Theatre closure leaves questions

COEUR d'ALENE - The Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre board's August decision to suspend operations has left some theater patrons looking for some closure of their own.

Johnny Hernandez, of Coeur d'Alene, is one of several theatergoers who told The Press he's unhappy with the way the situation has been handled by the nonprofit theater group's board.

"The people asked us to donate $50, so I did, and then that board shut it down, but that's not what bothers me most," said Hernandez, a season ticket subscriber.

Hernandez said he paid $171 for six tickets to "Christmas My Way," a Frank Sinatra holiday show that was planned to take place in December at The Coeur d'Alene Resort.

"Now you can't get ahold of anybody," Hernandez said.

Hernandez said he has gone down to the old Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre box office, inside North Idaho College's Schuler Performing Arts Center, and was told that NIC is a separate entity from the theater, and that no one knows anything about contacting the summer theater board members.

"They need to put information about things of this nature out to the public," Hernandez said. "The board still exists."

The Press contacted Joseph Anderson, president of the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre board, who responded by email.

Anderson said Hernandez's money for the Christmas show tickets will be refunded, but wasn't specific about when or how that would happen.

"My best guess is within the next month," Anderson wrote.

His written response when asked what's happening with the summer theater board at this time was: "Still working on negotiations with creditors."

To the question of whether the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre nonprofit, also known as Carousel Players on its business documents, is going to be dissolved, Anderson responded: "Our ability to negotiate, and time, will tell."