“Break a leg” is a common phrase for actors before a performance. “Break a ceiling truss”… not so much.

Wishing Star Entertainment Venue purchased the Delavan Theatres in the fall of 2020. At one point in time it was split into a duplex theatre with two stages, hence the pluralization on the current marquee. Fast-forward to 2021 with a resurgence for live performance and more of a return to normalcy, Wishing Star moved forward with renovations.

Balestrieri was brought in to perform environmental testing, and formulate a temporary shoring system to prepare for the commercial truss repair of the aging structural engineering, to be performed by another contractor.
Project Manager Michael Ruenz worked with a multitude of subcontractors, along with brainstorming specialty solutions for this project. Ruenz worked closely with the shoring subcontractor to create a layout that best supported the workload and allowed enough space for Balestrieri and other contractors to successfully complete the work at hand. The loose fill attic insulation was removed so that the ceiling trusses could be inspected and replaced by another contractor. The HVAC ductwork was also removed to gain full access to the immense barrel ceiling spanning nearly 54 feet in width and 24 feet from the floor. The abandoned steam line that traverses the west wall of the attic was abated, as it tested positive for asbestos, making a complete safe working environment for current and future contractors of the building. Following those phases, Ruenz and Field Manager Antonio Venegas developed a technique to surgically saw the plaster above the auditorium of the theatre to expose the trusses for repair and replacement.

Much like theatre arts, the work performed for this project by Balestrieri was made possible by years of experience, practice, and commitment, along with creative solutions.