In light of recent newspaper articles on Renaissance Square, we need to be reminded that surveys dating back to the early 1980's and the Goals For Greater Rochester project pointed out the need for small and medium-sized theaters in Rochester. That's 25 years with little progress. Why?

Arts funding has been continually cut since the 1980's, so organizations are focused on their own survival and not the bigger picture. Secondly, theater groups need their own stages and not scheduling conflicts with multiple users. The idea of a small theater serving many groups is not reasonable.

I would suggest Toronto stages as a model. Theater groups such as Canadian Stage, the Tarragon Theatre, and the Factory Theatre have renovated existing buildings for their needs. These spaces typically include a main stage of about 200seats as well as a second area of 100 seats, a rehearsal space, and the needed shops and storage.

The size of the theaters is interesting when we realize that the population of the Greater Toronto Area is five times the population of Monroe County. We should embrace the Toronto small-theater model, but each venue could have two of the larger theaters that could be used by two different groups who would share the shops, storage, etc. The rehearsal space could occasionally be used as a performance space, playing a role that places like the A/V Space used to.

Do politicians really think touring Broadway musicals will be the salvation of Rochester? I think an $85 million theater in Ren Square will be an anchor around our necks. Forget money for a mega theater. Don't put all our money in one big basket; put the funding into an endowment fund to support arts in Rochester.

This endowment would be flexible and, if $85 million were raised, earnings would provide $4 million to $5 million a year to support the arts. Small theaters could be built by refurbishing existing buildings, and needs could be continually and critically re-evaluated so we wouldn't get stuck with white elephants. Rochester, a pretty lively place already, could become the arts center some people envision.

HAL SCHULER, ROCHESTER