Someone apparently scaled the exterior walls of the century-old Elitch Theatre in West Highland, kicked in a door on the roof, and then... stole some beer.
Greg Rowley, president of the theater's board, said he discovered the trespass on Tuesday.
"We’re assuming it's kids, because all they stole was beer. And not even great beer. Hard seltzer. Anyone else would have tried harder to find something of value," he told us. " It was better than it could have been."
The theater was once part of the original Elitch Gardens amusement park. It deteriorated as it sat vacant for years, before Rowley and a crew of volunteers began hosting screenings and tours to raise money for its restoration. In August, they plan to bring live theater back to its stage for the first time since 1978.
Rowley said they've caught kids climbing the building's facade before. Whoever broke in this week appeared to enter from a door meant to give access to a flag pole on top of the building.
He was grateful that nothing was seriously damaged; he and his colleagues do not need to deal with more expenses. Rowley said their booze wasn't fully restocked, so the monetary loss wasn't too bad.
"We’re an all-volunteer group, so we really pinch our pennies," he said.
Still, discovering what had happened did not feel great.
"It just feels like kind of a violation," Rowley added. "It was definitely kind of a feeling that someone was in our beautiful theater, and we love that place and cherish it and treat it so gently."
He said they filed a police report and asked DPD to up patrols in the area at night. They'll have to replace the rooftop door with something more secure, too.
But, in the meantime, the show must go on. They're planning to screen Barbie on Friday.
