Arc Stages Celebrates New Pleasantville Site With Ribbon Cutting
Transforming a barren warehouse into an up-and-coming theater and arts facility, Arc Stages officially cut the ribbon at its new home during a Feb. 16 grand opening celebration.
The Chappaqua Drama Group and the Little Village Playhouse, which now goes by the name Arc Stages, collaborated to open the 11,000-square-foot space. While off the beaten trail, it will provide artistic opportunities to Pleasantville and the surrounding area. The new arts center at 147 Wheeler Ave. will feature three different stages, including an educational stage, a community stage and the main stage.
“Total relief,” executive board member Adam Cohen said of the opening. “This is amazing.”
Cohen, who learned of the availability of the space, said the Wheeler Avenue location was the first building he saw. He knew it was the right location even if the inside looked “disgusting” before the renovation.
Mayor Peter Scherer, who attended last Saturday’s ribbon cutting, said the building used to be home to an electrical company and estimated the structure had been vacant for at least five years before Arc Stages received approvals to move in.
For the organization’s president Ann Shankman, the new site had her concerned at first, but at the right price she couldn’t turn it down.
“We want it to be a place where people feel comfortable coming down here,” Shankman said. “There are things happening, there are lights, and when you have live theater you need space, you need rehearsal rooms, you need a shop, you need costumes, you need props. It’s a very different beast. And we needed a lot of real estate.”
While there was plenty of work to get to where Arc Stages is now, there’s still plenty more to be done before the facility is a finished project. The back area, which will be used as a temporary theater space, has yet to be completed, although some of the money to finish that part of the project has already been raised. Cohen said he’s hopeful the space will be ready for Arc Stage’s May 11 spring gala. It has not been determined what that area will be used for long term.
Shankman and Cohen are also hoping to raise money to renovate the space that’ll be used for the main theater.
Cohen said he hopes that the educational aspects and the community theater will attract the public to the center. There are plans for improvisation nights, open mic nights, ladies nights and single-night events.
Most of all, Cohen wants it to be an artistic home for the community.
“I feel like there are tons of people who love theater,” Cohen said. “And there are tons of people out there who don’t know that they love theater and those people I can’t wait to get in here to show them why they will love theater.”
As much as the leadership of Arc Stages is excited about the opportunity, so is the village. Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce President Bill Flooks said the new center will bring another level of “sophistication” to Pleasantville.
“I believe it’s going to bring people to the village,” Flooks said. “It’ll be another avenue to come into the Village of Pleasantville. As the chamber says, shop, dine, explore and you can enjoy and explore this avenue here and see programs. It’ll be great for the village.”
