how to point to a new directory for templates?

hello!

im having a problem with my implementation of wordpress in my end. i hava multiple sites that use wordpress and somehow these sites use the same template or theme or skin (whatever :D).

now ,here’s the problem. i’m planning to somehow create a universal folder for the theme that these sites will be using so as to save space because as i have said earlier, they share the same skin.

i tweaked already the wp-settings.php. the part wherein the TEMPLATEPATH was defined. i changed it to my own wp-contents folder in another directory and deleted the original wp-contents of that site. the site works with all of the links and things BUT the template does not. the data is there but the skin is not. the page is just plain white with texts of posts and links all over…

does anybody know how and what things to change when you are trying to access your themes files from another directory and the original themes files for that blog site is already deleted. also, i used the default theme ??

please help