The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts

A Brand-New Lobby

A New Grand Staircase, Concession Stand, and Elevator

Our New Studio Theater

Sensory Access Room

For patrons requiring an adjusted viewing experience.

Enhancing Your Experience

With wider seats, more legroom, more accessible seating, two entrances, and brand new comfortable seats.

Administrative Offices

Take a Tour!

Come see the new Buxton Center with your own eyes every first Wednesday of the month. Space is limited so reserve a spot today!

THE BUXTON CENTER FOR BAINBRIDGE PERFORMING ARTS

After 67 years of serving as a cornerstone of the arts on the Island, Bainbridge Performing Arts has launched a capital campaign to address some much-needed improvements and bring some exciting new features to the 1992 building, now named “The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts” in honor of our dear friend and colleague, Frank Buxton. We’re now inches from the finish line and ready to open the building to the public on September 30th.

Bainbridge Island, and the world we live in, is a much different place than it was when we built the Bainbridge Performing Arts theatre over 25 years ago. Our building was in critical need of improvements, so we working closely with LMN Architects and Carley Construction in order to offer the best experience possible for every person who comes in our doors.

“It’s exciting to see. It’s just gorgeous, and it’s something that the community can be really proud of. I’ve talked about the third place concept: the first place being your home, the second place being your workplace, and the third place being where you go, where you hang out, where people know you by name, and where you like to be. I really believe that this is going to be the ‘third place’ for so many people.”

— Mark N.

We’ve built a brand new studio theater space, installed comfortable and more accessible multi-aisle seating, expanded our lobby and restrooms, added a new roof with solar array, upgraded our box office and administrative offices, improved our dressing rooms and HVAC systems, and even installed an elevator and upstairs landing, plus an extensive list of maintenance improvements - all designed to create the greenest, safest, and best experience for our performers, our audience, and staff.

Our teachers, conductors, and artistic and administrative staff are eager to connect with audiences in even more innovative ways. We want to ensure that young people have access to the latest tools and resources to support their own creative endeavors. Furthermore, we want our neighbors, performers, supporters, and audiences to take pride in BPA – an artistic home for Bainbridge Island.

BUXTON CENTER FUNDRAISING PROGRESS

$18,000,000 TOTAL CAMPAIGN GOAL

$15,795,347 GIFTS RECEIVED

$605,832 GIFTS PLEDGED

$1,600,000 WA STATE BUILDING FOR THE ARTS GRANT

$18,001,179 TOTAL FUNDS RAISED

$0 REMAINING FUNDS TO RAISE

100% PERCENT TO GOAL

802 TOTAL DONORS

Thank you to all of our generous donors for your continued support of Bainbridge Performing Arts.

Enjoy a free behind-the-scenes look at our brand new facility with a private or group tour.

This is a perfect opportunity to ask questions about the project and see first-hand how BPA has put your experience at the forefront of our capital campaign. Your tour guide will walk you through the building, answering questions about the project, and will provide tools to help visualize how the building will look by the time we open this fall.

Simply email Matt Longmire with the button below and include 3 or more dates and times that work for your schedule, the anticipated number of people in your group (private tours are completely fine), and any particular interests you have about the building. You will receive a confirmation email with the selected date/time based on tour guide availability.

A few important details…

- We encourage you to bring friends as tours can host up to 12-15 people in a group.

- Parking is free in front of the building in spots not marked as reserved for City Hall, or in the back near the Historical Museum.

- Your tour guide will meet you in front of the building near the fence entrance unless it is raining, at which point we will meet at the theater's back door.

- Masks are optional and not required of attendees.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your tour, please let us know with as much notice as possible.

REQUEST A TOUR

AN ALL NEW STUDIO

*All plans & renderings are subject to change until the completion of the project.*

We’ve designed a standalone studio to be used as a multipurpose space for classes, rehearsals, short-run performances, and extended lobby space for large events. The interior of the studio is roughly the same size as our existing stage, and includes a built-in lighting grid and removable seating for maximum flexibility.

The new space will also be available for rent and through partnerships with other organizations. Our current rental spaces are some of the most affordable on Bainbridge Island and in the surrounding area and we will continue to make our spaces available at competitive rates. More information will be available on rentals very soon!

