By JODI REYNOLDS
Theatre Guild of Buchanan County
When you attend a show at The CAM, your attention is naturally drawn to the stage. You notice the performers, the music, the lights, and the stories unfolding before you. What you may not notice is everything happening behind the scenes to make those moments possible.
Over the past three weeks, The CAM has been full of activity, not with rehearsals, but with construction crews, electricians, and contractors working to improve our facility from the inside out. These are the kinds of projects that audiences rarely see, yet they are some of the most important investments we can make in the future of The CAM.
One of the largest improvements has been the installation of new electrical service throughout portions of the building. This project included new hookups for food trucks, making outdoor events and festivals more efficient and welcoming for vendors. We also upgraded backstage electrical service and installed new outdoor lighting, improvements that enhance safety, functionality, and the overall experience for volunteers, performers, and guests.
Our stage also received some long overdue attention with a complete refinishing of the floor. While the refreshed finish certainly looks beautiful, this project was about much more than appearance.
Many people may remember the devastating hailstorm that swept through Vansant on May 19, 2022. The storm left more than 100 holes in The CAM’s roof, allowing rainwater to pour into the building. Although the roof was eventually repaired, moisture had already seeped beneath the stage’s epoxy coating. Since then, we have been in a constant cycle of patching and repairing areas where the finish continued to separate from the floor below. Refinishing the stage finally allows us to put those ongoing repairs behind us and provides our performers with a safer, more durable surface for years to come.
Another milestone was quietly reached backstage as we completed the third and final phase of our spray foam insulation project. Over the past 18 months, we have tackled this project section by section as funding became available. With the remaining outdated insulation removed and replaced, the building is now significantly more energy efficient and comfortable for everyone who walks through our doors.
Our work isn’t finished yet. Before The Beverly Hillbillies opens in October, another unique project will take center stage. Professional theater curtain specialists will be onsite to clean our large stage curtains while carefully working within the existing rigging system. Each curtain must be removed, cleaned, and rehung with remarkable precision. Behind every curtain is a carefully balanced system of tracks, pulleys, and counterweights, and restoring everything to perfect working order is a skilled process all its own.
Projects like these may never earn a standing ovation, but they make every performance possible. They protect our building, improve the experience for audiences and performers, and preserve The CAM for the next generation of artists.
As always, none of this would be possible without the generosity of our grant partners, donors, volunteers, and community members. Every improvement, whether visible from the audience or hidden behind the curtain, is another investment in a place that continues to inspire creativity, build community, and bring people together through the arts.
Be sure to check out our new and improved website at www.seeyouatthecam.com to keep up with all our events. We are constantly adding to our offerings, so check back often. See you at The CAM.
