BDT Stage set to close, building in Boulder sold to housing developer
The crowd at BDT Stage in Boulder came in and sat for dinner before the performance of Nickelodeon's The Spongebob Musical.
"My name is Stephanie, I'll be your food server today along with Ethan who plays the sardine with me on stage," explained Stephanie Garcia.
Inside the venue formerly known as Boulder's Dinner Theater, this is how it has worked for 46 years.
"It's a completely different reaction that they get when they go back to the table," explained Seamus McDonough, producing artistic director for BDT Stage. "It's a very fun, intimate experience and they get to meet the actors."
But now the land that holds the aging building has been sold by the owners, Gene and Judy Bolles, who are ready to step away and retire from the for-profit theater. The figure is said to be over $5 million for property that will ultimately become housing.
"We don't know when the end of it is going to happen but we do know that this is probably going to be our last season coming up, which we don't know exactly what it's going to entail," said McDonough.
No one else has stepped forward to buy the business. The City of Boulder has been of little help. Several years ago, McDonough's predecessor and now current executive producer Michael Duran went to the city asking for a break from taxes like a seat tax that has hurt. McDonough said the taxes add about $15 a ticket with the theater in Boulder.
"It's getting the company somewhere else and then being able to have somewhere else to actually be able to operate. And more than likely out of Boulder because Boulder's way too expensive to be able to do what we do," he said.
"There's a legacy here that Boulder's going to miss, and I don't think they're going to realize they're missing it until it's gone," said Duran.
He is among the actors here who have performed on Broadway. Several well known names have been on stage here, including Amy Adams, Annaleigh Ashford and Broadway actor Dan Sharkey. The loss is likely another sting for local theater.
"We have lost another great outlet for talent," said retired former CBS Colorado entertainment critic Greg Moody.
"My father was the original employee in the building in 1977," said McDonough. He recalled stories of how on opening night 46 years ago, painters were still painting the walls as the first paying customers arrived.
"My parents met here. I learned to walk here."
Many others learned as well.
"You do it because you love it. And these people love it," said Duran.
Through the years there have been so many great shows, he recalled. Fiddler On The Roof multiple times. There was Little Shop of Horrors, the Wizard of Oz, just about any great play or musical.
"When you're this close to the stage you get to really be a part of the show versus just watching the show," said Shelby Colewell as she sat with her husband and two daughters awaiting the start of Spongebob.
COVID hit the theater hard. And the struggle to keep going as Boulder has become more expensive has just put continuing here beyond reach.
"I mean when you have Google in town, everything becomes a little more expensive," said McDonough.
BDT Stage will remain open until the sale deal is closed. The building will be gone. McDonough said he did not want to be sad when the closing finally comes.
"It is tragic. But I'd rather have the attitude of don't cry because it's over, smile because it's happened."
Duran had similar feelings.
"Hopefully we're going to celebrate what we've done. And we can be proud of the 46 years we've been here and we can really be proud of it."
