Christmas wasn’t exactly holly-jolly for a couple of Eastside theatres. Over the holiday weekend, both the Vortex and Arts on Real were burglarized. The Grinches who looted the Vortex cut the lock on the bike belonging to actor/playwright Mick D’arcy (Ghost From a Perfect Place, The Music of Erica Zann) and made off with it, as well as most of the theatre’s working power tools (just as they were really needed for set construction for St. Enid and the Black Hand, opening this weekend).
The damage was considerably worse for their neighbor theatre on Real. Out of view of the building’s security cameras, intruders shattered a large double-paned window to one of the offices, made their way into the theatre, and hauled off Apple computers, printers, fax and copy machines, video cameras and equipment, a video projector and sound equipment, a television, two DVD players, three CD players, and a VHS player. Total cost for these items was estimated at $7,000, and, to add insult to injury, the thieves committed $3,000 in interior damage, including ripping a steel door from its hinges.
Given that two months earlier, the Blue Theater on Springdale was broken into and had some lighting equipment ripped off, Eastside theatre thefts could qualify as Most Disturbing Cultural Trend of 2004. Of course, being nonprofit arts groups – and relatively poor ones at that – these theatres are hard-pressed to replace these items, even those as seemingly inexpensive as power tools. And even if the police catch up with the looters – which is likely in at least one case – it’s unlikely they’ll recover the stolen goods. So it’s really up to us, the folks who appreciate what these worthy citizens of the arts have to offer, to help offset the damages of these unfortunate crimes. If you like what they do, I know they’d love you to show it right now with a donation.
This article appears in January 14 • 2005.