We Are Improving!

We hope that you'll find our new look appealing and the site easier to navigate than before. Please pardon any 404's that you may see, we're trying to tidy those up!  Should you find yourself on a 404 page please use the search feature in the navigation bar.  

Tuesday, 28 July 2015 13:50

Montfort lease returns to county Featured

Written by
Rate this item
(3 votes)
The delegate scene performed at the Halifax Fourth of July celebration. The delegate scene performed at the Halifax Fourth of July celebration.

The lease for the Joseph Montfort Amphitheater in Halifax has been signed over to the county, a move that could help lead to renovations to the traditional home of the outdoor drama First for Freedom.

Halifax County Manager Tony Brown said the county received word from the state Monday it approved the transfer of the lease for 20 years with the option of extending it for another 10 years.

The $1 a year lease will be a topic for discussion at Monday's board of commissioners meeting, Brown said, and an assessment will have to be made of what the renovation needs are. “I think the goal will be to get volunteers to get it fixed up. We're hoping people can donate time and labor,” he said.

The assessment will also center on safety and accessibility issues.

The lighting tower.

Getting the amphitheater lease back in the county's hands has been an ongoing process for at least the past four years, Brown said.

Brown said he is hopeful having the outdoor venue lease back with the county can help in ongoing revitalization efforts under way in the county seat. “Hopefully it will be another attraction to the area.”

Brown said the county will attempt to identify other uses for the amphitheater beyond First for Freedom, which tells the story of the signing of the Halifax Resolves. “We're hoping it will be a venue people can rent. Hopefully it will attract more interest to the town of Halifax.”

Frankie King, the director of First for Freedom, said it has been at least 10 years since the amphitheater has been used. “The theater was in pretty bad shape. Every year when Eastern Stage started the production we did repairs. The floor joist was rotted. We did repairs every summer. The state did not keep it up as needed.”

King said gravel washed away around the seats and steps. The condition became so bad, she said, “The state finally condemned their own property.”

A plaque commemmorating the venue.

Now, she said, there is a chance at rehabilitating the venue. “It means that we as a county need to get together and work on a volunteer basis. We're going to be asking for help and supplies and materials. We want to have a building committee put together. We have the original blueprints.”

When the venue was built in 1975 in anticipation of the nation's bicentennial, there was no infrastructure in that end of town, she said.

Some of the immediate needs already identified include restrooms and dressing rooms with air conditioning. “It's time for the county to come together again just like in 1975 and get our theater rebuilt so not only can the story of Halifax be told, but so it can be used for so many other things.”

In its heyday, the amphitheater was used from May to August, with not only performances of First for Freedom, but summer stock productions to help pay for the expenses of putting on First for Freedom. “We have had full seating, we've had times when it was full. I would love to see that back again.”

Properly done, King said, the amphitheater could host weddings, be used for Halifax Day and play host to concerts.

Performances of First for Freedom have been limited. This year the delegate scene was performed on the steps of the courthouse during the July 4 celebration. “We did the historical scene so First for Freedom could not go dark,” King said. “It's the second longest consecutively running outdoor drama.”

King also believes the news of the lease agreement could go hand-in-hand with the revitalization efforts in town. “We can feed off each other.”

King said she looks forward to input from the Institute of Outdoor Theatre and hopes some of the suggestions such as putting seating on concrete slabs will be examined. “We want to make it more functional so it's not strictly for First for Freedom.”

Finished in 1976, the amphitheater was the former site of a gravel pit and was given to the state as a gift.

With the lease negotiations completed, King said, “I think it's very vital to have a permanent home. Four-H and the county have been gracious. I think once we get the theater back, it will well help promote it more.”

Lori Medlin, president of the Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said state Representative Michael Wray and Senator Angela Bryant were instrumental in the efforts.

“Now that it's in the hands of the county, it's up to local county residents to help returning it to an active amphitheater. We're going to have to raise money to rebuild it. The Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau will help as much as we can.”

Medlin believes the revitalization of the amphitheater is important. “The town of Halifax is undergoing a revitalization. Having it opened so it can be programmed and rented will be helpful to visitors. I would love to see First for Freedom return and have a summer schedule we could sell to visitors. It's a very large part of the puzzle and bringing the historic site back to life.”

Anyone interested in donating, volunteering or seeking more information is encouraged to call the county manager's office at 252-583-1131.

Read 3385 times Last modified on Tuesday, 28 July 2015 14:00