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Supporters of the N.C. Shakespeare Festival gathered for a private gala Monday night to dedicate a statue at the Spirit Center, the company’s new campus at 807 W. Ward Ave.

The group also surprised Pedro Silva , managing and artistic director, by dedicating the statue in his honor. Silva has been with the company 25 years.

Silva posed for sculptor Jon Hair of Cornelius, who created the William Shakespeare statue in front of the campus. The bronze Shakespeare, holding a feather pen, seems to take a welcoming bow to those entering the main building.

“It’ll be centuries before someone comes close to taking that away from him,” Silva said of Shakespeare’s status. “It made sense to acknowledge him with a statue.
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Before announcing that the statue had been dedicated in Silva’s honor, Jim Millis Jr. , referring to a scene in “As You Like It,” said Silva has played many parts.

“I love the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival,” Silva said. “But as much as I love the festival, I love our community more.”

The Spirit Center now gives the festival a home, Silva and Millis said. The company moved onto the campus in July.

The two buildings — 51,000 square feet of space — provide storage space for the costume shop and props, offices, rehearsal halls and a place to build sets.

“It’s nice to be able to walk down the hall and talk with the technical director,” Silva said.

One room, with stairs and a platform level with the second floor, is large enough to allow the company to build a complete set, Karen McNeill of McNeill Communications said. Usually, a company has to build pieces of a set separately and piece them together at the stage. Here, the room is tall enough to allow the set to be built and painted completely and then disassembled for transport.

Performances will continue to be held at community theaters.

Silva said a formal ribbon cutting and open house for the building will be next spring, possibly April 23, Shakespeare’s birthday.

Contact E.A. Seagraves at 883-4422, Ext. 241