City support doesn’t seem to be far off.
“It’s really in an ideal location,” said Chris Gjolme, a city planner, of the amphitheater and its potential for use for the Shakespeare company. Gjolme said the temporary use permit is necessary, despite the venue being on private school property, because it is within the city of La Cañada Flintridge and could potentially impact the neighborhood, with sound, lighting, parking and other issues.
However, he said, the amphitheater being “below street level and tucked away,” makes it unlikely to have much impact.
The permitting process is already underway and once the city has a site plan, including staging and addressing the above issues, it likely will be approved quickly.
That’s exciting for Ross.
“I’ve been waiting about six years to get started on this,” Ross said Tuesday as he and a few of his project staff met at Flintridge Sacred Heart’s amphitheater to discuss plans and share goals.
Sam and Elizabeth Ross moved here from Atlanta about 10 years ago, and he discovered the amphitheater shortly after she began teaching there. Although he previously approached school administration with the idea but was rejected, he floated the idea recently with a different administration and the proposed project was greeted with enthusiasm, he said.
Ross has a background in theater and earned a graduate degree from Trinity Rep in Providence, R.I., before starting a similar theater company in Atlanta. That company has now successfully operated for about 20 seasons, Ross said.
