Roof Collapse at SCR Production Center

Our theatre suffered a tremendous loss late last month, when—following a rain storm—the roof collapsed over a 4,500-square foot section of our Production Center in Santa Ana. We are truly grateful that no one was in the building at the time of this accident and there were no injuries.

We want to assure you, our audience, that we will not let this affect our current season and that your upcoming performances will go on as scheduled with the same quality you expect from us.

This will, though, impact how we produce world-class theatre. Because the heaviest damage happened to the Paint Shop, we are currently looking for other places to paint our sets for the next six to eight months while the Production Center is rebuilt. We are working with our insurance company and our current estimate is that the rebuild will cost more than $1.3 million.

“The dedicated staff of SCR continues to be resilient and flexible as we navigate significant damage to our Production Center,” SCR Artistic Director David Ivers said. “The building is integral to the process of making theatre for our audiences. While the challenge is enormous, I am inspired by our collaborative efforts and know the community will rise to the challenge. We are committed to getting our art onstage during this difficult time."

SCR Managing Director Suzanne Appel said, “South Coast Repertory is incredibly grateful that no harm came to our artisans and staff members. This space is an extraordinary asset for our Tony Award-winning theatre and is critical to maintaining the production quality our Orange County audiences expect. Rebuilding a major section of the Production Center will be a challenge and we are working hard to prevent additional damage to the sets, costumes, furniture and hand props that the center also holds.”

SCR purchased the 18,000-square foot Production Center in 1994 to augment the limited shop and storage spaces available at the Emmes/Benson Theatre Center in Costa Mesa, our home since 1978. Located about 2 ½ miles away, the Production Center is home to more than 100,000 costumes, tens of thousands of props and scenic materials, as well as to all the sets, costumes and props for SCR’s annual production of A Christmas Carol.

To help us get past this temporary setback, a fund has been established. If you would like to help us recover from this disaster, we welcome your support at this crucial time.