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Home My WebLink About10/23/2019 Item Public Comment, Kulp Wilbanks, Megan From:Bette Kulp < To:Advisory Bodies Subject:Approve SLO REP Theatre project Attachments:SLO REP.docx Dear Planning Commissioners: I am sending my recommendation for approval of the SLO REP project. Please open the attachment below Bette Kulp 1 Approve SLO REP Theatre project How can we NOT have a dedicated home for our robust Rep Theatre? It has been active here in SLO since 1947, adding to the many cultural experiences of the area. SLO REP IS a part of the community and has grown up with the town. A permanent home is long overdue. It took me only 7 years to convince Trader Joe’s to come here, but my late husband, Frank Little, and I have been hoping, plugging, encouraging, and financially supporting a new venue for the theatre since 1991 – that’s 28 years. We first attended the Theatre in fall of 1988, when it was housed in a tiny area in the J Building o n the old junior high campus. The Little Theatre, as it was known then, has made many changes and improvements since. I would like to see this long-held dream come true now. SLO is growing; the number of theatre-goers and their desire for professional, live productions has increased, creating the demand for larger audience space. The new theatre would expand seating and would even accommodate two productions simultaneously, tripling the audience capacity on a given night. SLO REP’s new venue would strengthen and enhance the cultural vitality of downtown SLO and would help draw locals and visitors to its beautiful building with expanded programming – adding to the economic vitality of the downtown area. The new facility allows for expansion of educational programming (classes) for young students and for matinee performances designed for local schools’ attendance. SLO REP has earned this opportunity. It has improved acting quality, increased attendance, expanded productions with its variety of offerings, and promoted student theater productions by introducing popular acting classes for youths. The REP’s continued history, its future, is in your hands. Please approve without further delay the SLO REP Theatre project! Bette Kulp 4550 Wavertree St.