Stratford Star

UPDATED: Sundial first step back in Shakespeare's future?

Written by John Kovach
Tuesday, 19 October 2010 10:01

Time has seemingly stood still at the Shakespeare Theatre for some two decades.

Now, a new sundial tracking the time could, theater advocates hope, record progress toward new horizons.

Elected officials welcomed representatives of Timex Group USA and the consultant who will help chart a new direction to the former glory that once graced the Elm Street stage.

The original sundial, mounted on the Housatonic River side of the building, was removed over the summer. Timex, which donated the original in 1956, helped engineer a new timepiece, built by Global Scenic Services of Bridgeport.

The original will be displayed by Timex.

Councilman Matt Catalano (R-3rd), who has led efforts to reopen the theater, said the involvement of Timex early in the process lends credibility to the latest attempt.

Lou Galie, senior vice president of technology for Timex Group USA, said the restored sundial is among the most accurate in the world, accounting for longitude and latitude of the Shakespeare Theatre. Timex worked with David Kreiner, president of Accurate Sundials, LLC, based in Wisconsin.

The sundial will not match watches most days. On Christmas Day, Galie said, the times may be in synch. Otherwise, there will be a difference of up to 15 minutes.

Galie said his watch tracks time as set by modern society. The sundial tracks time with regard to the earth and sun.

“I think the sundial is a fitting symbol of our new efforts to restore this property to productivity,” Mayor John A. Harkins said during the Oct. 22 ceremony.

Harkins said his “critics” during last year’s mayoral campaign portrayed “that I want to tear this building down and forget about its wonderful history.”

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” he countered.

“What I have said repeatedly, and what I believe in my heart, is that we cannot let nostalgia stand in the way of adapting this property to the demands and realities of today,” Harkins said. “However, that does not mean we cannot restore the Shakespeare Theatre to productivity while preserving the rich theatrical history for which it is known.”

Another step toward that restoration was the hiring of Arts Consulting Group to devise a plan to reopen the venue as a non-profit entity.

ACG Vice President Willem Brands told those gathered at the dedication that his company is excited and grateful for the chance to return “this wonderful theater” to its former grandeur.

It will take a community effort to revive the cultural center, and Brands said residents have tracked him down through ACG’s Web site to offer their services.

“The world is watching Stratford for what is going to happen here,” Brands said.

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