Knoxville Opera Seeking Scenery Storage Space
Those platforms, columns, steps, and props that are used, reused, and repurposed for Knoxville Opera’s productions have to go somewhere when they are not onstage. Unfortunately, the opera company has received notice that their current storage facility on Western Avenue is being sold and they must vacate those premises by the end of February. The company is urgently searching for new space to replace their current 11,000 square feet that was being donated by Schaad Companies since 2006.
“We are in a critical bind,” said Knoxville Opera Executive and Artistic Director Brian Salesky. “Having to find a new home for our scenery and props in 6 weeks qualifies as an emergency.
“The largest opera set we have is one we purchased several years ago,” said Salesky. “It includes a huge amount of platforms and six columns that are 22 to 24 feet high. If necessary, we could store those horizontally and divide up the properties into two or more smaller areas.”
“If we cannot find a new storage facility in time,” Salesky says, “we will have to use our operating reserves to move everything and pay rent, if we can even identify such a space. But this would only be a temporary fix. Without a long-term solution we will be faced with the prospect of destroying these properties which would have a very negative effect on future productions and budgets.”
As a result, Knoxville Opera is searching for a party willing to donate storage space to the company. Anyone so willing, or anyone with information on possibilities, should contact KO production manager Don Townsend (865-599-7961, dtownsend@knoxvilleopera.com) or Brian Salesky (865-643-6600, bsalesky@knoxvilleopera.com).