As we have for many years, BPA will continue to partner with organizations such as Ovation!, Island Theatre, Bainbridge Dance Center, InD Theatre, Bainbridge Chorale, Bainbridge Youth Orchestra, BYS, Bainbridge Pride, Raising Resilience, the Bainbridge Historical Museum, the Lesser Known Players, and so many more. As our building expands, our opportunity for further partnership and collaboration expands.

AN EXPANDED LOBBY

For years, we’ve dreamed of hosting our audience in a more comfortable space, and expanding our lobby was at the top of our to-do list. We substantially expanded the size of our lobby to allow for larger events and meet the needs of the next generation of theater-goers.

Buxton Lobby Concessions and Balcony.jpg

Thank you to all of our donors who dedicated a seat in the newly renovated Hodges Hall!

Our seat dedication campaign was a tremendous success and dedication plaques have been confirmed, ordered, and installed. Be sure to look for your seat next time you’re in the theater!

LEARN MORE

ENHANCING THE EXPERIENCE

We chose to focus on things such as audience comfort, lines of sight, traffic flow, and created a vastly more accessible space for all patrons. We’ve also added an elevator, a new kitchen & servery, expanded our restrooms, and added more entrances and exits to the theater. For our performers, we renovated our dressing rooms and backstage spaces. For our staff, we’ve relocated the administrative offices and even the Box Office to best suit the new additions.

Our goal was not to squeeze people together in order to sell more tickets, but to improve the overall experience of our audience, even though that meant losing a few seats in an effort to provide more legroom and better access to more comfortable seating.

Seating Diagram

Stage Perspective

Side View with Orchestra Diagram

Overhead Seating Diagram

Box Office Vestibule

Administrative Offices

Sensory Access Room

AN EARTH FRIENDLY BUXTON CENTER

A fundamental objective of our renovation was to minimize our impact upon the environment.

Just a few of the many sustainable practices we’ve implemented include:

One quarter of the center’s electric power supplied from new roof-mounted solar panels
Choosing building systems that produce the greatest possible energy efficiency in such areas as insulation and glazing
A new heating, ventilating and air conditioning system using the most efficient new technologies as well as improved filtration for healthier airflow
Low-energy LED lighting systems throughout
Reduced water use from low-flow plumbing fixtures
Selection of materials based upon their low carbon footprint, non-toxic content and regional sourcing
An expanded rain garden for even better storm water management
Use of construction management techniques that reduce waste, maximize recyclings and make the greatest possible use of the existing structure

BPA has registered this project under the Green Building Council’s LEED program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) targeting a Gold LEED level of achievement.

TIMELINE

We broke ground in October of 2021 and hosted our Grand Opening on September 30th of 2023!

We’re building your community theater.

These photos were taken at our July 7th “Signature Event” where the community came to show their support for the new Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts. Guests were able to leave their mark on the building by signing the plywood to be sealed and saved for the future.

BAINBRIDGE PERFORMING ARTS

A YEAR IN NUMBERS

$763,000 BPA’s Annual Budget
$343,350 Annual Contributed Income
20,000 Patrons & Guests
12,500 Volunteer Hours
10,000 Posters and programs
1,100 Free Tickets for Families in Need
501 Individual donors
224 Seats
205 Performers
192 Rehearsals
180 Students
50 Mainstage Performances
33 Renters & Collaborators
$29 Cost of a Standard Ticket
$22 Cost of Senior, Military, Teacher, & Youth Ticket
15 Student Performances
13 Board Members
12 EDGE Improv Performances
11 Dark Nights
10 Staff Members
8 Symphony Performances
5 Directors
2 Classrooms
1 Community

0 People turned away for inability to pay

ABOUT FRANK

Bainbridge Island's own Frank Buxton was an actor, television writer, author, and television director. Buxton grew up in Larchmont, New York. He was a graduate of Northwestern University (B.S.) and Syracuse University (M.S.) and served in the U.S. Army in Korea.

After a long career (see following), Frank and his beloved Cynthia Sears moved to Bainbridge Island at the end of the '80s, where he was fond of saying he found his playground at Bainbridge Performing Arts.

At an age where most slow down, Frank stayed very active, acting in the roles of a lifetime; The stage manager in Our Town, Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Sheldon Whiteside in The Man Who Came to Dinner, Grandpa in You Can't Take it With You, and Jaques in As You Like It. For Island Theatre, he mounted several live recreations of Radio plays, including his own adaptation of War of the Worlds, placing Welles 1938 shocker on Bainbridge.

