A newly renovated Capawock theatre in Vineyard Haven is quickly taking shape, with transformations underway inside and out. On Monday afternoon, the front doors were wide open and the occasional visitor wandered in. The theatre itself was stripped of seating, with construction materials and electrical wiring neatly arranged in the middle of the floor. A few workers hauled things in and out as people strolled by on the street.
The nonprofit Martha’s Vineyard Theater Foundation has raised about $800,000 of its $1 million goal to lease and restore the Capawock, along with the Strand Theatre in Oak Bluffs. Mark Snider, owner of the Winnetu Oceanside Resort in Edgartown and founder of the nonprofit, said the final 20-year lease agreements have been signed and the two theatres were “well on the way” to their anticipated spring openings.
The Capawock is expected to open May 29, with an invitation-only gala. All proceeds will support the restoration project. After the concert, guests will enjoy the first film to show at the theatre in years. The film and the price of tickets are still to be determined, but the film will likely remain a surprise. The theatre will open to the public on May 30.
The Strand Theatre, which has required more extensive work, is expected to open June 19. The Island Theatre, also in Oak Bluffs, will be spruced up on the outside, but further renovations are not planned for this year.
“I think the biggest challenge is there is so much to do in a little bit of time,” Mr. Snider said Monday, standing in the dimly lit Capawock. The scene was still very much a work in progress, with exposed wiring in the walls and the original seats lined up in rows on the stage. But he added that the Capawock project, at least, “has been pretty straightforward.”
A new floor will go in next week, with tiling under the seats and a carpeted aisle down the center. The 200 or so seats will be reconfigured to provide more space. New light fixtures will line both of the side walls, and new top-notch film and audio equipment will be installed. For concerts and events, a sound engineer will be able to look down through a glass window above the seats.
Island artist Margot Datz will paint a mural on each side of the theatre doors in the lobby, where new wood paneling has replaced the old carpeted walls. New bathrooms are being installed in the lobby and a bright red concession stand and ticket booths will greet visitors on the street.
The Martha’s Vineyard Film Society will manage and operate both theaters, showing Hollywood blockbusters, along with family, classic and art films, Mr. Snider said. The last film to show at the Capawock was in 2013. The Island’s last film was in 2012 and the Strand’s was in 2011.
“I would say it’s been an adventure,” Mr. Snider said. “Every day as walls are torn open we learn things. But I think we are in pretty good shape.” As one surprise, construction at the Capawock revealed an ornamental tin ceiling above the black sheetrock ceiling, which could be restored in the future. But for now, Mr. Snider said the newer, insulated ceiling is more practical.
The white proscenium that frames the stage will remain, but a new screen will be able to move back and forth. The stage will include a small platform for lecturers.
One challenge in restoring the Capawock is that no one knows exactly what the original theatre looked like. So far, no photographs of the interior have surfaced. But it would have been different, Mr. Snider said, since film technology has changed so much since the early 1900s. The new theatre will have character, he said, “but it’s going to reflect the comfort and the needs of people today.”
Workers finished painting the building’s facade over the weekend. New lights have been installed in the two poster boxes and the plan is to recreate the vertical sign that once adorned the center of the the facade. No one knows what the building’s original colors were, but black and white photographs of the facade do exist, and Mr. Snider said yellow with dark green trim is a pretty close match.
The construction project itself has been well documented, with a photographer present every week. And the general public has been observing the progress.
“People are impressed with how much it’s changed,” construction superintendent Alex Django said Monday, adding that many people have been eager to share their memories of the theatre.
Mr. Snider said people were welcome to stop by.
“The doors are open,” he said.
For more information about opening night at the Capawock or to donate, email info@mvtheaters.org or call 508-310-7837.
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