LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- The lobby still smells of smoke and the rugs are still very damp, but progress is happening inside the Kentucky Center for Performing Arts since it caught fire on Wednesday.
“While the fire was being fought, water was, of course, pouring into the building,” explained Christian Adelberg with the Kentucky Center, as he pointed out the peeling of plaster on the ceiling and walls.
Dehumidifiers are scattered everywhere, trying to clear the air and floor of moisture, with scrubbers close by, cleaning the air of that smokey smell.
“All things considered, it could’ve been so much worse,” Adelberg said.
Whitney Hall, which is scheduled to host the PNC Broadway Series production of ‘Waitress,’ as well as Floyd Central Theatre’s ‘Newsies,’ has dry seats all around. The water only spreading to the floor.
“Where the water came in was through the doors and down the stairs, and it got down to row M. A little bit got onto the concrete floor, the amount on the concrete floor was no more than you would find from a spilled drink,” Adelberg said.
The artwork is still under cover, like it had been because of renovations already underway and conservators were brought in Friday to assess the damage, if any.
“I just was excited to start the first dress rehearsal, but I got a phone call from our stage manager saying our building was on fire, and not to come,” said Amy Davis, the costume designer for We. Are. Here., which was originally set to topen Friday night in the MeX Theater.
Davis picked up her costumes that were left behind during Wednesday’s fire, and none of them were ruined, though the show was postponed and moved to Black Box Theater at Bellarmine University. It will open Monday night.
Amy Davis is the costume designer for We. Are. Here -- a production by the Looking for Lilith Theatre Company-- that was supposed to open tonight in the MeX Theater.
“I was going through the map of the Kentucky center in my head like okay if the MeX theater is here and the Whitney is here, how much smoke would touch the costumes,” Davis said.
Scaffolding still clutters the lobby, but that was there before the fire for already scheduled renovations. Crews will keep the doors closed this weekend and let dehumidifiers, scrubbers and fans air out the building.
“As we’re cautiously optimistic moving forward, if Waitress were to go up, get here a little early because it will be a little more challenging as you walk through the lobby,” Adelberg explained.