Fire Strikes GEM Theatre CHICAGO Still Set to Open 6/4

A pre-dawn fire damaged the interior of Garden Grove's historic Gem Theatre on Monday, but the blaze wouldn't keep One More Productions from opening the musical Chicago on June 4 as planned.

The fire was contained to the interior of the building, specifically the costume shop, green room and an office.

"We lost a lot of costumes, but the stage and the lighting and seats all seem intact," said Damien Lorton, artistic director of One More Productions, which stages musicals in the downtown building located at 12852 Main St. "The show will go on. The show must go on."

There were no injuries and the fire was brought under control by members of the Garden Grove Fire Department, Anaheim Fire Department, and Orange County Fire Authority before it could damage any nearby buildings, including the adjacent annex structure used by the Shakespeare Orange County troupe. There was no indication of a connection between the fire and the Strawberry Festival event, now being held at the Village Green Park near the Gem Theatre.

According to Lorton, powerful blower fans should remove the smell of smoke, although other nearby locations are being considered in case The Gem is not ready to open by this weekend.

Preview performances scheduled for this Thursday and Friday have been cancelled, and ticket holders to those performances will be moved to other nights during the run.

"Now, more than ever, it's important that people come out and show their support for theater in the community," noted Chicago Producer Nicole Cassesso.

Chicago is slated to run through June 26.

The Gem Theatre dates date to the 1920s. It began as a vaudeville and silent picture venue, but after a half-century as a movie theater, it was renovated and reopened in 1979 for live performances. The Theatre recently underwent a $180,000 renovation, adding a state of the art sound system, newly refurbished theater seats, and a reconfigured stage.

Single tickets are on sale now. Tickets are $35 each ($45 for opening night gala). For more details, call the box office at (714) 741-9550 ext. 221, or visit the website at www.onemoreproductions.com.

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