Stage 212 needs two things to finish its remodeling of the Robert Manahan Theatre in La Salle. First, it needs a little luck; the next contractor comes in when scheduled. Second, it needs cash.

Monday, the old auditorium seats removed in August finally were hauled away. Natalie Smigel, fundraising chairman and a member of Stage 212’s renovation committee, said the La Salle theater company finally found a taker for the old chairs.

That cleared the way for a flurry of activity. Contractors this week will paint the floor and cover the stage. Volunteers will do a few do-it-yourself projects in the lobby.

“We’re still saying Oct. 1,” Smigel said when asked to name a finish date. “At this point, I’m saying we’re on schedule, not ahead of schedule.”

The X-factor is the contractor tasked with improving the acoustics, scheduled to come in the week of Sept. 15 to install new sound equipment and fabric acoustic panels to line the walls.

The panels are on back order, however, so Smigel has her fingers tightly crossed that the contractor makes it in before Sept. 22, the week the new chairs go in.

As previously reported, the theater is showing its age and that prompted Stage 212 to briefly consider moving to a new venue. Ultimately, the company decided to remain in downtown La Salle, where patrons can pair their theater experience with dinner.

Rather than relocate, Stage 212 planned a rehab of its physical plant to make productions more enjoyable for audiences. Besides the new seats and acoustic improvements, HVAC issues will be fixed – all for $160,000. Stage 212 remains about $40,000 short of its goal.

“Fundraising has really slowed down,” Smigel said, urging donors to be generous. “We’re reminding people to help get us over that last little hump.”