Moonlight amphitheatre Project
Background | Project | Fact Sheet l Moonlight Amphitheatre
Construction began in September, 2008 and was completed in June, 2009.
July 2009-- Moonlight Amphitheatre in the evening.
July 2009- Moonlight Amphitheatre with audience.
Background
The Moonlight Amphitheatre located in Vista’s Brengle Terrace Park was originally constructed in 1975 by the Vista Foundation (now the Moonlight Cultural Foundation) as part of a bicentennial project. Original construction included a small concrete stage and a terraced seating area. Summer theatre productions began in 1981 and continues today with the Summer Season of Broadway-style musicals produced by the City of Vista’s Moonlight Stage Productions. The Moonlight Amphitheatre is also used for community events and rentals such as the City’s Fourth of July celebration, Youth Theatre productions, concerts, fund raisers, and church services. Over a million people have enjoyed the Moonlight and its various programs since the early 1980’s.
The Moonlight Amphitheatre stage and temporary backstage facilities were in need of upgrading in order to continue serving the City’s cultural and performing arts programs and to meet the accessibility needs of the community. The project replaced the aging stage and temporary backstage facilities with an efficient enclosed stage house and related support facilities. Key features of the project included a fly loft with electronic rigging system for scenery and equipment, backstage rest rooms and dressing rooms, rehearsal room, scene assembly/work shop, costume room, orchestra pit, permanent theatrical equipment infrastructure, and sound, lighting, and video equipment packages. The project also included associated site development and site work, utilities, and disabled access upgrades. The stage house and support facilities are approximately 12,000 square feet and the fly loft is approximately 60’ feet high.
The new facilities provide opportunities for increased programming, rentals and overall usage of the Amphitheatre for arts and cultural programming and rentals throughout the year. Potential expanded usage of the Amphitheatre includes: children and family-themed programming, concerts, touring productions, art shows and exhibitions, fund-raising events, festivals and community group events.