“Our beloved historic theatre is being sold and we need your help to ensure our Performing Arts Center continues to be the center of Smithtown!”
Said sentiment rests above the mission statement outlined by the Smithtown Performing Arts Center on a GoFund Me page that’s been circling the Internet over the past couple of weeks. Organized by JoAnne Romanelli, the fundraiser is designed to help “breathe new life back into the theatre” while both management and building ownership undergo a changeover.
The center, which first opened in 1932 as a 500 seat movie house, recently concluded its well-received summer run of the former Broadway musical, “American Idiot.” To ensure they, as a not-for-profit local enterprise in every sense, can continue to entertain at the same stomping grounds for years to come, the Smithtown Performing Arts family are asking for help in more ways than one.
“We may lose 90 years of a historic arts space; I’m calling upon my contacts in the Broadway community to help save my hometown theater. I don’t want to lose this space, it’s truly my personal place of worship. Please consider donating. Every dollar counts. #savesmithtowntheatre,” Robbie Torres, 31, co-lead of “American Idiot,” wrote in a recent Facebook post. Thus far, Smithtown Performing Arts’ Counsel Inc. has secured $6,000 of their $40,000 goal across 79 donors, as of Sept. 1. Help spread the word and bridge the gap by making a donation today, so downtown Main Street can remain as vibrant as ever come tomorrow! Visit www.smithtownpac.org and www.gofundme.com/f/save-smithtown-theatre for all the info you’ll need.
