Theatre group seeks assistance from Mineral County

MINERAL COUNTY — Mineral County Commissioners welcomed Creede Repertory Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director John DiAntonio who was seeking help from the county to build a parking area near the Sunnyside Chapel and Sieme Park located west of Creede.

The theatre is currently working with state, local and regional health officials to bring the theatre back to Creede after a year of uncertainty and closures due to COVID-19 pandemic guidelines.

The theatre’s long history intertwines with the survival of Creede ever since the silver crash that occurred in the mid-1980s. The theatre and tourism is what kept the community afloat while many other mining communities succumbed to devastation and eventually abandonment in the years after mining crashed around the country. It is an integral part of Creede, and everyone is eager to see the theatre reopen in some fashion for the 2021 season.

The City of Creede has given its permission and voiced its support for the theatre to open in an outdoor setting this summer located at Sieme Park which is adjacent to the Sunnyside Chapel. The location will offer a unique and gorgeous setting for the beloved theatre performances that are sure to bring in the crowds. DiAntonio explained in a letter to the City of Creede that the theatre hopes to do as many shows a week as possible and is working day and night to finalize the details.

DiAntonio approached the Mineral County Commissioners to request their assistance in creating a parking area for the summer performances and asked if they would provide material as well as labor and equipment. The request for help with a parking area was met with a few questions about the season.

DiAntonio explained that the theatre has plans in place for inclement weather and would host a “rain day” once a week for shows that may be canceled due to rain. He further stated that the theatre also has plans for traffic control and crosswalks for people walking from the parking area to Sieme Park where the stage and seating area would be constructed.

Commissioners were happy to approve the request from DiAntonio but asked for some time to discuss the project with Road and Bridge Director Danny Rogers. Commissioners estimated that construction on the parking area would begin as soon as Rogers could confirm his schedule.

The theatre is hoping to host a full slate of summer events and will announce the play lineup sometime in May once all the details for the outdoor venue are in place.