WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – The Winter Garden Theatre, which had been closed for weeks, will reopen its doors Thursday evening for a debut performance of “The Little Mermaid.”
Thanks to a successful GoFundMe campaign, the show is back on track after nearly being canceled.
“Thank you guys so much. It means so much that you are willing to fund our show,” said Alyssa Amazzalorso, who is set to play Ursula in the production.
“This is really exciting for me. ‘The Little Mermaid’ is one of my dream shows, and Ursula is one of my dream roles, so the fact that I was able to get it is just amazing,” she added.
This comes a few weeks after the Garden Theatre announced its sudden closure due to financial difficulties. The news shocked the cast and crew — who had been rehearsing for months — as well as the community.
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“The only warning we got was a couple of hours earlier when we got an announcement from our stage manager saying that rehearsal was canceled,” Amazzalorso said.
Just hours later, they learned that the theater was shutting down.
“Getting to see this pinnacle of theater that I’ve had in my community and in my life just get shut down with no moment’s notice, it was devastating,” Amazzalorso said. “The only way I can compare it is if someone died; that’s how it felt.”
Despite the initial shock, Amazzalorso remained hopeful.
“I really started to process it because I knew deep down that there was no way this could be the end,” she said.
In just a few weeks, the community rallied together, raising more than $11,000 on GoFundMe to save the production. With the funds secured, the cast is moving forward as planned.
The money was used for props, costumes, the set, and to pay the production support staff.
Amazzalorso said she can’t wait to put on a great show.
“So much community support has really assured us that what we’re doing isn’t for nothing,” she said.
She has so much gratitude for all the people who pitched in to help.
“I have such a passion for the arts. They have played such a pivotal role in my life, and to see the community share that same passion and love for the arts, it really does mean a lot,” Amazzalorso said.
Tickets for the show on Thursday are free.