Asolo Repertory Theatre has been awarded an additional $70,000 Arts Appreciation Grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation. The grant is intended to help the theatre fulfill its mission during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This generous support will help us create a bridge between this curtailed season and the creation of a successful season next year,” said Asolo Rep managing director Linda DiGabriele. “We are very grateful for the timeliness of this generous gift and the foundation’s ongoing support.” GCCF President and CEO Dr. Mark S. Pritchett and Jon Thaxton, Senior Vice President for Community Investment, informed Asolo Rep leadership of the award on April 22. “Our Board appreciates the vital role your organization plays in our region’s cultural life and economy,” said Thaxton in a statement to Asolo Rep representatives. “We encourage you to utilize this grant to further energize your donor base at a time when their support is needed most.” On March 19, following the guidelines of public health officials and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Asolo Rep leadership suspended the remainder of its 2019-2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The season was originally scheduled to run through June 28, and more than 100 performances were cancelled, including productions of The Great Leap, Hood, and Snow White, and the world premiere of the musical Knoxville from Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Frank Galati. Hood and Knoxville will now be presented as part of the theatre’s 2020-2021 season. Asolo Rep ticket holders were encouraged to convert the price of their tickets to a full, tax-deductible donation to Asolo Rep. Added DiGabriele, “Gulf Coast’s faith in Asolo Rep and our community will inspire others to follow their lead and help make it possible for us to do what we do best: present theatre that builds connections and strengthens our bonds to one another, inspires empathy and understanding, and brings us moments of magic and wonder.”