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Artattack clear for takeoff By Sean Wolfe Ashland Daily Tidings The show will go on. That's the latest from theater group artattack, which has been awaiting clearance from city officials so it can open with its debut performance in its new location later this month. That new location has been a sore spot of late. Located in the old Cantwell's building on Oak Street, the 45-seat theater occupies a space that has been designated an employment zone, from which theaters have not been a permitted use since the late '90s. While the City Council has been at work on modifying that restriction - dismissed by city planning staff as an 'oversight,' - it was not clear that the council would change the rule in time for artattack to commence its theatrical season. Now, thanks to suggestions from the city planning staff, Artattack has secured a temporary use permit that will enable it to open on March 21, and remain operating for the next six months. After that time, according to artattack co-artistic director Nicole Isaacson-Hill, the city rule restricting theaters will likely be changed, and the group can apply for a more permanent fix, in the form of a conditional use permit. "We had submitted a conditional use permit earlier, but when the council decided not to fast-track the change to the ordinance, we were told by staff we should resubmit an application for a temporary use permit, telling us it was more likely to go through," Isaacson-Hill said. "That came through yesterday, so we're really happy here. I don't think this is something they typically do, so we really appreciate everyone's time and effort to really make this work for us." Isaacson-Hill and her partner Justin Lockwood said they are now working hard on making last minute adjustments to the theater to prepare it for their opening of "A Lion in Winter," and getting word out to potential subscribers. "Our subscriber count is down, in part because I think a lot of people questioned whether or not we'd open. Well, we're opening, and we're hoping to exceed last year's subscriptions," Isaacson-Hill said. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -