KING

The ailing economy has taken a toll on Providence Black Repertory Company. In order to balance its budget in this tough economic climate the theater has been forced to lay off five full-time staffers — including associate artistic director Megan Sandberg-Zakian — and to suspend the two remaining plays in the season.

The hope is that the theater will be able to raise enough money in time to put on the shows. Ugandan playwright Charles Mulekwa’s A Time of Fire was slated to open Feb. 5 and August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean was to take place in April and May.

Donald W. King, Black Rep’s executive/artistic director, added that he is also trying to find the money to pay for Sandberg-Zakian to return to work. She directed the hit play that opened the season, the Tracy Letts thriller, Bug, and is a key player in the operation of the theater.

King stressed though, that Black Rep is not canceling the season, but holding off on producing any more theater until support can be found. The theater is continuing to produce a half-dozen programs, including the popular weeklong summer concert series, “Providence Sound Session,” along with live jazz and soul nights.

“In no way are we in jeopardy of closing our doors,” he said.

King said the theater has been looking for months at ways to trim spending. It was decided that programs that are not making money, such as plays where box office receipts cover only part of the expense, should be suspended for the time being.

“To continue to put on programs that aren’t making money or breaking even,” he said, “would be irresponsible.”

Besides Sandberg-Zakian, who also directed last season’s successful Etymology of Bird, the theater has laid off the box office manager, the facilities manager, the director of sponsorships and a development associate. If the theater is able to find the money to continue the season, some of those people will probably be rehired on a project-by-project basis, said King. Another 25 full-time and part-time people still work for the organization.

With the economy on the downturn, King said the theater was unable to find sponsors for two of the plays this season, Bug and Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean. Citizens Bank is offering a partial sponsorship for the Mulekwa play.

King said he has found over the years that it has been difficult to raise money for theater in general. He said he has raised more money in one year for Sound Session, which takes place throughout the downtown during the month of July, than he has been able to raise for theater in 13 years. For the first time Sound Session made a modest profit this year.

Black Rep faces the added challenge of trying to raise $2.75 million to build a new main stage theater in the upstairs of its home at 276 Westminster St., and to replace the façade of the building. So far it has managed to come up with about $1 million. Last year, Black Rep’s budget was about $1.5 million. King did not know how much it has been cut, but said it has been “reduced significantly.” He said he was also not certain how much would need to be raised to rehire Sandberg-Zakian and resume the season.

“We are not giving up on theater at Black Rep,” said King. “We are just trying to find a way to produce theater here in a more effective way.”

cgray@projo.com