It’s unfortunate the Lucille Ball Little Theater’s 2022 season has to be delayed.

A building inspection showed the theater’s stage isn’t safe for stage productions and will have to be replaced. The stage, which had a 20-year useful life, is 40 years old. It’s time, then, for the Lucille Ball Little Theater to replace its stage.

The timing, mere weeks before the opening of the theater’s production of “Young Frankenstein,” is unfortunate. But theater board members made the right call in delaying the stage work during the pandemic. While there were no shows going on at the time, there was also no indication how long productions would be paused. It’s difficult to take on large investment without knowing the revenue is going to be available to pay back the investment.

Last week’s announcement is disappointing for those who enjoy local theater productions, but the new stage has long been needed. And, Lucille Ball Little Theater members will be auditioning and rehearsing for the planned December production of Elf: The Musical on December 2.

The Lucille Ball Little Theater has deep roots in the Jamestown community, going back to 1936 and, at one point in its history, becoming the largest membership theater in the United States at the time. Plays were performed in the Scottish Rite Consistory (now the Robert H. Jackson Center) until the theater opened its current locatiion in 1969. Since then the Lucille Ball LIttle Theater has provided a space where homegrown talent has a place to shine. And anyone who has seen a Little Theater production can attest there is some amazing talent in our area.

The show must go on — and this investment means the show will go on at the Lucille Ball Little Theater for quite some time into the future.