WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - Over half the full-time staff at a landmark Delaware theater will be laid off next month because of financial troubles amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Grand Theater’s executive director Mark Fields said 19 out of 33 full-time staffers would be losing their jobs, while the remaining workers take pay-cuts, news outlets reported.
“Man, today was tough. We lost friends and people we consider family,” said Brian DiSabatino, the chairman of The Grand’s board of directors. “We are made up of the community, for the community. And so we lost brothers and sisters today and we’re grieving about that.”
The 149-year-old non-profit landmark in Wilmington hasn’t staged a performance since early March because of pandemic closures, causing a decline in operating funds, Fields said. Theaters were recently allowed to reopen with capacity limits and social distancing requirements, but Fields said the Grand couldn’t hold “caliber” shows with limited ticket sales.
The theater received a Paycheck Protection Program loan and other grants but again, Fields said it wasn’t enough to close a $2 million gap in its $7 million annual operating budget.
Now they’re preparing for a multi-faceted fundraising campaign that will include sponsorships, attempts to secure new grants and a call for community help centered around reopening for next year’s 150th anniversary.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.