The nexStage Theatre board of directors still has $340,000 to raise toward the $1.5 million needed to buy the Ketchum theater from the Mott Family Foundation.
"The last $340,000 will be more difficult than the first part because the big donors have already given," Managing Director Kathy Wygle said. "But I know the momentum is so good now that we can't fail."
The nexStage has been renting its building on Main Street from the foundation for $1 per year. However, Tim Mott, who runs the foundation, is moving from the area, and has stated he wants to use the foundation's assets elsewhere.
An April deadline to raise the money has come and gone, but Wygle said she hopes Mott will extend that deadline to June.
She said the foundation's generosity in granting the building to nextStage has been "wonderful," but added that ownership of the building also brings advantages.
"Once we buy it, it will be a community asset forever," she said. "Our mission is to do theater, but it's also our mission to provide a venue for other groups to use. Anybody who has an idea can come and use it."
The building has recently accommodated a wide range of events, including Laughing Stock Theatre Co. productions, the Banff Mountain Film Festival, a conference on community housing and a prom.
Ownership of the building will also allow nexStage to develop a back portion of it for more performance space and educational programs. Wygle said nexStage will later launch a second fund-raising campaign to raise the additional $1 million that will be needed for the renovations.
A fund-raising event with a performance by Jilla Web and Bruce Innes will be held on Wednesday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m., as a continuing effort to raise money for the theater. For more information, call 726-9124.
