After fire, curtain rising on new Music Theatre

When a fire ruined the auditorium at the 50-year-old North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly this summer, it seemed that the theater's plans for growth and expansion had been dashed. But the opposite has proven true.

''In a way, [the fire] set us up for the next 50 years," said Jon Kimbell, artistic director and executive producer. ''It's the renovation we had hoped to do in the next couple of years, but it was going to cost four or five million and we didn't have that kind of money."

Now, he added, with insurance reimbursement and a new fund-raising campaign, the theater is getting more, sooner.

''The silver lining is it ramped up everything we had to do," Kimbell said. ''We're going to have a brand new theater. The renovated music theater opens Tuesday, with a production of ''The Full Monty."

''It has all worked out surprisingly well," Kimbell said.

After the July 14 fire, he said, ''we really came close to closing." Instead, the theater moved its next two shows to Boston and took on the task of rebuilding.

''We really found out who our friends are, and we have a lot of them," Kimbell said. ''The fire reminded [people] how crucial this organization is to the community, whether it's the businesses, restaurants, gas stations, or dress shops. And it became apparent it plays an important part in the cultural wealth of the region."

North Shore now hopes to build on that renewed community support. Robert Alpaugh, the theater's new executive director, said he wants to send out a strong message ''about being a nonprofit and the dynamic relationship between us and the community. It's the key to sustainable growth."

North Shore Music Theatre is the second largest performing arts organization in Massachusetts, based on audience size, following the Boston Symphony and Pops combined, according to the Boston Business Journal. It has about 400,000 audience members a year, 19,000 of them season ticket holders. It offers a season of six musicals, five children's shows, and more than 20 celebrity musical and comedy concerts. It also has a large education program and encourages the development of new musicals.

''People need to know the depth of the organization is much greater than the wonderful shows they see," Alpaugh said.

''We haven't been very good about articulating that," Kimbell added. "Our mission for the future will be an emphasis on development of the art form and education. That really is where we're at."

The theater celebrated its 50th anniversary this year with the announcement of a new master plan for growth of the theater's facilities off Dunham Road. But that has been put aside as the theater rebuilds.

After the July 14 fire, which occurred after the opening night of ''Cinderella," the show was canceled, as were all subsequent children's shows and celebrity concerts this year. The theater moved its next two productions, ''Abyssinia," and ''Camelot," to the Shubert Theater in Boston, which was offered rent-free by the Wang Center for the Performing Arts.

''We had to keep producing," Kimbell said. ''We are so dependent on ticket sales, we had to have that cash flow. We also had to keep our staff employed so we could prep for next season. If we had to lay people off, we would have gone out of business."

The theater has a full-time staff of 80, and employs up to 200 people during the producing season. There are about 500 volunteers. Kimbell said both shows did well, ''but not the kind of ticket sales we would do" in Beverly. He said about 60 percent of the regular audience attended in Boston.

Meanwhile, the building in Beverly had to be dealt with. The fire, which was caused by an electrical or mechanical malfunction, was contained under the stage, but the entire building was exposed to heat, smoke, and water damage.

''Every inch inside the place had to be cleaned, rehabbed, and renovated," said Mike Moore, the theater's director of production and operations. All the carpeting, seats, upholstery, and insulation had to be thrown out. Damaged sound and lighting equipment was tossed. And all the wiring in the building had to be replaced.

Repairs are expected to cost between $4.5 million and $5 million, Kimbell said. Most will be covered by insurance. Upgrades, as well as loss of revenue from canceled shows, are not covered, he added. The theater has launched a $7 million campaign, the Encore Fund, to raise money for those costs.

When the theater opens Tuesday, renovations will not be complete. The carpeting isn't installed. And theatrical lighting had to be rented for ''The Full Monty." The remaining work will be done in January and February, after the run of ''A Christmas Carol," Kimbell said. But many improvements are in place.

The number of seats, which are all new, has been reduced from 1,800 to 1,500, allowing for more width and leg room. They also have been staggered to ensure unobstructed views. There is better handicapped access. While the theater was accessible before the fire, all seats for the disabled were in the back rows. Now, there are 15 pairs of wheelchair and companion seats located in two price sections.

There's a new stage, new orchestra pit, and new stage machinery, such as hydraulic lifts. And it's all computer-controlled.

''It's much slicker, quieter, safer, and faster," Moore said. He said the rebuilding, which involved about 20 contractors and their teams, ''has not been a bump-free ride."

''The only way it got done was everyone pulling in the same direction and realizing it's of paramount importance to the future of the organization to get back in the building," he said.

Kimbell sees a higher power. ''I think the theater gods came into play," he said. ''It truly is a miracle we were able to turn it around so quickly."

''The Full Monty," Nov. 1-20, North Shore Music Theatre, 62 Dunham Road, Beverly. Tickets, $35 to $68. Call 978-232-7200 or visit www.nsmt.org. The 2006 season includes: ''Damn Yankees," May 9-28; ''Ain't Misbehavin'," June 13-July 2; ''Cinderella," July 18-Aug 6; a new musical, still to be announced, Aug. 29-Sept. 17; ''Jesus Christ Superstar," Sept. 26-Oct. 15; ''Singing in the Rain," Oct. 31-Nov. 19.