CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) — The Champaign Park District announced that the Virginia Theatre will temporarily close while getting a major upgrade early next year.
The upgrade will focus on the theatre's computer-control elements of the motorized arbor system, or "fly" system, as part of the Park District’s current capital improvement plan for fiscal year 2025.
On-site work is set to begin early Jan. 2025 with completion set for mid-April, just in time for the next Roger Ebert‘s Film Festival, which runs April 23-26, 2025.
The Virginia will be dark during the three-month period required to complete the project, and the theatre’s usual schedule of late winter programming will shift to other spots on the calendar or to other venues.
Commenting on the project, theatre director Steven Bentz stated, “We’re confident that this planned maintenance will provide long term, continued effectiveness and safety with even greater flexibility and features.The project to replace the Virginia's existing, aging computer-control elements with new, stateof-the-art equipment will better serve the facility and its productions for many years to come.
A theatrical fly system raises and lowers items over the stage, including set pieces, backdrops, light fixtures, speakers, curtains, and screens. And while the Virginia’s existing fly system is meeting the theatre’s needs, its computer-control elements are aging and in need of replacement.
Events are scheduled to continue as normal through December 2024. Visit thevirginia.org for the full schedule and ticket information.
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