On Oct. 5, Forum Theatre Company’s producing artistic director Kathy Page-Hauptman and associate producer Aaron Profit revealed an ambitious plan in front of a small audience of diehard theater fans who gathered inside a vacant building at 141 S. Ellis in Wichita’s Hyde Neighborhood.
Once a pressroom for printing company McCormick-Armstrong, the 14,000 square foot property is distinctly industrial, and project manager Ron Estes (not to be confused with the Kansas congressman) is leaning into that vibe. Farha Construction is handling the transition from an empty building with prominent beams and support poles to a modern, flexible, and, most importantly, permanent home for the Forum.
The cost of the project will be about $825,000, and a $1 million capital campaign is underway. The Forum has raised $200,000 to date, Page-Hauptman said. Details will be available online when the theater launches its new website…