WICA reopens Mainstage March 14, orchestra leads celebration

The Whidbey Island Center for the Arts in Langley will reopen its Mainstage on March 14 at 7:30 p.m. with the Whidbey Island Orchestra performing a program titled Beethoven and the S.O.B.s (Sons of Bach), capping a concentrated two-month renovation and a fundraising drive tied to the theater’s 30th anniversary season.

The renovation scope included a new stage floor, updated curtains, upgraded Mainstage seating, new lobby flooring, new carpet throughout the lobby and Mainstage, fresh paint in lobby and Mainstage, and refreshed lobby and gallery spaces. Work began in January after the curtain closed on the Whidbey Island Film Festival on January 18 and was completed in time for the March 14 reopening.

The project carried a $403,000 price tag and was funded in part through grassroots donations and seat sales; the organization reports more than $343,000 has been raised to date. WICA is continuing its campaign and aims to complete funding through the sale of an additional 60 seats. The organization reports the project was completed ahead of schedule and within budget.

Reopening-night details include an onstage dedication by WICA founder Doug Kelly immediately following the orchestra concert and a post-show lobby reception featuring a no-host bar, cake, and champagne. Specific ticket pricing for the March 14 event was not listed in the materials provided; tickets and event information are available via wicaonline.org.

WICA is scheduling additional 30th-anniversary programming through May 2026. Anniversary weekend programming lists The Rural Characters on May 14 and the Heggenes Valley Band on May 15, with follow-up Whidbey Island Orchestra events on May 16 and 17. The season culminates for the spring with Grammy-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader Christian McBride and Ursa Major on May 28 performing material spanning jazz, R&B, hip-hop, pop, and classic traditions.

Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan framed the renovations as strategic for the organization’s future: "WICA has been a beacon for the arts for decades," Duncan says. "During that time, we’ve grown as an organization, both in our programming and in the organization’s physical space. As we look ahead to what the future of the arts looks like in this region, we recognize the need to continue to grow and adapt, ensuring WICA remains an integral part of our community. This begins with a renovation that will take WICA into the next three decades."

Public records provided in the renovation materials leave several items unspecified that will bear watching as WICA completes its campaign: the exact remaining dollar gap to reach the $403,000 total, the terms and pricing for the sale of the additional 60 seats, whether the renovations included specific accessibility upgrades, and the contractor and vendor names responsible for the new stage floor and seating. The details of Doug Kelly’s onstage dedication text and whether press will have access were also not provided.

With the Mainstage, lobby, and gallery refreshed and a spring calendar that pairs local ensembles with national talent, WICA’s reopened venue positions the organization to mark its 30th anniversary and continue the fundraising push into the next quarter. For tickets and the full schedule, visit wicaonline.org.