Frank's acting career extends from summer theatre in Three Men on a Horse with the legendary Buster Keaton at age 19. He worked as a producer-director in early television at WGN-TV in Chicago, as well as Buffalo stations WGR-TV and WBUF-TV. Turning to performing, Buxton performed his own stand-up comedy act at comedy clubs from coast to coast. He toured Australia for a year as Albert in Bye Bye Birdie. His first TV credit was as host and producer of the ABC television documentary series, Discovery co-hosted by actress/singer Virginia Gibson from 1962 to 1966. Buxton also did the narration, as well as all of the voices, for the "Silly Record" LP (1962 on Harmony Records).

In 1966, Buxton teamed up with Hal Seeger in the animated cartoon series Batfink, providing the voice for the title character in all 100 episodes, as well as its recurring villain Hugo A-Go-Go. As a writer, Buxton co-authored with Bill Owen, two books covering the golden age of radio - The Big Broadcast and The Golden Age. Owen succeeded Buxton as host of Discovery from 1966 to 1971. Buxton also hosted the game show Get the Message for ABC in 1964, later to be replaced by Robert Q. Lewis.

For much of the 1970s, Buxton worked as a writer, producer, and director for Paramount Television. He served as a story editor for the comedy anthology series Love, American Style, and writing and directing episodes of The Odd Couple, Happy Days, and Mork & Mindy. Buxton also created, wrote, produced, and directed the television series Hot Dog for NBC, which starred Tom Smothers, Jonathan Winters, and Joanne Worley. The series won a Peabody Award in 1970. Buxton played roles in numerous TV series, movies, and commercials such as Xerox and Safeway Markets, to name a few.

After moving to Bainbridge, he continued to work in films and commercials shot locally both in front of the camera, and on microphone doing voice work. He was a regular with Jim French's Imagination Theatre creating original radio plays, and was a regular cast member of Cookus Interuptus.

But he was probably most known locally for being a founding member of The Edge Comedy Improv troupe, delighting full houses once a month at the BPA for 25 years. Frank was on stage with his troupe a little over a month before his passing in early January 2018.

We were so blessed by this Islander.

FAQS

GENERAL INFORMATION

+ Who was involved in this project?

Contractor in charge of the project: Carley Construction, based on Bainbridge Island Architect: LMN, Seattle experts in theater and community project design Community volunteers are involved in overseeing construction, budgeting, event planning, and community outreach and fundraising.

+ When did this project break ground?

Although the project was been in the works for several years, official construction broke ground on the Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts on October 9th, 2021. No large gatherings were planned to celebrate the event as COVID-19 levels were too high at the time.

+ When will the construction be finished?

Construction will complete shortly before our Grand Opening on September 30, 2023.

+ What is included in your $18 million dollar goal?

An upgraded stage, a new studio theater, more comfortable seating, an elevator, new HVAC system, a larger lobby, a rooftop solar array, and so much more.
Design expertise from architects to specialists such as acoustical engineers, mechanical engineers, designers, sustainability consultants.
Paying construction workers a fair wage.
All the bits and pieces from seats to faucets, to soundproof doors, to accessibility railings, to exit signs, etc. They add up!
A transition fund to ensure the smooth operation of the new building.
Fees, taxes, etc.

The most important thing, and the filter through which we've passed every decision of this project, was creating a tremendously enhanced experience for everyone who will walk through our doors in any capacity.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

+ Are you at the Farmers' Market again this year?

Yes! Come visit us at most of this year's Farmers' Market season to ask questions about the project, our current events, and the inaugural season beginning in October.

+ Will you be offering tours of the theater when it is finished?

We actually offered tours through all stages of the construction and will likely resume tours once the building reopens to the public.

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

+ How much bigger is the new building?

The original BPA building was approximately 12,000 square feet while the new building adds about 5,000 new square feet, mostly among the lobby, Studio, and office expansions.

+ Will you have more seats?

Believe it or not, we actually have a few less seats, and we promise that's a good thing! Our goal from the start has been to make roomier seating with better sightlines and access. By reducing the number of seats from 256 to 224, we were able to add main and upper level entry, a center cross aisle, two vertical aisles, a dedicated sound position, and far more accessible seating for our guests with mobility needs.

+ Are you adding more restrooms?

We’ve upgraded all of our bathrooms in the lobby for guests and backstage for performers. In the lobby, we’ll have gendered restrooms for women & men as well as an all-gender restroom, while backstage we’re adding two more and converting all of them to all-gender restrooms. We even added a shower!

