A NEW monitor will allow people in the lobby of the R.E.M. Lee Theatre to see what's happening on stage during performances thanks to the generosity of, and donations from, several groups.
The big screen TV, which will serve as a closed circuit monitor, has been set up along with monitors in the backstage change rooms.
"This will enable people to see what is going on in the theatre when they come into the lobby," says Bonnie Juniper of the Pacific Northwest Music Festival.
"For festival participants, this will be an enormous help, as students warming up for dance classes can watch the classes before them, and know when to be ready. It is also intended for events such as band concerts, where parents may have to sit downstairs with little children or babies, so as not to disturb the concertgoers upstairs."
She adds that it will also allow those with mobility issues, such as seniors or people in wheelchairs, to watch performers onstage.
During the music festival, which just got underway yesterday for the next two weeks, parents can come over from work and watch their children from the lobby without having to wait to get into the auditorium during breaks between performances.
Northern Savings put up about $1,000 for the monitor as did the Terrace and District Arts Council, and the Pacific Northwest Music Festival put up the rest of it, for a total cost of about $3,300.