North Shore Music Theatre
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North Shore Music Theatre was the largest operating regional theater in New England. It is located in Beverly, Massachusetts and was one of the few remaining theatre-in-the-round stages left in the United States.
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[edit] Background
The production team presented a six musical season every year, as well as an annual production of A Christmas Carol. They were also home to the Youth Performance Academy that educated upcoming child actors with five to six shows per year featuring all children and teens under the age of eighteen. Past performers at North Shore (or NSMT) include many acclaimed Tony Award-winning Broadway actors. The theater produced the regional premieres of Hairspray, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and many others.
The not-for-profit Theatre, faced with reality of the current economic crisis, announced on December 29, 2008 that without immediate philanthropic support it would close its doors after 55 years of providing performing arts and educational programming. The Theatre's leadership urged the public to show its support by purchasing tickets to the remaining performances of Disney's High School Musical 2, which ran through January 11, 2009. However, many long time patrons were angry that the Theatre's management chose to abandon the traditional production of "A Christmas Carol" for "High School Musical 2". Ticket sales for "High School Musical 2" were disappointing and management was criticized for not investing resources appropriately.
[edit] 2008 Season
The 2008 season included:
- The Producers (Completed) - Regional Premiere
- Contact (Completed) - New England Regional Theatre Premiere
- Bye Bye Birdie (Completed)
- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Completed)
- Show Boat (Completed)
- 42nd Street (Completed)
- High School Musical 2: On Stage! - (Completed)
[edit] Youth Performance Academy
- Goodnight Moon: The Musical (completed) - March 18 to March 22
- A Year with Frog and Toad (completed) - April 8 to April 12
- Grease (completed)
- West Side Story (completed)
- Cabaret (completed)
[edit] Closure
North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) officials announced that the financially distressed theater has failed to raise $2 million in philanthropic commitments to fund a new business model and launch a 2009 season. Although more than $500,000 in pledges have been made since the theater announced a turn-around strategy in mid April, officials of the theater say that time has run out to raise the balance and move forward with its plans.
NSMT's debts include large mortgages on its property and buildings and debts to vendors, the State of Massachusetts, and subscribers who paid in advance for the 2009 Season. Theater officials are in discussions with its senior creditor and are reviewing the options available for liquidating and maximizing the value of the theater's assets for its stakeholders, as well as identifying potential buyers of the property who might consider a lease back of the theater.
[edit] 2009 Season Cancelled
The 2009 season would have featured:
- Phantom - April 21 to May 10.
- The Wedding Singer - June 2 to June 21.
- Anything Goes - July 14 to August 2.
- Altar Boyz - August 25 to September 13.
- Little Shop of Horrors - September 29 to October 18.
- Hello, Dolly! - November 3 to November 22.
- North Shore Music Theatre officially closes. 6/16/2009 -- Salem News
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 42°34′32.91″N 70°52′10.75″W / 42.5758083°N 70.8696528°W
