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565 Camano Avenue

Whidbey Center for the Arts

1996: Whidbey Center for the Arts (WICA)

In 1992, Earl Lasher and Doug Kelly negotiated a 30-year lease with the school district for a portion of school property in order to build a performing arts center. (Stacie Burgua).

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1973. Site of future WICA (arrow) (Courtesy 1973 "Falcon").

Ground breaking for a performing arts center on south Whidbey on the site of the former school tennis and basket ball courts began in 1994 after a 10-year "Building for the Arts" funding effort by the Island Arts Council that lasted from 1986 to 1996.

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1994. Fred O'Neal and Frederick ("Ric") Preal breaking ground for WICA (Courtesy Stacie Burgua).

"The Island Arts Council acted as an umbrella to WICA until it became a non- profit. It was a long hard path, hundreds of meetings with community opposition at every turn." (Frank Rose)

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WICA 1987. Island Arts Council. Back row, left to right Rick Pearl, Barbara Vange, Barbara LeBert, Debra Waterman and Linda Good Front row, left to right, Frank Rose, Doll Hassrick and Ron Childers (Courtesy Frank Rose).

The initial construction was known as "Stage One" with the assumption that expansion would take place in the future. "Don Azar, along with John Canby and Dick Colins led and drove the drive to get a theater from beginning to end." (Debra Waterman). Bumgardner Architects designed the building and Place Landscapers did the landscaping.

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1994. Concrete tennis and basketball courts being demolished (Courtesy Stacie Burgua).

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1995. WICA nearing completion (Courtesy Stacie Burgua).

The Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) opened in May, 1996 as a small community performing arts center with a 246 seat theatre, a box office, and a small administrative office.

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1996. Grand opening May 15 – 26 (Courtesy Stacie Burgua).

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1996. Auditorium (Courtesy Stacie Burgua).

"There was minimal infrastructure. Sets were built outside and space borrowed wherever possible. Over the following ten years, WICA became a full scale producing house where theatrical performances are rehearsed, directed, designed and built within the center's walls. WICA also became an international destination for its gypsy-jazz week long music festival, DjangoFest" (Verna Everitt),

The first Executive Director (1996) was Karen Charnell, followed by Vito Zingarelli, Elise Forier, Stacie Burgua, and Verna Everitt. The first three directors each served one year. Stacie Burgua served from 1999 to her retirement in 2019 at which time Verna Everitt became the Executive Director.

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2004. NW corner of WICA (Courtesy Robert Waterman)

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2004. East side WICA (Courtesy Robert Waterman).

A second capital campaign, known as "Stage Two", was initiated in 2007 with the goal of doubling the square footage, allowing for strategic growth in the key areas of programming and education, as well as more efficient use of both staff resources and the facility. (Pam Schell]. The original lease was renewed for 30 years and construction was completed in 2012. Place Architects, an all women firm, designed the additions that were constructed by Gemow Construction. The Berger Partnership did the landscaping.

The stage became the "Michael Nutt Main Stage" in 2008 in honor of his dedication to WICA and the arts community. He was awarded the "Michael Nutt Main Stage" plaque at his life celebration party at the SW High School auditorium before a packed house, just hours before his death. There was not a dry eye in the house (Stacie Burgua).


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2012. Zech Hall (Courtesy Verna Everitt).

Naming rights for portions of the complex were bought by major donors during Stages One and Two. The Zech Rehearsal Hall, named for Klaus and Marcia Zech, was initially conceived of as a "black box" rehearsal room where rehearsals could be taking place while shows were on the Michael Nutt Stage. The idea of using it for pre and post act with wine came later.

Naming rights for some of the other theater's spaces were bought by individuals such as Paul and Pam Schell who dedicated their naming rights to Ric Prael for the Administrative Offices. The lobby area became the Lasher Art Gallery for Kristin and Earl Lasher.

The theater's green room is called the PSE Green Room for Puget Sound Energy's contribution. The back stage area was named for Mary Jo and Michael Stansbury. Michael was the project manager for the Stage Two capital campaign.

Other major contributors included Margaret Waterman, Marian Smith, Judith Yeakel, the Azar family, Carol and Jay Ryan, Nancy Norberg, Dianne Kendy, and Tia Marie Vall- Spinoza Sullivan.

Funding for Stage Two fell somewhat short of the goal, and a new three-year fund raising effort was initiated in 2015 to retire the remaining $140,000. debt, improve and upgrade the public spaces with better lighting, landscaping, entrance space and signage to enhance community gathering opportunities, repair existing infrastructure and replace aging light, sound and heating systems, and upgrade our audio and video technology.
- (Verna Everitt).


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2021. WICA north side (Courtesy Robert Waterman).

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2021. West side of WICA (Courtesy Robert Waterman).

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2021. SW corner of WICA (Courtesy Robert Waterman).

Large "WICA" letters designed by Place Architects, were built by local metal artist Tim Leonard. They were installed on the east side of Zech Hall in 2010 as a donation from Kenny and Susan Lindsey Cohen.

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2021. WICA letters on west side of Zech Hall (Courtesy Robert Waterman).

WICA's new tech center and scene shop is known as the "Whidbey Telecom/Henny Family Tech Center." George Henny, whose family owns Whidbey Telecom, served as co-chairman of the Stage Two capital campaign.

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2021. Whidbey Telecom/Henny Family Tech Center (Courtesy Robert Waterman).