Supporters Rally To Support Waltham's 52-Year-Old Theater Company

WALTHAM, MA — Droves of people rallied to help keep Waltham's Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston afloat amid pandemic.

"Throughout the month of August, more than 150 supporters of Reagle Music Theatre donated either online or via direct solicitation anywhere from $10 to $5000," president of the 52-year-old theater company's board Susan Carity Conkey said in a statement. "We know how challenging these times are, so for people to think enough of their theater to donate whatever they can is deeply moving."

Although the physical theater is closed amid pandemic, Reagle Music Theatre's board said they plan to use the $150,000 to fund online programming, engage students in virtual Youth Workshops, seed the 2021 season, and implement new protocols for a safe and healthy return to the theater.

Plans are in the works to deliver "Broadway at your doorstep" online, in person outdoors or indoors – conforming to whatever guidelines local, state, and federal authorities dictate.

On June 28, Reagle Music Theatre began its virtual programming initiative, ENTR’ACTE, and received excellent response. The plan is to build on that throughout 2020-2021.

"Theaters were the first live performance venues to close, and we will likely be the last to reopen," Robert Eagle, founder and producing artistic director, said.

Eagle said the online programming is critical to ensuring actors, creative artists, technical support staff and others have work when the pandemic is over.

"The arts have been overlooked by traditional unemployment and rescue packages," he said. "We —— and they — are almost completely dependent upon support from our audiences."

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