Family Donates 6 Million Dollars to The Rapallo Theatre

The Rapallo Theatre, the new 506-seat performing arts theatre to be built in The Art District at Rapallo on the corner of Williams Road and US 41 at Coconut Point in Estero, has already reached 77 percent of its $11.6 million fundraising goal for the theatre construction and over a third of its overall fundraising goal of $21.9 million.

Maureen Quilty Shallcross, the recently appointed Chief Operating Officer and Programming Director of The Rapallo Theatre, announced Debra Wallace and the Wallace Family Foundation will donate $6 million as a gift to The Rapallo Performing Arts Theatre to be used towards theatre construction and the endowment fund.

Debra Wallace has a proud history of community involvement as the 8-year chair of the Child Advocacy Council and most recently as co-chair of Take Stock in Children.

Previously Touchstone at the Art District Inc., the developer of the project, agreed to a virtually free 99-year, $10-per-year land lease of the $1.9 million, 2.2-acre site.

 Touchstone has also agreed to provide a three-year, no-interest $2 million “bridge” loan to help fund construction of the theatre.

The not-for-profit theatre launched its funding campaign to the Estero/Bonita Springs community on May 18th outlining its need for $11,640,000 to design and build the 506-seat theatre and 300-seat open-air amphitheater, plus its need for $10,240,000 of long-term endowment funds to ensure continuing support for quality programming and operations.

The landmark 20,600-square-foot, 506-seat Rapallo Theatre will be a world-class venue for national and international touring artists, limited plays and musical theater, independent film, leading speakers on topical subjects, school-time learning programs, a series of festival weeks as well as local ensembles and theatrical companies seeking high-quality performance space.

The rezoning for The Rapallo Theatre site has received its letter of sufficiency from Lee County and is scheduled for the Hearing Examiner on July 26th.  Sitework is scheduled to start January 2008 with the construction start of the main theater in May 2008. Opening night will be July 2009.

For information regarding The Rapallo Performing Arts Theatre call Maureen Shallcross at (239) 948-2929 or Debra Wallace at (239) 216-0638.