Yorba Linda Council to set fees for theater, but Covid-19 pandemic prevents use for productions

Yorba Linda's City Council will soon set user fees, policies and procedures for the Virginia De Land Theater, a major component of the Cultural Arts Center that's expected to open late Fall.

But due to “the current Covid-19 situation, it is uncertain when user groups will be able to host theatrical productions,” city Recreation Supervisor Valerie Passarella reported to the members of the Parks and Recreation Commission at a meeting last week.

The five council-appointed commissioners examined a proposed fee schedule for the “black box” theater in the 13,500-square-foot arts center now under construction adjacent a two- story, 45,000-square-foot library across Lakeview Avenue from the Town Center complex.

The commissioners are expected to review policies and procedures for the center at an Aug. 20 meeting, after which a fee schedule and policies and procedures package will be forward -ed to the council for final action.

Passarella's report to the commission members noted that “when the facility is able to accept rentals, the proposed fee schedule will be in line with comparable theater market rates, while recovering direct operating costs, and is estimated to generate annual revenue of $30,000.”

Proposed hourly fees in six categories for weekdays and weekends: resident non-profit, $75 and $120; resident, $140 and $165; resident commercial, $200 and $245; non-resident non-profit, $165 and $195; non-resident, $195 and $240; and non-resident commercial, $215 and $260.

An added $50 per hour is proposed for performance days when auxiliary spaces, such as the lobby, dance room and outdoor paseo, are used. The city's cost for operating the center was estimated at $52 per hour for staffing plus $23 per hour for operations (utilities and services).

Among six venues reviewed in a city-conducted study were Yorba Linda High School's Forum Theater (hourly rates $160 to $240) and Brea's Curtis Theater ($115 to $155) according to the survey.

The flexible “black box” theater is named in honor of Virginia De Land, who moved to Yorba Linda in 1962 and died at age 86 in 2016. She was the founder and producer of the Yorba Linda Civic Light Opera, which mounted more than 50 productions during a 16-year period.

De Land also was active in the Yorba Linda Service League, Yorba Linda Children's Theater and the Orange County Symphony Guild. She served as children and youth auxiliaries pres-ident, organist and choir director in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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Filing for 58 non-partisan City Council, school and library trustee and water director positions on North County ballots in the Nov. 3 general election ends Aug. 7, extended to Aug. 12, if an incumbent in a race does not file.

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