Piano Lift to be Replaced – At Last!

It was recently announced that HIT was awarded a Capital Improvement (CIP) grant from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA). The grant will be used for a along-overdue project – replacement of the Theatre’s piano lift. The lift is used regularly to move the piano from an under stage storage bay off the orchestra pit to the stage and back again after a show. Speaking about the project, HIT Operations Manager Bruce Greenhill explained “…the current piano lift is grossly undersized and under powered – it has never been adequate for the task for which it was installed.” To illustrate its limitations: the distance from the floor of the orchestra pit to the stage floor is 66 inches yet the lift only raises the piano 48 inches from the pit floor. “For years, we’ve been dealing with a lift that raises the grand piano 18 inches short of the stage floor,” continued Greenhill. As seen in the photo, to compensate for that shortfall, theatre volunteers have to make use of a very heavy “extender box” which necessitates the removal and replacement of the pit rail and drape, neither of which were designed to be regularly dismantled. “Installation of a new, bigger lift will protect both the safety of our volunteers and the integrity of our beautiful 1924 Mason-Hamlin concert grand piano,” said Greenhill. The MCACA grant will cover approximately 1/3 of the project cost of $18,000. Anyone wishing to contribute to the ‘match’ required by the grant can do so here (Select ‘Piano Lift’ from the drop-down menu) Help pay for the piano lift.