Auditorium renovation to begin at Valley High; drama club's fall show canceled

A revamped auditorium will be in place at Valley High School in New Kensington by next spring, but that means there won’t be a fall show from the school’s drama club this year.

The New Kensington-Arnold School Board approved a roughly $940,000 contract with The Efficiency Network for the auditorium repair and renovation.

“We’re getting new seats, new carpet, the ceiling tiles are being fixed, the electric is being fixed and it’s being painted,” said Superintendent Chris Sefcheck.

Most everything in the auditorium, like the stage deck, is original from when Valley High School was built in the late 1960s, Sefcheck said.

And some of it shows. Electric lights down the aisles don’t work, Sefcheck said, and the ceiling tiles are old. In 2021, a contractor working above the drop ceiling in the auditorium fell about 30 feet.

In 2023, the district spent about $340,000 in the auditorium to replace theatrical lighting and stage rigging.

“It’s a continuation of all the existing lighting upgrades we did in the energy project,” Sefcheck said of the upcoming project. “It’s going to be a great space.”

The auditorium seats 1,200 people, according to the district.

There will be fewer seats, Sefcheck said, because the new plans call for an additional handicapped area and a sound booth. That also, ultimately, saved the district money on the project, he said.

“We’re continuing to make really good fiscal decisions to ensure the kids have the best possible learning environment and the community has a space for events,” Sefcheck said. “We’re continuing to grow and improve.”

No fall show

Sefcheck said the district plans to have the entire project complete by the end of January.

Brian Krugle, Valley’s drama club sponsor, said the timing of the project means the club won’t be able to present a fall show this year.

“The fall play has always been an important tradition and a key source of funding for the club,” Krugle said. “That said, we see this pause as part of the overall progress being made for the space, the school and the community, and we’re looking forward to the opportunities the renovated auditorium will create.”

Krugle said that, to offset the lost revenue from canceling the show, the club will undertake new fundraisers this fall.

“Our families, students, and boosters are committed to ensuring that the spring musical and future productions continue at the high level of quality our audiences expect,” he said.

Despite no fall show, the drama club is excited to see the district move forward with the project, Krugle said.

“For many years, the auditorium has been both our classroom and our stage, and this investment will make a real difference for our students and the broader community who use the space,” he said.

“We’re grateful to the school board and administration for recognizing the importance of the arts and for committing these resources to ensure future generations of students have a safe, modern and inspiring place to create.”