“This theater is a jewel dating from 1888. We did not want to leave it abandoned”: for Christophe Simon, it was unthinkable to see the place which houses his passion, the Cinéduc in Plombières-les-Bains, in the Vosges , go to shreds.
This actor, a fan of boulevard plays, has embarked on a vast renovation project with other members of his troupe over the past year.
“In 2022, a safety commission came and recorded an administrative closure because the building was very degraded.
The electricity was no longer up to standard, everything had to be redone,” continues Christophe Simon, who is leading this rehabilitation project.
“So we swap our stage costumes for work overalls every weekend.
We have already changed the heating system, we have equipped all the dressing rooms with fire doors,” explains the actor.
Still missing 20,000 euros
The small team, made up of retirees but also active workers, is giving itself another year to complete this 800 m2 project on three levels.
As for the 350-seat room, the seats will not be changed, but the capacity will be reduced for safety reasons.
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“Either we redo everything ourselves, or we give up.
In the end, the choice was quickly made,” smiles the site manager.
The troupe has already invested 30,000 euros through its association, it has also received the same amount through a European grant.
He is now still missing 20,000 euros to complete the work.
She also plans to launch a fundraiser soon.