Postal Playhouse lobby refreshed

The lobby of the Postal Playhouse, home of Le Mars Community Theater, has a lush new look thanks to renovations paid for with help from the Hotel/Motel Sales Tax Revenue. The building, originally constructed in 1914, was leased to the theater group in 1977. This is the first time the lobby has been refurbished since then. [Click to enlarge]

The lobby of the Postal Playhouse, home of Le Mars Community Theater, has an inviting new look.

Thanks to a $9,450 grant from Hotel/Motel Sales Tax revenue, the Le Mars Community Theater's board began a project last fall to restore the 1914 building's front lobby.

Now the project is a few details away from completion.

The entire front lobby has been repainted, following some plaster repair.

Bold burgundy and deep green tones accent each other in the new, complex paint job, which accentuates the woodwork and decals and resembles the outside of a painted lady Victorian house.

The colors draw out the design of the floor tiles. Panels of opulent fabric add texture to some of the walls. Warm light glows from the antique-looking chandeliers. Plants and wall sconces will add extra effect.

"The last time anything was done to this lobby was pretty much right after the Postal Playhouse got the building in 1977," said Tim Pick, board president for Le Mars Community Theater.

The City of Le Mars owns the building and leases it to the community theater group.

"We're delighted to have the building. Otherwise it would be an albatross city officials would have to deal with," Pick said. "And in times like these, the building could end up just being a memory."

Pick said the board appreciates the local support of the refurbishment efforts, recently through the Hotel/Motel grant.

"The Postal Playhouse has become more of a performance venue as our membership continues to grow," he said. "We attract patrons from as far as North Sioux City, Meriden, Sergeant Bluff and Sioux Center. We wanted to create an intimate setting and make their experience that much more memorable."

The lobby renovation is part of the ongoing efforts to update the playhouse.

A handicapped-accessible ramp was built on the east end of the building, thanks to dollars from the Plymouth County Local Option Sales Tax revenue.

A storage garage was finished in February with much volunteer help. Currently a Schuster Trucking trailer is used for storage. The garage will replace the trailer.

A few windows on the sides of the building will be replaced with same-style panes in the next few weeks.

And the next big project is redoing a room on the east side of the building into restrooms that are easily accessible for all. Currently, the women's restroom is tucked up in the audience chairs and is accessed by stairs.

In the future, the room where the theater's board meets at the playhouse could also be renovated, Pick said.

The building, although not on the National Historic Register, does have local historical value, Pick said.

The restored lobby will debut to the public in mid-May for the community theater's next production is "The O'Connor Girls."

"We're a non-profit organization," Pick said. "We are very appreciative of grants. The county and city have been very supportive of this arts organization."