North Shore Music Theatre Closed For Good — Page 2

I contacted my card in Feb. NSMT sent them a curt response insisting that 1) there are no refunds and 2)"A 2009 season WILL be produced", so what the heck was I complaining about?? Apparently there are time limits, etc., but my card is still working on it, I believe, as best they can.

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The comments at the end of the Salem News article unfortunately reflect what the NSMT management's reputation has been for many years. After the fire a few years back, which cost millions and shut the place down for a while, there was so much talk about what management was paid for "mismanaging" the theatre's finances while crying poverty. Also, even with a smattering of fine shows ("25th Annual Spelling Bee" being one), NSMT could not stem its growing reputation for presenting sub-par productions. The "new direction" taken a couple of years back turned out to be just one more managerial bungle that sent the place right down the drain.

This doesn't tarnish NSMT's place in N.E. theater lore because it's been a phenomenal organization for most of its history. It's just sad that a handful of financial bunglers were able to systemmatically sink it. Everyone's loss.

I think this will be happening more and more. Buffalo lost its regional theatre, The Studio Arena, in a similar situation. Also, why would anyone bail out an organization that could not balance its book to begin with. It's not going to happen.

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Hindsight is 20/10.

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I am no fan of Barry Ivan, but the fact is his first/last season was done on a very tight and much smaller budget than previous years.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL was NOT "no royalty" .. upon his departure from NSMT, Jon Kimbell was contracted to receive a nice chunk of change every year for allowing them to do A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

There are so many rumors out there about how this all went down, but the truth is much sadder... and much more juicy!