It has taken under nine months for St Michael's Theatre in New Ross, Co Wexford, to be reborn as one of the finest multi-purpose arts venues in the south-east, unearthing the occasional skeleton in the process.
The ambitious project to refurbish the elegant church-turned-theatre for the second time this century was featured in this column last spring. It has resulted in a modern and versatile facility that will be a lasting asset to the town and region.
The old parish church, built in 1806, was converted into a theatre in 1902 and served the town's dramatic and musical traditions well for several decades. It was first refurbished in 1961, reopening with the Abbey production of The Country Boy.
The latest modernisation project, undertaken by its management board, Feachtas Ealaion, is a striking example of how a sensitive architectural approach can seamlessly blend the old and the new to practical effect.
St Michael's now has a stage which, utilising removable panels, can extend to 43 ft wide. It should be able to accommodate the RTE Concert Orchestra, a longstanding ambition of theatre manager Helen Lewis.
Comfortable new seating, installed by voluntary effort, can accommodate 225 in the groundfloor auditorium and 105 on a steeply-raked balcony. The building's elegant pillared facade, on which there is a preservation order, has been walled in with glass to create a bright, spacious vestibule with Venetian tiles.
Most impressively, the revamped theatre has a lift to carry the disabled to the new upstairs lounge and the balcony. And the theatre is equipped with a modern loop system to facilitate the hard-of-hearing.
Extensive excavation has provided an orchestra pit and ample dressing room facilities. The excavation also turned up a couple of surprises. "We found the original altar steps intact," says Ms Lewis. Skeletal human remains were also uncovered and caused initial excitement among archaeologists who thought the body might be that of a 12th-century friar.
The theatre reopened last month with a Schubert Mass sung by the local musical society. It is now booked for months ahead for a variety of productions.
The reopening of the modernised venue is a signal event for the town of 5,000 and will undoubtedly develop New Ross as a tourist destination and add to the business and cultural life of the area.
"For me it was like coming home. I was four years old when I did the first play here," sums up Ms Lewis.