operation (previously there were two) and the total capacity of the space was reduced to 49 seats.
After "Blasted" closed, A Theatre Under the Influence decided to go on indefinite hiatus. Theatre Babylon stayed in the Union Garage and continued with such shows as "Wreckage" and "Jesus Christ Superstar."
"Suddenly last year, my job shifted to trying to save the Union Garage," Longenbaugh said."One year on, I no longer have to save the space. But now my new job is to find a space-and I've told the board that I don't think I can spend an entire year on this. I'm happy to spend some time looking for a space. But that's only half my job. The other half of my job is to develop a new season and continue. Three of the shows that we did last year broke box office records-we watched this amazing growth to the point that we had to turn people away for 'Jesus Christ Superstar.'"
Theatre Babylon's latest production, Thomas Folger's new comedy "Influence," was due to open on Thursday, Feb. 24. But the show, which spoofs a critic's attempt to mount his own production, has taken an oddly prophetic air. In a twist a little too close to home, the comedy about the perils of producing theater in Seattle concludes with the production's theater going under the wrecking ball.
Longenbaugh is confident that "Influence" will open, only a week later, in another venue on Capitol Hill. Since he sent out an S.O.S. on Feb. 18, after the latest visit from the Fire Department, he has heard of two possible venues on Capitol Hill for the show as well as received some emergency pledges of support.
D.J. Hamilton started Theatre Babylon in 1992 on Eastlake, but the always ambitious group has long been associated with the Union Garage. After Theatre Under the Influence pulled out, Annex Theatre expressed their interest in becoming a new producing partner for Union Garage.
Annex had been seeking a home theater for some time. With their help, it seemed possible to raise the estimated $200,000 necessary to make changes necessary to bring the Union Garage up to code, not only with the Fire Department but also with seismic, energy conservation and barrier-free regulations. Because, as Longenbaugh put it, once one city department started looking at the building, everyone started checking it and finding more problems.
But the latest decision from the Fire Department pushed the cost of renovation even higher and made such a project far more unlikely, said Longenbaugh. That led to the permanent closure of the Union Garage as a performing space. "I suspect it will end up being a warehouse," said Longenbaugh.
With the decision to abandon the Union Garage, Annex has amicably pulled out of the partnership and Longenbaugh is left with the task of establish what money already raised must be returned and what can be applied to a new home for Theatre Babylon. While Longenbaugh is confident that Theatre Babylon will find a new space and he hopes it will be on the Hill, he also won't downplay the impact of closing the Union Garage on other theater groups.
"The loss of this space is significant. We're losing a rental space that was the lowest rent on Capitol Hill. Forty-eight companies have used the Union Garage in over 10 years, not counting the three play festivals that have used this space. This has been the busiest arts incubator in Seattle during the 10 years that it has been operating," he said.
The Fire Depart-ment's most recent decision also brings up some questions in Longenbaugh's mind about other currently operating spaces around Seattle.
"I think this should be a red flag to some other venues. This is a precedent. The Fire Department has never told a 49-seat theater before that 'sorry, we meant only 49 people in the building overall.' And I think a lot of people have been fooling themselves about what is allowed," said Longenbaugh. "And my point is not to denigrate the Fire Department in any way-safety is important-but I think there are a lot of venues who need to rethink how they are handling shows."
For regular updates on Theatre Babylon's search for a new space, as well as the location of their next production, check their Web site at www.theatrebabylon.org.
Rosemary Jones can be reached at editor@capitolhilltimes.com.
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