1 Acropolis: A History

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At 16 years of age, Randall Presswood could be found sneaking into the closed and defunct Fox Theatre of St. Louis with  several flashlights and a few friends.  At that time the young Presswood was mostly impressed with the ornate Art Deco/ Rococo architectural style, and visions of what might be if the building were to be rehabilitated. Just 4 years later reality struck when Fox Associates completely restored the St. Louis Fox.  About a year after the St. Louis theatre had reopened, Presswood was once again touring the musty stairwells and backstage bowels of a darkened Fox Theatre - this one in Detroit; and this time, Presswood was passionately pursuing theatre interest as a profession. Presswood had been invited into the Detroit Fox (the twin to the St. Louis palace) by a group of  concerned citizens from in and about the city who had approached him for his opinion on  the feasibility of restoring the old Detroit Fox Theatre.  Presswood offered a series of  renovation suggestions to  illuminate the space's potential to again  stand as a vibrant, exciting production house. Eventually the citizens gave up their pursuit, but the city, benefactors and corporate donors remained convinced that Detroit's Fabulous Fox could be renovated -  and 4 years later another Fabulous Fox Theatre had risen from the dust, strong and marvelous.

Ultimately, Presswood  and this group of concerned citizens were not directly involved in the Detroit Theatre's renovation, but the experience  sparked his interest in establishing space for arts in a community.   With formal training in technical theatre, lighting, and theatre design  from Coe College (Cedar Rapids, IA) and Wayne State University  (Detroit, MI), Presswood launched 1 Acropolis to provide expert  assistance in both the construction of new spaces and the renovation of  derelict performance halls.

Since those foundational experiences with the Fox Theatres, Presswood has spent over 35 years building his expertise in creating new spaces, performing arts projects, technical theatre, stage design, sound and lighting design, stage and box office management, and program/facilities management.  He served as Executive Director of Performing and Media Arts/TV-Radio Studios and Cultural Programming at Bloomsburg University (Bloomsburg, PA) from 1993 - 2019, bringing world-class entertainers in music, dance, theatre and more to northeastern/central Pennsylvania.  For his work within, for, and beyond the local performing arts scene, Presswood was honored with a distinguished service award in 2015 from Pennsylvania Presenters (a statewide arts consorsortium).  

Beyond bringing cultural education and entertainment to an underserved population, Presswood was instrumental  in securing grant funding to present dance, music and theatrical events locally, state wide and across the Mid-Atlantic Region.

In addition to the formal institutional settings, Presswood has spread his wings as an A.E.A Stage Manager for LORT theatres in the Bay Area during the early 90's,  and as Stage Manager for the 7200 seat Steel Stax Stage at Bethlehem PA's renowned Summer Musikfest from 2007 - 2014.  As the go-to man for both  house and band management,  Presswood addressed a myriad of concerns and needs from V.I.P. interactions to dressing room assignments; from serving dinner at the designated hour to calling the artists to the stage and appeasing the sometimes cantankerous tour bus drivers. Presswood's Renaissance Man abilities  always provided  the needed dose of experience  and understanding to acheive the most successful events.

Currently specializing  in designing new venues and revitalizing existing spaces, 1 Acropolis  has aided projects across New York, Northeastern and Central  Pennsylvania, and Northern California.  Whether the space in question is  a professional performance hall, a high school auditorium, community center or a house  of worship, 1 Acropolis lends experience, design, and direction from the  point-of-view of the end user. Presswood has practical experience in all  aspects of theatre and can lend that experience to clients of all size and budgetary needs,  collaboratively creating the most appropriate space for both users and  patrons.

Presswood is not just a credentialed expert, but a lifelong advocate for the value of performing arts within community settings, and is dedicated to helping you and your space overcome any and all obstacles.  Pesky budget problems?  Confusing or contradictory reports from previous consultants? Mysteriously low sales numbers?  A venue layout that gives everyone who enters the room a headache? Not to worry - 1 Acropolis has bested these and many other demons along the journey to success!
Intrigued?  Dont' wait! Get in touch with us if you think 1 Acropolis can be a good match for your needs.  We are particularly fond of challenging and exciting community-based jobs including:

• feasibility study for new projects /business plans or facility face-lifts
• designing and crafting the layout for the theatrical lighting and control for renovations or new construction
• feasibility studies of proposed renovation or new build (restricted to projects under $6 million)
• designing and consulting on the layout for staging and rigging of renovations or new construction
• Programming your entertainment season / negotiating artist contracts
• Creating instructional materials and training seminars on facility maintenance/operations and/or box office for new or inexperienced staff.
• designing the interior and exterior look and layout for new builds

Confused?  The world of performing arts and performance spaces is vast and some confusion is understandable! We don't claim to know it all.  But we do have a vast knowledge of industy professionals and contacts that stand ready to step in when called upon.  Not sure if 1 Acropolis is a good fit for your needs?  Here are a few jobs that 1 Acropolis is NOT appropriately equipped to take on:

• Projects valued over $6 Million
• Solo rigging projects
• High-voltage applications / conduit locations or layout design
• Physical installations, implementations, and rigging
• Video design and application

Where appropriate, Presswood would be delighted to assist you in locating the best consultant / theatrical firm to assist you in your major design and large venue projects.
Don't hesitate to get in touch to find out more about what 1 Acropolis can do for you!  Initial consultation calls are always FREE.