The Clark Center- Connie O’Henley

Posted by Richard L. Roberts 
 
      Kevin Woolley introduced speaker and Executive Director of the Clark Center Association, Connie O'Henley, who briefly described those early years, around 1975, when Cliff and Mary Lee Clark were uncomfortable attending an event in the AG High School gym. It was hot, the seats were hard and the acoustics were horrible. They decided that there should be a better place for cultural events in the area and thus the beginning of the development of the Clark Center Theater for the Performing Arts. The community raised $1.75 million, an agreement was reached with the LMUSD and construction was completed in 2002. The theater seats over 600 people and is a perfect size for the South County community.
 

The "black box" theater is a good size for smaller productions as well as community events, recitals, etc. She described a new annex recently completed that will be used for new offices, a shop, storage, principal dressing rooms and a new green room. There has been continual growth in all aspects since 2002; in 2008 there were 215 events, 2,804 volunteers that contributed over 11,000 hours. The theater's success is jointly achieved by the LMUSD who owns, manages and maintains the building; The Clark Center Foundation that raised money for construction, sustains other funds for theater maintenance and improvements, sponsors and underwrites quality productions, awards scholarships and manages an endowment that will assure continued improvement of the theater; and, the Clark Center Association that operates the theater on a day to day basis for the general public's use and enjoyment.

      Steve Cool spoke briefly about the Foundation's Endowment program, the interest of which is used to maintain the theater in good repair and to establish and maintain cultural arts in the community as well as the other work as mentioned above. He encouraged folks to join the endowment program, Encore Society, by committing or donating to the endowment fund. Minimum non binding commitment or contribution is $1,000 which offers several member benefits. For further information, call, 489-4114.