He bought a dilapidated farmhouse outside Prague, cleaned the landfill and now opens a theater there
Petr Vlček was in Las Vegas when an acquaintance called him a few years ago if he would like to buy an old house just outside Prague. Vlček was looking for new premises for his company AVT Group at the time, so he auctioned off the hall from Vegas for ten million.
When he came to Voděrádek near Říčany to see his new property, he was surprised to find that he had bought a black dump in addition to the old house. Nevertheless, the place enchanted him so much that he soon bought the neighboring dilapidated farm and surrounding land. The whole area was in a terrible state, loaded with everything that people from around the summer threw away.
“So I first bought an excavator and started cleaning,” recalls Petr Vlček. To be complete, it should be added that he eventually bought several excavators, which he himself normally used at the control lever. In total, they took away 300 containers of waste and other clutter.
Now the grand – festive – finale of this unprecedented cleansing is approaching. Where the landfill was until recently, there is a brand new theater stage. And in July, the actors of the Dejvice Theater will cast it for ten days.
Wolf’s company AVT Group makes “great sound and great image”. He specializes in audiovisual technology and room acoustics, which he solves for theaters, large companies, television, universities and even Prague Airport or the Church of St. Welcome.
In less than three years, they created the Home of AV multifunctional space from the grounds of the old farm in Voděrádky, designed by architect Petr Hájek.
In addition to the office or warehouse, it is a key part of the hall, which is full of modern audiovisual technologies and can easily be turned into a theater, cinema, lecture or concert hall or even a space for a fashion show. It is primarily intended to be a place where people from the AVT Group can try out technologies, their combinations and new systems.
In the future, Vlček also wants to attract young artists or acoustics, students and others who would not otherwise have access to such technological possibilities.
But he wanted to start this new phase of his company even after the pandemic. “Theaters haven’t played in a year and the actors are frustrated. So we said that in addition to the multifunctional hall, we will build a summer stage for five hundred people, so that they have a theater where to play, “says Vlček. That was sometime in January. Now the completion of the scene is approaching, which will also have a roof in case it rains.
He soon agreed to collaborate with the Dejvický Theater, which he personally likes very much. And there are plenty of other people happy. The first part of the tickets for the Dejvice Theater performance on this new summer stage, ie 2,300 seats, sold out in six minutes.
Another wave of pre-sales should follow, when and how many tickets will go to it, but it will depend on the pandemic situation.
“It’s really great that even in a difficult time like this coronavirus, there is someone who supports theater and culture in general enough to decide to build a summer space that will provide an extra space without giving her own commercial interest,” says the playwright. Eva Suková of the Dejvice Theater, with the fact that the actors will get another, this year a particularly valuable opportunity to perform in front of the audience during the holiday months.
After all, the well-known Prague theater has good experience with playing in the open air, the ensemble has traditionally performed at the Summer Festival in Řevnice, where it will be this year as well.
In June, the Řeznická Theater will also perform in Voděrádky, and in August Spejbl and Hurvínek will appear. Additional files may be added over time. “We have a demand from about a dozen theaters and I’m very pleased, but first we have to try the stage properly. After all, there was a landfill here until recently, and today it is a beautiful scene, “says Vlček, who sees the area as a connection between the digital world and nature.
The man, who also has a ten-meter-high teepee built here at the company’s headquarters in Chodov, also likes to emphasize that there are centuries-old oaks in the area in Voděrádky and a stream that he cleaned with his people flows through it.
He also founded the Dita and Petr Vlčková Endowment Fund with his wife, also for the protection of nature, the construction of a walking trail in the area, but also for the support of young artists.
And although he talks enthusiastically about his heartfelt project in Voděrádky, it’s not just pink for business. From the original ten million for the auction, the total investment climbed more than tenfold. In addition, last year the pandemic halved the company’s plans for a half-billion turnover.
Nevertheless, Vlček – with the heart and soul of the scout – did not fire and instead invested. “We have taken maximum risk, but we have used it for our future and I believe it will be good. He has to, “smiles Wolf.