Peterborough Community Theatre Raises Nearly $14,000 Through Crowdfunding

The Peterborough Community Theatre has raised nearly $14,000 thanks to an online crowdfunding campaign, Sentinel Source reports.

The theater's owners Vanessa Amsbury-Bonilla, and husband Kevin Goohs, hope this funding will cover the theater's basic expenses until it can reopen next year.

The theater closed on March 14 due to the health crisis, but reopened on July 1. After struggling to attract customers, it closed again 23 days later.

Now, it will likely remain closed until a vaccine for COVID-19 is made available, Amsbury-Bonilla said. In the meantime, private groups can rent the theater's single screen for a showing or video gaming. There is also a $75 option for groups with fewer than 10 people.

"People, within their own families, feel comfortable enough being in the theater by themselves," she said. "It's the model that's saving the theater so that we come out of this pandemic."

The fundraiser's success has given Amsbury-Bonilla hope.

"People obviously value the theater and want to see it survive," she said. "It's the place to go in Peterborough."

Read more on Sentinel Source and donate to the GoFundMe campaign here.