Prepare to expect wonders from ZACH

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The longest running theater in Austin embarked on a new chapter in February when ZACH broke ground on an expansion of its performance campus. The new facility, set to open in 2012, is sure to welcome audiences for decades to come.

Wednesday ZACH Theatre staff and Andersson-Wise Architects gave a tour of the Topfer Theatre, expected to open with a performance of "Ragtime" at a black-tie grand opening in September.

• View a photo gallery of inside the theatre.

Shakespeare would be honored to know that the facility's design includes a "Juliet" balcony from which plays will be performed. It is officially called the "Serra Family Juliet Balcony."

"We have commissioned plays to be written that will be performed from the balcony," explained ZACH's Dave Steakley, producing artistic director. He said theatre-goers can see a play happening each day from the grounds outdoors between 6:30 and 7 p.m. as they arrive to see a performance inside the Topfer Theatre, named after Mort and Bobbi Topfer.

The Topfer Theatre completes the trio of performance spaces, and will hold 420 seats when it is complete. This is almost double what the Kleberg Stage has, with 230 seats. and much larger than ZACH's Binning-Dickson Education Center, Whisenhunt stage with 130 seats. The outdoor plaza in front of the Topfer Theatre can accommodate as many as 430 seated guests.

Architect Arthur Andersson explained that the grounds surrounding ZACH have been designed to create the feeling of "a theatre in a park." The area to the east and north, along Lamar Boulevard and Riverside Drive, will have an abundance of trees and a biofiltration water feature, adding a beautiful green area to the site.

A "green" feature of the interior is that the James C. Armstrong Family Auditorium will be lit with LED lighting, making it only the second theatre in the country to have such.

The theatre size is 29,196 square feet, with its Karen Kuykendall Stage measuring 3,280 square feet. The proscenium can expand from a width of 32 feet up to 44 feet. Seating is created in a "bowl-shaped" design. The building features a two-story lobby, concession areas and outdoor balconies.

The Austin community has been generous with its donations to the "Prepare to Expect Wonders" campaign, according to Elisbeth Challener, ZACH's managing director.

"We've received more than $1 million since groundbreaking for the capital campaign," she said. "In this economy, that's a tribute to Austin. We've received 40 large gifts -- several of which are six-figures -- and will soon announce another major gift."

Challener said that in the near future, the public can participate in seat naming, as a new fundraising campaign opens early next year. It will give individuals, groups and corporations a chance to purchase single seats or a group of seats, each of which will have a name plaque attached with the donor's name.

Naming opportunities also exist for donors who want to sponsor the Skyline Lounge on the second floor and the Terkel Terrace. Both have spectacular views of Downtown Austin and Lady Bird Lake.

ZACH's overall fundraising goal is to raise $22 million and open the Topfer Theatre with no debt. Staff seeks to raise start-up costs to cover the first two years. Thus far, $18.3 million has been raised.

"ZACH has operated with a balanced budget for more than 10 years," Challener explained, "and we expect to continue to do the same."

Steakley said the new season for the Topfer Theatre will be announced by Feb. 1.