Lifts

Painters and plasterers begin work on the ceiling and walls of the theater using lifts.

Margaret Shaw-Romanes

Director of Development Melissa Burtless takes a tour of the theater with longtime volunteer Margaret Shaw-Romanes and Individual Giving Officer Courtney Balok

Roof Truss

To allow the removal of a pair of columns left in the balcony by the removal of our projection booth, a truss was designed to carry the roof load to the outside walls of the theater. The photos below show its installation.

Portions of the roof truss over the rear of the balcony are put in place by crane.

The truss is covered over in a layer of insulation.

The truss is covered in a layer of sheet metal and awaits its final layer of roofing.

Digging Out the Pit - Video

The last of the pit is cleared out so the forming of the walls and floor can be completed.

Skylight

A few views of the skylight on sunny days during construction this summer and fall.

Work Overhead

One of the construction crew sets drywall on the ceiling.

Orchestra Pit Construction, Part 4 - Video

The side walls of the pit are shored up while the concrete sets.

Work continues on the back wall of the orchestra pit.

See Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

Also, see the photos of the excavation before the pit construction began:
Part 1
Part 2

Column Stripping - Video

The construction crew works on lifts in the atrium, doing the final preparation of the solid cypress columns for pickling. The pickling process will give the columns a light color, while leaving the graining of the wood exposed.

Theater Floor - Video

These photos show the theater floor being prepared for re-pouring. The new theater layout will meet current requirements of the American Disability Act, and provide better sight-lines for many seats in the house.

2nd Floor Lobby, Part 3

Drywall, painting, and trim work progress in the new second floor lobby which will be named the William G. Selby and Marie Selby Foundation Lobby, in honor of the Foundation's generous support of the Building on the Vision campaign.

See Part 2 and Part 1

Chester and Ann Hryniewicz

Chester and Ann Hryniewicz tour the theater with Sarasota Opera Controller Ken Kwiatkowski

Crane, Part 2

The crane which was assembled here, is used to lift ductwork into the attic of the Opera House.

Atrium Scaffolding

Scaffolding is setup in the atrium to allow plaster work to be done.

Orchestra Pit and Theater

An early view of the William E. Schmidt Opera Theater and the Alisa and Ernest Kretzmer Orchestra pit from the stage of the Opera House.

McCorkle Lounge Plastering - Video

A plaster texture is applied to the drywall in the third floor McCorkle Lounge.

The view from the corner of the McCorkle Lounge, looking towards the Atrium.

Orchestra Pit Construction, Part 3

As the front wall of the orchestra pit is completed and preparations begin for pouring the theater floor, work goes on finishing the rear walls and floor area of the pit.

See Part 1 and Part 2.

Also, see the photos of the excavation before the pit construction began:
Part 1
Part 2

Atrium Columns

Workers patch up the atrium columns to prepare them for pickling. This process will give the columns a light color and leave the wood graining exposed.

Roofing

Workers install the roof flashings and prepare to start replacing the terracotta tiles.

Box Office, Part 4

Work continues on the Box Office in the theater lobby.

This ticket window will open an hour before curtain to provide convenient service before shows, while the Box Office in the Pavilion will continue to operate normal hours.
See a full timeline of the Box Office progress below:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Ray of Light

Sunlight pours into the theater while equipment is being loaded into the attic through an access door in the roof.

Paint Stripping

A member of the construction crew goes to work with a heat gun and scraper, to clean years of paint off the 1926 solid Cyprus columns around the atrium.

See a video of the work here.

Construction Tour

Executive Director Susan Danis tours the theater with past Board Chair Edward Bavaria, his wife Jane, and their friend Joan Stonecipher.

Crane, Part 1

One crane is used to attach an extension to another crane.

Large air conditioning duct segments are lifted to the roof of the theater
for installation in the attic.