Hot Ticket
By MICHAEL SMITH World Scene Writer, 1/5/2004
Things are finally heating up at the always cool Nightingale TheaterThere have been plays at the Nightingale Theater in January when it was inexcusably cold inside the building. How cold? You could see the actors' breath on stage.
And yet some community theater fans have returned again and again during the past four winters, snuggling in playhouse-provided blankets and dressing in layers to enjoy standout productions of shows like "The Vagina Monologues" and "The Winter's Tale."
But now things have changed at the little black-box theater at 1416 E. Fourth St., one block east of Peoria Avenue and tucked away in a warehouse district.
After adding air conditioning last summer, the Nightingale can now boast of real warmth in the winter besides some hot shows.
"We have heat, it seems to be working pretty well, and it's quiet," said John Cruncleton, who owns and operates the theater with his wife, Sara, and Jeff and Amber Whitlatch.
"I think the reaction (from actors at a recent rehearsal) was something like stunned amazement that no one's teeth were chattering."
So are the days of handing out blankets and serving hot chocolate over at the Nightingale Theater?
"We'll still make some of those things available. We know some people are sensitive, and some might miss them," Cruncleton said. "But the necessity is gone."