+ Why are you renovating instead of tearing down the building and starting over?

In working with our architects at LMN, we considered ideas for an entirely new building versus a renovation of the current space. Both addressed the community’s needs, but the renovation was about half the cost, and those savings allow us to hit some exciting goals such as enhanced accessibility and green energy.

More importantly, we wanted to honor the history and community members who have poured their hearts into BPA over the last 66 years. Rennovating the space means that we get to hold on to the marvel that was created 30 years ago and to expand on the very good bones of Peter O’Connor’s original design. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or you’re a lifelong patron, we hope that it will feel very much like coming home when we reopen in the Fall of 2023!

COSTS & FUNDRAISING

+ Why does this renovation cost so much?

Theaters are second only to hospitals in cost per square foot - but we’re lucky to be working with an architect and contractors who understand how essential it is to be good stewards of this community’s generosity. In our case, the we’re fortunate that the value outmatches the expense: we’re building a space that will not only comfortably welcome our neighbors on and off stage, it’s energy efficient to LEED standards, accessible to those of all needs, and features technical systems that are designed with public health and safety foremost in mind. Of course, labor and material costs have soared during the pandemic, but we’ve made up for this with an incredibly lean operation - ensuring that your gift goes toward building a space that will inspire generations to come!

+ Can I donate to name a new seat after myself or in honor/memory of someone special?

Our seat naming campaign was an enormous success and all seats were dedicated during that phase of our campaign between July 2022 and February 2023.

+ How will you cover the new costs of operating the larger building?

Our campaign is comprehensive, meaning that we’re planning not just for the new building but also for a bright future after it's completed! $1.5 million has already been raised and set aside as a transition fund to ensure that our needs are met as our organizational capacity catches up to all of the new opportunities presented by the space.

+ Will ticket prices be higher?

Accessibility is essential to us. We will continue to set ticket prices within reach of every member of the community. Further, our Open Doors program will ensure that free tickets are available for anyone for whom cost would be a barrier for entry.

+ Are you creating an endowment fund?

While we are always considering new ways to support our local artists and community, we are not currently raising money for an endowment fund. Our additional $1.5 million transition fund will be set aside to ensure our ability to maintain this new level of operations and we may choose to revisit the idea of an endowment fund at some point in the future.

EVENTS & PERFORMANCES

+ When can we buy tickets for the upcoming season?

Season tickets for our inaugural season are now available at bainbridgeperformingarts.org/season-tickets. Single-event tickets are also available at bainbridgeperformingarts.org/tickets.

+ What shows and events will there be in the new building?

The Buxton Center will open in October of 2023 with a season that kicks off with The Prom, Beauty & The Beast, The Book of Will, Cabaret, plus A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Bloedel Reserve. We'll also have the return of our Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra, monthly improv from The Edge, and many other events.

+ Can the new Studio theater space be rented for an event or a lecture?

Absolutely!

What would that cost? Rates will be comparable to similar venues on the Island. This will follow the same process as for event rentals with special discounts for non-profits.
How many does it accommodate? The Studio will comfortably seat 80 people for presentation-style events.
When can we reserve it? Reservations will be available through our website starting in the Fall of 2023
If it is a catered event is there a kitchen that can be used? We do not have a commercial kitchen; all catering should be prepared offsite.

ACCESSIBILITY

+ Will I be able to sit next to my disabled companion in a special seating area?

Yes! Not only have we expanded the number of accessible seats, we’ve ensured that companions and families can all sit together in the new theater.

+ Will all performers have access to all spaces in the new theater?

With the addition of our new elevator, performers will be able to access to all spaces in the building.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

+ Will the new building be more energy efficient?

Absolutely. In fact, we're aiming for a LEED Gold certification with several upgrades to our HVAC system, adding a solar array to the roof, and much more.

+ How will you handle COVID-19 precautions after reopening?

While we had hoped Covid would be a distant memory by the time we reopened, we've embraced the fact that it has taught us a great deal about what we can do to support good public health.

Some of the precautions we’ve taken include a state-of-the-art HVAC system that will continuously cycle in, filter, and climatize fresh air, or antimicrobial surfaces that will stand up to rigorous cleaning procedures. We aim to be partners in the wellness of our patrons, performers, and students alike, and we’re building for a future in which Covid or other viruses may, unfortunately, play a part.