Fallon Community Theatre Inc, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization just received a $233,000 grant from the State Historic Preservation Office, one of the several grants received since its inception.
Board Chairman Stu Richardson said this grant is part of an ongoing process. “This one will fund installing new heating and air conditioning systems. In August, after it's been 100 degrees for days, the swamp cooler just doesn't do it. I still have pictures in my mind of people fanning themselves with the paper plates to stay cool. The grant will also allow us to redo the electrical systems making them safer and more efficient.”
Richardson provided some information about his involvement with the theatre. “The first grant we received was from SHPO for $230,000 which allowed us to purchase the theatre. In 2016, we started receiving grants from the Department of Agriculture. The first one for $60,000 was used to purchase our digital projector. Since then, we've received three other grants to do different projects within the building to improve the infrastructure.”
Richardson said the plumbing has been completely replaced, and they have a new roof that cost about $170,000. “That was a huge benefit because we no longer have water pouring down on people. We also have a company coming in to repair the ceilings in the upper theatre where water had been leaking for years.”
This SHPO grant will be used to make the building more earthquake-resistant. “They will be doing a study of the upper part of the building to determine what will need to be done to reinforce it, making it sounder than what it was when the 1954 quake hit.”
The new marquee that was recently installed was made possible by a combination of individual donations, fundraising on the part of Fallon Community Theatre Inc., and a large donation from the City of Fallon for a combined total of $40,000. “The city has been incredibly supportive. They've helped to raise enough money for us to hire a firm from Carson City, one that has a lot of experience with neon lights and displays in Reno. That's their specialty. They took a look at what we had and said they could bring it back into its original shape. The owner of the firm lives here in Fallon, so I think he was also very generous with us.”
The letters currently used on the marquee are made from plastic and get brittle over time from being in the sun. Richardson spoke to a contact he has at the theater in Quincy, California who told him they were able to switch to metal letters made by local high school students giving Richardson some ideas for replacing their own plastic letters.
To date, the theater has been to pay for all of its improvements without incurring any debt, making them debt-free. “That's really big for us. And with all that has been done so far, we are probably 80% there.”
Richardson said his Fallon Community Theatre Inc. Board of Directors is comprised of himself as chairman, City Councilwoman Karla Kent, Star Olsen, Jessica James, Glen Perazzo, and Nancy Upham. Mike Berney is the former chairman, and currently, he and his wife Michelle are both members at large and premier volunteers for the theater. Kelly Perez handles all of the theatre's social media needs. “There is a vacancy for someone that would like to be involved, donate their time, and labor, and learn all about the movie industry as well as entertainment. We'd like to keep expanding our multi-use venue, doing different stuff that will bring in the different segments of the community. If interested, just contact any member of the board, or stop by the theatre during a board meeting. The board meets on the last Monday of the month unless it's a holiday, at 5:30 p.m. By attending a meeting, the person can also get a feel for what goes on here.”
“As a non-profit, our business model depends on the generosity of the community and our sustaining members. Letters will be going out to members of the community to inform them that the Fallon Theatre is still very much alive and functioning and that we provide free movies at least two days per week. But in order to do that, and pay our taxes, licenses, and other business expenses, we need to bring in a certain amount per month. So, we are starting a sustaining membership drive to build it up from 87 to 400 members donating $20 or more per month. That's the number of members that pay all of our bills. We can continue to show free movies, and the theatre can sustain itself.”
Richardson is a movie and theatre buff and loves both. “I may never have the time to do this, but one of my dreams is to build a model-size replica of the theatre as it was originally built. Something big enough that you can walk around, showing what it was like, how you could come in, the stairways going up, the balconies that were part of it. People could look at it and know how this building got started all those years ago. Along the way, the balconies were taken out around 1930, and more changes were made in 1954, 1958, and 1983 leaving us with what we have today.”
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