Restored school auditorium honors memory of Jack Wilcox

The curtain is rising on a fitting memorial to an icon of the Plymouth community.

The new Jack Wilcox Theatre will host a premiere performance this spring, although the current COVID pandemic has delayed the planned Jan. 22 grand opening. The cutting-edge technology and beauty of the new performance auditorium is matched only by the respect paid to the historic tradition of the space.

The new 320-seat theater is located inside the Plymouth Arts and Recreation Complex (PARC) and has been under construction for several months. The theater is named for Plymouth icon Jack Wilcox who graduated from the building when it was Plymouth High School. Mr. Wilcox, who established a charitable trust to benefit the community before his death in 2000, also performed on the school stage as a charter member of the Plymouth Players. His charitable trust, which became The Wilcox Foundation following his death, donated $1.2 million, nearly the entire cost, toward funding construction of the new, state-of-the-art auditorium.

Photos by Michael Grabowski.

The transformation at the former combination school auditorium and cafeteria has taken months, explained Gail Grieger, executive director of the PARC. She explained that the repurposing and restoration of the 1960s-era space may have taken much longer than anticipated, “but the end was worth the wait.”  She said the project faced challenges including labor shortages, supply chain issues and the general uncertainties caused by the global pandemic.

“We thought this was perfect, that it would give the Wilcox family some legacy, a permanent facility in the city,” said Scott Dodge, a longtime Wilcox family friend and president of the Wilcox Foundation.  

The plans originated, Grieger said, with the members of the PARC Board of Directors and President Don Soenen who were determined to provide a functional and versatile venue for community performance arts groups such as the Michigan Philharmonic, Forever After Productions and Artistry Dance Center, all now tenants at PARC. 

“This is a very special moment as we finish the total renovation of the theater at PARC,” Soenen said. “Melding the original architecture and character of the venue with present day state-of-the-art technology, this theater will be a game changer for artistic performances and other events in the greater Plymouth community.” 

Melding that original architecture and enhancing the historic features of the 1917-built space provided some challenges, Grieger explained. 

The school district had approved the installation of dropped ceilings and soffits sometime around 1960, completely covering the original fixtures. 

Old photographs from various Plymouth High School yearbooks revealed there was a decorative proscenium arch above the stage, and sections of the plaster moldings could be seen from certain interior access points on the second floor, but no one was entirely certain how much of the historic detail remained intact behind the layers of drywall and ceiling tiles.

As demolition began, workers discovered the original proscenium arch, moldings and column in place, although repair of missing plaster details required meticulous attention. 

The new space is designed, she said, for flexible use and technology has provided some key elements in the new space. Retractable auditorium-style seating was selected to accommodate events that may require tables and chairs. New rooms overlooking the theater were added on the second floor to house the advanced sound and light technology, including a camera system with the ability to both record and live-stream performances.

A grand opening of the Jack Wilcox Theater will be scheduled within the next weeks, Grieger said. 

For more information, call (734) 927-4090 or email info@plymouthparc.com.