The Hippodrome State Theatre can finally revamp its “A Christmas Carol” costumes after receiving $168,000 from the Collier Challenge Campaign.
The campaign, which is meant to support local actors, programs, script royalties and the theater education department, finished its first year collecting donations for the Hippodrome, which a nonprofit theater located at 25 SE Second Place in downtown Gainesville. The campaign was created by Nathan Collier, a long-time supporter of the Hippodrome and the chairman of The Collier Companies, a real estate and investment company.
Collier, a Gainesville native, grew up attending shows at the theater.
“The Hipp was part of my youth,” Collier wrote in an email.
Campaign supporters pledged to give a set amount every year for the next nine years, which totaled to $84,000 this year. Collier said he pledged to match that amount every year for the next nine years, which brings the annual amount donated to about $168,000.
“One of the Hipp’s biggest challenges is a lack of steady funding, which leads to a continuous crisis mode funding,” Collier wrote. “The campaign is designed to foster a long term commitment in the hearts and minds of Hipp supporters.”
The money will help the theater provide for anticipated plans such as expanding the education department for adults and children, said Julia Campitelli, the marketing coordinator for the theater.
“In recent years, funding for the arts has been steadily declining,” Campitelli said. “So this is just a great way for us to make sure we maintain funding and we are able to keep bringing great work to Gainesville.”
Hippodrome staff sent out letters, posted Facebook messages and talked to people in Gainesville to receive donations, Daenzer said.
The campaign started at the beginning of 2019 and ended on Dec. 31 with 197 supporters. The donations will help the theater a lot because the cost of one of its current shows is $87,000, said Nicole Daenzer, the managing director of the theater.
“We’re still thinking of possibilities and things that we can do,” Daenzer said.
Contact Allessandra Inzinna at ainzinna@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @ainzinna.
Actors Matthew McGee, Kelly Atkins and David Patrick Ford take center stage in costume for their roles in the Hippodrome's "Scrooge in Rouge."
Allessandra is a third-year journalism major with a minor in English. In the past, she has covered local musicians and the cannabis industry. She is now the Student Government reporter for The Alligator. Allessandra paints and plays guitar in her free time.
