North Greenville raises curtain on new theater

By NIchole Livengood  

NOVEMBER 14, 2010 2:48 p.m. (0)

A new chapter begins for the North Greenville University theater program this week with the opening of the new Billingsley Theatre and Michael Wilson’s adaptation of Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story of Christmas.”

The facility is one of two new buildings belonging to the theater department. Billingsley Theatre is located in the new Village at Tigerville, a 20-acre site that is home to the NGU Visual Arts Department, Carolina First Bank and Einstein’s Bagels.

The vision for the village includes numerous retail and campus-related buildings. Across from Billingsley is the new School of Theatre building, which occupies the historic Tigerville Elementary School building given to the university by the school district.  The original structure dates back to the early 20th century.

The theater is named for Jack and Patti Billingsley. Jack Billingsley graduated from the school in 1956 and is a retired food broker.

The university raised $1.5 million to move the building, restore it to its original appearance and convert it into space for the theater program.  The 10,000-square-foot facility holds an acting studio, design lab, film screening room, a 2,500-square-foot scene shop, theater box office and administrative space.

Previously, theater productions were held in the 1,900-seat Turner Chapel, but the new 60’ x 60’ space provides more flexibility for productions, says Dale Savidge, theater department chair, who plays Scrooge in the upcoming production.

“The Billingsley seats a maximum of 260 and allows for a more intimate and intense theater experience,” says Savidge.

The theater is one of the few in the Upstate, he says, that has a wire tension grid, which provides a safe working platform for students lighting the shows. The floor of the theater is a steel reinforced platform set into a pit; this permits designers to run electric, data, air and water to any place in the room.

The two new buildings mean the program can continue to grow. In 2004 there were four theater majors, now there are 40. “With these new facilities, especially the Billingsley Theatre, we are experiencing a huge leap forward in the quality and number of productions,” says Savidge.

This year, the program will produce three mainstage shows.  They will also have two guest artists and a one-act play festival directed by students.

“As we move from three to four major productions we will be using more directors outside of our full time faculty, and we anticipate collaborating with other arts organizations (locally and nationally) to utilize this top-notch facility,” Savidge says.

Corrie Eddleman, assistant professor of acting, directs the upcoming production of “A Christmas Carol.”  She joined the faculty in fall 2007. She is one of three full time faculty members and two adjunct professors/directors.

“There is no better show to celebrate our community, our art, and our lives during this festive time of year. The NGU theater faculty and students have been working extra hard to bring Dickens’ story to life for our campus and Upstate neighbors,” says Savidge.