Date: Fri 09-Apr-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Ives-Daley-Osborne

Full Text:

Ives Center Gains State & Corporate Support For Continued Events

(with cuts)

DANBURY -- Armed with more than $300,000 in new public and private funding,

Danbury's Ives Center ("The Ives") is set to enhance its reputation as a

magnet for lovers of all forms of live music and boosters of civic pride.

The Ives, a pastoral precinct of Western Connecticut State University's

westside campus, has long been regarded as "Danbury's best kept secret." No

more. The not-for-profit concern's board announced this week plans for a bold

new program of headline entertainment this summer, as well as commitments to

special events for youth, minorities and nature lovers.

Michael B. Osborne, the chairman of The Charles Ives Center For The Arts,

Inc., said, "Our plans for 1999 include at least 20 events to satisfy a

broadly-based demand in the community to see and hear musicians of all stripes

in one of the [most] visually stunning amphitheaters in the nation."

As well as headliners, The Ives will continue to stage special events for

children, minorities and showcase area performers. Programs begin in May with

the annual Young People's Concert.

State And Corporate Support

Mr Osborne said the state's $100,000 grant is a down payment toward a program

to increase and upgrade amenities at the 5,500-seat amphitheater and concert

park. Other improvement grants include $9,500 from the Meserve Memorial Fund

for the bridge system on the 1.5-mile East Lake Nature Trail.

Another $180,000 will come from private donations and corporate sponsors.

"We won't be so much increasing the size of the park," said Francis A. Daley,

executive director of the center. "Basically we'll be cleaning a lot of the

periphery -- the undergrowth and the brush area. The most noticeable thing

that will transpire over the next year will be the addition of permanent

toilet facilities, along with a kitchen for concession sales."

The kitchen space will not make a large change in the face of The Ives'

regular menu, but will help the center in terms of being able to cater larger

events and even corporate events in the beautiful outdoor setting in the

future. The menu itself will remain, as Mr Daley put it, "pretty standard

outdoor fare."

"Otherwise, I think most of the changes we're really looking to see will make

more of an appearance in the year 2000," the director added. "That's not to

diminish what will be happening this year by any means, but this year is more

of a strengthening up, making studies and drawings, and raising more [funds]

to complete this project."

M. Jodi Rell, the lieutenant governor of the state of Connecticut, said, "This

grant acknowledges two things. First, we wanted to reaffirm the state's full

support of the development of the Ives Center into one of Connecticut's most

beautiful gathering points.

"Second, we want to recognize the pressing need for on-site facilities that

meet the needs of larger and more diverse groups destined to visit the

center."

"The new funding is an important step towards our goal of raising more than $1

million over the coming year to accommodate more events and activities for

community groups, schools and corporations," Mr Osborne added. "After 15 years

of gradual progress, it is time to leap forward."

This year's headline entertainment schedule and ticket prices will be

announced at the beginning of May. Mr Daley said Duracell Corporation had

renewed its title sponsorship of the concert series. He could not comment on

who would be coming in to the park this season because, at this time, "not

everything is in ink."

"This summer, we plan to bring to the Ives even bigger names than last year

when our program included Tom Jones, Willie Nelson and festivals for fans of

Motown, the blues, jazz and folk music," Mr Daley said.

The Ives opened formally in 1984 to celebrate the vast range of uniquely

American music that inspired the work of the American composer (and Danbury

native) Charles Ives. Since then, the idyllic lakeside setting has been

witness to more than 300 top American and international performers from Bob

Dylan to Jessye Norman.

More than $11 million has been invested in creating and enhancing performance

facilities, especially The Ives "Hive" stage, sound systems and a jumbo

"StageScreen" for live shots, light shows and movies.

"Although the secret of The Ives has so far been shared with 400,000 patrons,

research shows our region's transient residential base and growing diversity

makes it hard to build a core following," Mr Osborne said.

"Now, with the closing of Candlewood Playhouse and difficulties in staging

ethnic festivals in downtown parks, our obligation has expanded to provide an

even richer choice of live family entertainment," Mr Osborne continued.

Candlewood Playhouse in New Fairfield closed last December after presenting

major theatrical performances for 32 years. John Hodge and Paul Allen were the

latest in a line of producers that attempted to turn the locale into a New

York-style theatre, with a number of professional productions that were pre-

and post-Broadway bound. But after running the playhouse for five years

without turning a profit, Mr Hodge and Mr Allen decided it was time to pull

out late last year, leaving a wide hole in regional professional theatre.

Mr Daley would also like to see The Ives Center capitalize on the loss of

Candlewood Playhouse.

"To an extent, we would like to draw some of that audience to our own

facility," he said. "We won't be presenting theatrical shows, per se, but

we're certain that while we don't have our schedule complete as of yet, we're

hoping to appeal to everyone, even with the children's shows. I'd like to

think that within the next couple of years, we'll be able to draw in some of

that audience with our programming."

Corporate Sponsorship

In addition to Duracell, major sponsors of The Ives concerts will include

Union Savings Bank, Boehringer Ingelheim, Union Carbide, Fleet Bank, Grolier

and Newtown Savings Bank. Mr Osborne said he expects others to "sign up" when

the new concert schedule is announced.

"In competing for both public and private funding, like other not-for-profit

organizations, we can demonstrate a clear commitment to meet a broad range of

community needs. And this goes beyond music to the range of educational and

recreational activities that a 39-acre park can offer children, naturalists,

hikers, athletes and picnickers," Mr Osborne noted.