NEW LAGUNA MOULTON BOWS TONIGHT

The Laguna Moulton Playhouse reopens tonight following a $650,000 structural revamping that is the most ambitious expansion yet for the 65-year-old organization.

“This expansion in programs and facilities has been our dream ever since we opened this facility 16 years ago,” said Douglas Rowe, executive director of the Laguna Moulton, the oldest continuosly operating community playhouse in the state.”It’s part of our mission--our commitment--as one of the leaders in Orange County theater.”

Part of tonight’s official celebration will be devoted to a preview performance of the 1985-86 season opener, “Carousel,” the largest-scaled production to date at the playhouse. The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, with a 60-member cast directed by Rowe, begins its regular run Thursday.

But the revamped theater promises to be a scene-stealer in itself. There’s a new 68-seat balcony (added to the 350-seat main floor) and a stylishly bigger lobby with spiral staircase and art-exhibit spaces. The staff, previously crowded into one tiny office, now has four new second-floor offices.

This is the first full-scaled structural renovation of the Laguna Moulton theater since it opened in fall of 1969 (at a cost of $450,000), next to the Irvine Bowl grounds on Laguna Canyon Road. The new construction adds 2,000 square feet to the original 16,750 square feet.

(The organization’s first regular home, the 235-seat Laguna Playhouse on Ocean Avenue, opened in 1927. Before that, the organization had a series of smaller temporary facilities, dating back to its founding in 1920.)

A key reason for the structural expansion is the countywide arts momentum. “Our changes only parallel the tremendous increase in cultural activities throughout Orange County in recent years. We want to keep pace with that trend,” said Rowe.

In addition, audience growth at the Laguna Moulton has been equally dramatic. Rowe said attendance last season was a virtual sellout--an overall 99% of seating capacity. This season, more than 7,400 season subscriptions have been sold, topping by 1,100 the playhouse’s previous high set in 1984-85.

(In addition to “Carousel,” the playhouse has scheduled for 1985-86 “Taking Steps,” “Kean” and “I’m Getting My Act Together and “Taking It on the Road.” A closing attraction is still to be announced.)

There’s more expansion to come, said playhouse officials. Next year, construction is expected to start on a $750,000 annex to the theater. It will be a 5,000-square-foot facility for housing a rehearsal hall, plus wardrobe and other storage areas.

A new support organization, the Laguna Moulton Playhouse Foundation, will be launching an endowment-fund drive to help underwrite artistic, educational-outreach and conservatory programming, and other annual operating costs.

Key to the completion of the annex, said Rowe, is the development of a “second play series” devoted to innovative works, including those by Orange County playwrights. Once the new rehearsal hall is built, he explained, the playhouse will have the facilities to present a regular original-play series, in addition to the traditional subscription series.

Since 1978, but only sporadically basis, the Laguna Moulton has presented 10 “world premiere” productions, including “The Failure to Zigzag” by John Ferzacca and “Match Play” by Mary Jane Roberts. The playhouse’s production of “Match Play” was a regional winner in the 1981 Festival of American Community Theaters competition.

Said Rowe: “This is another part of our dream, to present on a consistent basis works that are on the cutting edge of theatrical trends. This, too, is part of our mission--to develop new talent, as well as new audiences.”