Seacoast Repertory Theatre Director Asking For Help Before Stepping Down

The executive director of Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth might be stepping down from her position, but first she is asking for help to ensure her co-workers remain employed through 2021.

In a public Facebook post, Kathleen Cavalaro announced her last day at the position would be January 13 but before she left she felt it was her duty to raise money for The Rep.

I'm asking you to make a donation to the Seacoast Rep today to help with a funding gap," Cavalaro wrote on her GoFundMe page. As you may have heard, the Save our Stages bill is being pushed forward which is wonderful news for our industry. Relief is likely still a few months away and we'll need some help to stay afloat until then.

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"We have not had much luck with relief efforts during COVID. ... We were rejected for a very specific relief from the State of NH for performance spaces and lost our appeal as they could not "substantiate our losses" and thought we had received enough relief already. Our pleas did not help, and here I am asking for our community to help us out."

Cavalaro updated her original Facebook post Tuesday to say The Rep had received $14,000 in donations in less than 24 hours.

"This farewell fundraiser I've created is mostly to ensure that all of our staff members continue to remain employed in 2021," Cavalaro wrote. I will see this fundraiser through. ... So please, if you're able to donate $1, or $100,000, please know that these gifts will help keep our theater family working."

Cavalaro said her goal is to raise $100,000 for The Rep before she leaves. She said those who do not wish to donate online can mail a check to Seacoast Repertory Theatre at 125 Bow Street, Portsmouth NH 03801.