Woburn theater program highlights growth as committee weighs auditorium maintenance funding
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Summary
Students and director Noah Thomas shared recent wins — a sellout musical run and METG competition hosting — and asked the committee to consider using rental revenue for auditorium upkeep; administration flagged $80,000 in lighting needs and staff will inventory maintenance before a planned retirement.
Woburn School Committee members heard a wide-ranging presentation from theater director Noah Thomas and student performers that praised recent production successes and asked the district to route more rental revenue toward auditorium maintenance.
Thomas told the committee the program has “elevate[d] the status, elevate[d] the production value, generate[d] awareness, and build community,” and noted a recent record-breaking run of the Shrek musical and competitive progress in the METG one-act festival. Students described theater as a place that increased confidence and belonging: “The stage is now such a safe space for me,” Adrienne Caruso said.
The presentation included a practical maintenance ask. Thomas said the program has begun generating rental income but that wear and tear require funding for upkeep. He cited small immediate costs — “the stage floor is about to be repainted. That’s about $300 just in paint” — and larger capital needs identified by the resources team, which reported roughly $80,000 in lighting replacements and related equipment because the building’s systems are more than 20 years old.
Committee members responded with support and moved to send a financial review to the finance and personnel subcommittee. Vice Chair Jesse Wetzel formally asked that the rental/revolving account and its maintenance uses be reviewed by finance; Dr. Crowley confirmed rental receipts are held in a revolving account and said administration will inventory auditorium needs before Sue Tifo’s retirement to guide budgeting.
The committee also discussed ways to return some rental proceeds to capital upkeep so future community rentals and competitions can continue. The resources subcommittee said it has $80,000 in identified lighting needs and is pursuing replacement options; the subcommittee expects to bring recommendations to the full committee after the inventory.
Next steps: the finance subcommittee will review possible uses of the auditorium’s revolving account and staff will provide an itemized list of maintenance and capital requests for committee consideration.