The restoration of the interior of the Royall Tyler Theatre has recently been completed.  This restoration was made possible with support from the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's office, the Office of the President, generous donors and, most especially, theatre alums from the past 40 years. Thanks to $120,000 in private fundraising from alumni and members of the Vermont community and matching grants of $90,000 from the university, all the seats in the theatre were either refurbished or replaced. That process began in the second week of May and concluded by the start of classes on Monday. The funds were also used to install new carpeting and paint interior walls.

The idea of refurbishing Royall Tyler had been a goal of the Department of Theatre for a number of years, but it took the energy and determination of a group of alumni, working in partnership with the department, to inspire the university to engage in the necessary fundraising campaign.

David Godkin, a member of the first-year class of ’77 who appeared in a production of T.S. Elliott’s Murder in the Cathedral, remembered the RTT as “…a beautifully renovated building, It had not only a really nice theater space, but the backstage areas were terrific.” A return in 2009 left Godkin feeling that “the spirit of the place was exactly as I remembered except it was getting worn. It was a little bit shabby.”

A $215,000 fundraising campaign was launched during alumni weekend in October 2014 with the aim to restore the Royall Tyler to its former glory. President Tom Sullivan announced that the President’s office, in conjunction with the Dean’s office of the College of Arts and Sciences, would contribute $90,000 to the campaign and challenged the alumni to raise the rest of the funds. By the end of December the goal was met and restoration began in earnest in May of this year.

According to Gregory Ramos, chair of UVM’s Theatre Department, the Royall Tyler Theatre is a gem well worth maintaining. “It’s really kind of a magical space,” he said.  “We can produce small, very intimate pieces here. And we can also do big musicals like Godspell or Cabaret.”

To remain competitive in the world of Netflix and surround-sound movie theaters, Ramos said the Royall Tyler Theatre must deliver a first-rate audience experience.  “It's very important that people come here and have a great theatrical experience,” which includes not only a compelling performance, “but very practical things like comfortable seats and clean carpets.”

He also noted “Our goal is to provide a great learning experience for our students. Alumni, audiences, and supporters are all part of making our Department a unique and productive place to explore human experience through the learning and making of theatre.”

Currently the Department is preparing for the first production in the restored theatre, The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow.  Opening on October 1, The 39 Steps combines a Hitchcock masterpiece with a thrilling spy novel, adds a dash of Monty Python, creating an exhilarating and madcap comedy. Directed by Vermont Stage’s Producing Artistic Director Cristina Alicia, and featuring a cast of six performers (who portray over 150 characters), this fast-paced tale of an ordinary man on an extraordinary adventure was the winner of two Tony and Drama Desk Awards when it appeared on Broadway. For tickets, please visit the Theatre Department’s patron website.