DISTRICT SCALING BACK THEATERS.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SAUGUS - Teachers hoping for state-of-the-art performing-arts centers at Canyon and Saugus high schools were told to dream big in the planning stages; then reality set in.

Officials of the William S. Hart Union High School District said at a planning meeting Friday that potential construction costs of the project have skyrocketed.

At the table were band, choir and theater teachers from the two schools, as well as administrators.

Architect Fred Sweeney reviewed the fifth draft of plans and estimates that were scaled-down versions of the hoped-for centers. Initially, it was hoped that each theater could accommodate one class, seating at least 650. Plans reviewed on Friday showed 380 seats at each, with costs estimated at $10.2 million for Saugus and $11 million for Canyon.

``Even if we bare-boned these facilities, we're not going to get them down to $7 million each,'' Sweeney said, referring to the budgeted amount for each campus. District facilities coordinator Mike Otavka added that construction costs would increase the bottom line by at least 30 percent. Currently, the estimated cost works out to $461 per square foot.

Teaching spaces, including rehearsal and dressing rooms backstage, would be nearly identical for Saugus and Canyon, except for Canyon High School's choir room, which would be part of the main theater building. Saugus High's choir would be left at its current campus location.

The feasibility of operating a 380-seat facility became a critical point. Marilyn Pilkey, theater teacher at Canyon, pointed out that ticket sales in a 380-seat house would not support the types of productions that can be put on in larger theaters, such as theaters being built at the new Golden Valley and West Ranch high schools or in use at Hart High School.

``It cost me $6,000 to pay for the orchestra that accompanied our production of 'West Side Story' this year,'' she said. ``I can't afford to do that with only 380 seats.''

The idea of a single, shared facility was considered but quickly quashed when scheduling and transportation problems were broached. Representatives from both schools noted difficulties in using other district facilities for their performances and expressed concerns there would be problems from the beginning at a new shared facility.

``Don't give up hope yet,'' Sweeney said. ``Our thrust was to do a report to the money people at the district. We're here to come up with something you can live with.''

Sweeney went on to give the teachers a homework assignment of documenting previous difficulties and reasons for making the centers bigger to accommodate both instructional and performance opportunities. It is anticipated that the plans will come to the district's governing board in August, after school is back in session.

``My heart is dropping,'' said Pilkey. ``This is the third time in my career where we've had a series of meetings, trying to come up with plans and having them dropped because of money.''

Rory Livingston, assistant superintendent of facilities and the person closest to the finance issue, sounded optimistic at the end of the meeting.

``There is a certain amount we are getting from the Facilities Foundation,'' he said, referring to the nonprofit group that raises money for the district. ``I need to factor in what I can get from the state for classroom space and see what we need to get from the (governing) board. There's always the possibility of a donor. I need to look at some of the resources available.''

He added that the 380-seat configuration, which had been emphasized by Otavka and Sweeney as the bottom line, wasn't really workable for a high school.

``That's too small,'' he said. Five (hundred) or 600 seats is much more workable.''

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com