“My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.”
So says Juliet to Romeo from her balcony, and her words might be applied fittingly to Zach Theatre’s fundraising effort for its own “Juliet” balcony. The second-story perch affixed to the exterior of the Topfer Theatre and designed by Andersson-Wise Architects will serve as not only a site for lovers of theatre to savor the view of this 26,000-square-foot glass-curtained playhouse but also as a site for performances. Artistic Director Dave Steakley is commissioning a series of original “balcony plays,” five to 30 minutes long, from artists such as Suzan-Lori Parks and Allen Robertson to be presented specifically on that spot. Zach board member Deanna Serra and her husband, Jeff, president and CEO of Vida Capital Inc., have pledged a lead gift of $500,000 for the balcony, but they’ve set it up as a challenge grant, meaning the community must kick in a matching amount. Now, as Juliet said: The more you give, the more you have – your gift draws on more of the Serras’, doubling itself. You’ll have that architectural embellishment and all the new plays to be performed on it. “If thou dost love,” directs our passionate lass of Verona, “pronounce it faithfully!” For more information, visit www.zachtheatre.org.
This article appears in May 20 • 2011.