If you happened to be in downtown Aurora Monday, it would have been hard to miss that 150-ton crane moving its two-ton cargo across the Fox River. In the morning, it lifted into place the six-foot V-shaped marquee for the brand new Stolp Island Theatre that will begin previews of “Million Dollar Quartet” with two Wednesday performances. And in the afternoon on Monday, the crane’s haul was a 20-foot blade sign announcing the name of this freshly-opened and intimate immersion theater that is about to become a big player in the future of downtown Aurora.
Indeed, Monday’s high-flying installation show – 100 feet in the air, 200 feet across the water – was more than a big project. It was a sign of things to come. Standing along the bridge watching this unique spectacle included a team from Aurora Sign Co.
, which was tasked with creating and installing the new sign and the marquee that hung below it. Employees included co-project Managers Paula Gibson and Riley Carson, along with Director of Operations Joe Blackwell, all of whom readily admitted that watching their labors come to fruition on this gorgeous July morning was a red letter day that would, thankfully, lead to fewer sleepless nights. “A lot of work went into it,” noted Gibson, “A lot of teamwork.
” That effort started with the design of the marquee and sign, created by Bridgette Rater – wife of Paramount CEO and President Tim Rater – who for the past 14 years has been contributing graphic designs to.