I’m writing in response to Jim Garrison’s concerns, expressed in “New VHS design puts school in one structure” (Aug. 31) about building a new Vashon High School theater space at the same time Vashon Allied Arts is building its new facility. 

As a long-time participant in Vashon’s theater productions, both with Vashon High School and Drama Dock, I believe the two spaces are completely “in scale with what’s appropriate” for Vashon’s performing arts community right now.

As more and more performing groups on the Island have begun to make use of the VHS space over the past number of years, the amount of time available to each production for rehearsals in the theater has dwindled beyond what is reasonable. Last year for “Oklahoma” we had less than two weeks in the theater space to load in and rehearse with our set and get used to the theater we would be working in. 

The availability of two adequate theater spaces will hopefully do away with much of the stress of the yearly scheduling war, a single meeting when the community organizations get to schedule for the year, that takes place currently. 

While I recognize that the two theater spaces seem like a lot, I believe they will both be well used and offer more flexibility for Vashon’s numerous theater, dance and music organizations.

— Calen Winn