After years of planning and fundraising, leaders with Dowagiac’s Beckwith Theatre Company finally raised the curtain on one of its most important projects — replacing its worn rooftop.

Earlier this week, crews with Fryman Construction arrived at the Commercial Street theater to begin construction of a new roof for the building. The project is the most significant of the $25,000 worth of improvements the community theater board plans to make to the playhouse this season, said Richard Frantz, the theater’s treasurer.

The theater raised funding for the roof replacement through proceeds from its recent shows and events, including its annual improv comedy night and a concert by South Bend’s Kennedy’s Kitchen last month. The theater also hosted a special jazz night concert in March, performed by Southwestern Michigan College’s jazz ensembles, with proceeds from that concert going toward the roof replacement, Frantz said.

“The shows did very well,” he said. “People were quite generous with the donations they made.”

Replacing the playhouse roof has been a priority for the Dowagiac theater’s leadership for at least the last 10 years. The structure has been suffering from leaks due to the poor condition of the old rooftop — and the structure’s attic has suffered damage due to intrusions from birds and bats that have flown in through the cracks, Frantz said.

The theater board has raised about 80 percent of the $25,000 they are seeking for the repairs — enough to cover the construction of the roof, Frantz said. Remaining items on their punch list include improvements to the dressing room bathrooms, repairs to the lighting and sound systems, and replacement of the theater’s wireless microphones.

The theater will raise additional funds for remaining repair work through an event titled “Raise the Roof” at downtown’s Round Oak Revisited restaurant Sunday, April 23. The fundraiser will consist of dinner and a performance by Beckwith’s improv comedy troupe inside the restaurant’s bistro area.

Round Oak Revisited owner Cindy Brosnan approached the theater group with the idea of hosting a fundraiser following its improv comedy night last month. Brosnan, whose restaurant sponsored the show, was among those in attendance during the family-friendly portion of the show, and was impressed by what she saw.

“I realized this [theater] is really an important part of the community,” Brosnan said. “It is wonderful to not have to leave town and enjoy some great entertainment. After we saw how packed the theater was for the improv show we knew we had to do something more to support it.”

Knowing the theater was in need of additional funding, she decided to invite the comedy group to her restaurant for a performance.

Tickets for the event cost $20, which includes admission to the performance as well as a meal, a 1/3 pound flame-grilled burger (veggie burgers available by request) and french fries.

The restaurant is selling around 105 tickets for the show, and sales have been strong so far, Brosnan said.

People must purchase their tickets at the restaurant before the day of the performance, she said.

Frantz said he is heartened to see Round Oak and other local businesses and institutions step up to support the Beckwith.

“There was a time, five or six years ago, when we didn’t think we would last for much longer, so this has been a great turnaround for us,” he said. “We are very pleased.”

The improvements to the theater are sure to make a great complement to the shows they have lined up for the 2017 theater season, which will include performances of popular shows like “Pippin” and “Glengarry Glen Ross,” Frantz said. The season will open later this month with “The Illiad, The Odyssey and All of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less,” which the theater will stage April 28 to 30 and May 5 to 7.

For more reservations, or more information about the theater’s 2017 season, people may call the theater at (269) 782-7653 or visit its webpage at beckwiththeatre.com.