The Bay Community Theatre in Suttons Bay was just awarded $50,000 to support physical upgrades inside the historic theatre. “This grant from Rotary Charities gives us resources for needed improvements and energizes our team to continue to make The Bay a special place for the community,” says Rick Andrews, president of the nonprofit community theatre.

The Rotary Charities grant will be part of a total investment of more than $100,000 by The Bay to replace aging infrastructure. Filmgoers will soon enjoy: a new, state-of-the art movie screen, new digital lighting for live events, an updated stage electrical system, new stage curtains, and an improved sound system for community gatherings and speaking events. A less noticeable upgrade will be a new fire detection system throughout the facility. 

This is an exciting turning point for the historic landmark and small-town icon, says Rick Andrews, president of the nonprofit Bay Community Theatre.

“The current setup is many decades old and obsolete,” he says. “The screen it is more than 30 years old and quite fragile at this point. This means the image is not as good as it could be, and it is difficult for us to switch from a movie to a live event. The upgrade of our stage lighting, curtains and the electrical system will also be a big step forward and enable us to do more live performances like music, comedy, or even plays.” 

The Bay, located at 214 N. St. Joseph Street, originally opened in 1946 and (re-)opened its doors as a nonprofit on January 1, 2019. “After 3 years as a nonprofit, we are going from our original challenge of ‘saving’ the theatre from closing forever to now investing in the theatre to make it better than ever and sustainable for many years to come,” says Andrews, adding, “see you at the movies.”

The Bay was one of six recipients in Rotary Charities of Traverse City’s latest round of grants totaling $371,500. Other local grant recipients include The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park; Good Samaritan Family Services; Justice for Our Neighbors-Michigan; Explore Kalkaska; and Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS). Shares Sakura Takano, CEO of Rotary Charities: “Despite the setbacks and increased need many nonprofits in our region saw over the last year, we were heartened to see organizations pull through and set goals for future-building.”