Green Bay West and Preble High Schools show off their new renovations to auditoriums thanks to a referendum in 2022. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Two Green Bay high schools are showing off their newly renovated auditoriums. West and Preble High Schools received renovations thanks to a referendum in 2022.
Renovations began last summer and wrapped up last month. At Preble, renovations transformed the once gloomy auditorium into a state of the art facility.
“This space certainly needed it being that vintage of the 1960s of just creating a quality performance just for the students’ family and potentially maybe some additional community use moving forward,” GBAPS Chief Operations Officer Cale Pulczinski said.
Upgrades include new seating with more accessibility and legroom, new on-stage flooring, and walls for better acoustics. A sound booth with an updated sound system, new stage lighting, and a catwalk are among the other amenities.
The improved space will give students the tools they’ll need later in life.
“Not only just to perform well at the high school level, but what they’ll see more in other spaces as well, college, the collegiate level,” Pulczinski said.
The entire renovation project was $11.4 million dollars, but the auditorium wasn’t the only upgrade at Preble. Improvements were made to the cafeteria and common space, and six classrooms were added to keep up with the school’s growing enrollment.
Renovations also took place at Green Bay West High School, bringing their historic auditorium into the 21st century with the latest technology. Everything from carpeting, LED lights, microphones, and speakers all saw improvements. Luckily, much of the roaring 20s-era theater’s charm has been preserved.
“We wanted to keep it similar to how they had it in the past and just upgrade everything. Sound system’s brand new, but everything you can visually see, they wanted to keep the feel of what we always had,” Green Bay West & Franklin Middle School activities director Robb LaPlant said.
Previously, the balcony had wooden benches but were changed to traditional flip-down seats. A new control room now overlooks the theater, offering more professional productions.
However, the historic beauty was left unscathed including the ceiling’s wood beams, pillars and light fixtures. The school can’t wait to put the auditorium back to use.
“The students are absolutely thrilled to have it, and they can’t wait for their first performance in March and they’re very happy,” LaPlant said.
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