Park Theatre Launches Final Push to Groundbreaking

The Park Theatre starts off the New Year with a $15,000 grant from The McIninch Foundation, recognized for its support of the arts, cultural organizations and higher education. The award is directed to The Park Theatre's Capital Campaign and was matched by another $15,000 gift from a longtime Theatre supporter. These two contributions launch the Theatre's "Groundbreakers Campaign", the last, short-term push to raise $500,000 to fulfill requirements of government funders before summer. "During the past year, we've run into a number of unforeseen obstacles and regulatory requirements that delayed our original start date, "explained Steve Jackson, CEO and Managing Director of The Park Theatre. "Those delays have cost us time and money. It means we now need another $500,000 to put those shovels in the ground."

These recent contributions to the "Groundbreakers Campaign" reduce the goal to $470,000 before it is launched. "We are optimistic that we can do this, "Jackson added. "We have construction funds in place to build the Theatre once we start it. We just need these final funds for construction contingencies, like costs overruns or weather delays." Funds to build the Theatre are from the $1,050,000 donations by area businesses through NH's tax credit program and a $2,000,000 long-term, low-interest loan from Community Facilities Program of the USDA's Rural Development Office. This final construction fundraising campaign fulfills their last requirements.

Since the work to reopen the Theatre began, trustees have conducted a market study, engineering and design assessments, and a fundraising feasibility study of 8 neighboring towns and northern Massachusetts. When, in 2012, the board determined the original facility was structurally too unsound to be restored, it was torn down and the site readied for a brand, new facility. "It's important to note," added Theatre trustee Sam Christian, "that the work to bring us to this point required funding and diligence, along with a healthy dose of commitment." Trustees have maintained stewardship of the property, purchased adjoining property, conducted environmental and architectural assessments, developed and engineered the facility's designs, and raised the $2,000,000 required to accomplish that early and ongoing work. Financial support to do that has come from 32 foundations and charitable funds, 82 businesses and over 2,600 individuals from 23 towns in New Hampshire and 28 states across the country as well as from local, state and federal governments. At the same time, trustees have presented a variety of entertainment in collaboration with the region's performing artistic organizations and offered a decade of free movies to over 14,000 people throughout the Monadnock Region.

In anticipation of the start of construction and showcasing what is to come, The Park Theatre, under Jackson's leadership, created River Street Theatre, a 28-seat performance and presentation space in downtown Jaffrey. This intimate theatre boasts new, very comfortable seating, high definition digital projection and sound with appealing concessions at affordable prices. "We are New England's smallest theatre", noted Jackson, "and proud of it!" River Street Theatre opened in January with a schedule of movies, music and live performances. Jackson added, "this means that there is regularly scheduled entertainment in downtown Jaffrey for the first time in 40 years." Schedules, programs and tickets are available at theparktheatre.org and at The Park Theatre box office at 532-8888.

Re-opened, The Park Theatre will be a performing arts center presenting live performances, such as plays and concerts by professional and regional artists, touring companies, amateur artists and schools, and classic and commercially successful films in a 485-seat, state-of-the-art, perfectly acoustic facility built according to LEED gold level standards and fully accessible to everyone. The Theatre will serve the entire Monadnock Region of 100,000 year-round residents, 75,000 seasonal visitors, the region's artistic performing organizations, and five cooperative school districts. It will provide performance sites and enrichment programs for the region's public schools and Franklin Pierce University, along with space for community meetings, business events, Town Meetings, private gatherings, social activities and community-wide events.

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