Lyric Theater nears fundraising goal, eyeing summer opening
Although the final design has not been finalized, this is close to what The Lyric Theater in downtown Wooster will look like. Directors of The Lyric recently announced they have reached 90% of their capital campaign fundraising goal to renovate the theater as an independent cinema and live event space, with plans to open to the public this summer.
The directors of The Lyric Theater recently announced they have reached 90% of their capital campaign fundraising goal to renovate the downtown Wooster theater as an independent cinema and live event space.
That news triggered the distribution of an $80,000 challenge grant from the Stanley C. Gault Philanthropic Leadership Fund that was awarded in May 2021 but could not be received until the fundraising campaign was within 10% of completion. To date, $2.5 million of the $2.75 million goal has been reached.
The Gault funds, in addition to a grant from the Donald and Alice Noble Foundation, were held back to challenge others to join in supporting this project.
“It’s a wonderful community effort. An awful lot of people have put a lot of time and money into this theater,” said David Noble, president of the Noble Foundation. “That’s what makes Wooster so special. People step up.”
The $2.5 million received includes more than 230 gifts coming from donors in Wayne County, across North Central Ohio, and as far away as Indiana, Texas, Illinois, Georgia, Michigan, Florida, California, North Carolina, Washington, Colorado, Iowa and Washington, D.C.
The fundraising effort involves a popular opportunity to buy naming rights to seats, booths, tables and sofa sets. Local supporters of the project and people with strong ties to the community have been generous. The Wooster High School Class of 1971 reunited to make a $20,000 donation and name a booth. Only a handful of these opportunities remain. Additional chances to leave a bigger mark on the project are still available, including naming rights to one of the three theaters.
The vision of The Lyric Theater is to entice people out of their homes to come together to share the enjoyment of films, live music, comedy, arts performances and community events.
“We want the new Lyric to be a place for everyone, with a range of programming that can bring people together around movies and events,” said Gregory Shaya, president of the Downtown Arts Theater Inc., the nonprofit organization doing business as The Lyric.
Realizing they face a challenge, the board has continuously sought the counsel of experts in the industry. They visited independent theaters across the country to discuss theater design, programming models, projectors, screens, audio equipment, business planning, seats, concessions and more.
“From the beginning, I was impressed by the depth of support this project has attracted,” said Jeremy Thomas, managing director of The Lyric, who started in this position on Oct. 1 after 26 years working for Cinemark theaters in Northeast Ohio. “I continue to meet people who offer their support, many hoping to collaborate through unique programming including locally made films, live music, comedy, art and much more.”
The project was launched in 2019 when a small group of movie lovers came together to form a nonprofit with a goal to renovate and reopen the empty theater in downtown Wooster. Local philanthropists put up the funds to purchase the building. In addition to the challenge grants from the Gault Fund and the Noble Foundation, the project received a $500,000 Cultural Facilities Grant from the State of Ohio and support from a wide group of individuals, foundations and businesses.
Construction on the project is scheduled to begin when fundraising is complete, with plans to open to the public this summer.
For more information email Jeremy Thomas at director@lyricwooster.org or visit www.lyricwooster.org.