FACT VS. FICTION ABOUT MUSICALFARE’S NEW THEATRE
There has been a lot of false information spread by a small group of Amherst residents about the new MusicalFare Theatre. In the following, we will clarify the facts from the fiction about this exciting new project for our Amherst community.
FICTION: MUSICALFARE IS ONLY PAYING $1 A YEAR FOR THE NEW THEATRE
FACT: MusicalFare is responsible for 1/3 of the overall cost of the 10 million dollar theatre and will be paying the Town of Amherst 3.3 million dollars toward the project. MusicalFare will also be assuming tens of thousands of annual new costs for utilities, insurance and offsite rental of office, rehearsals and storage spaces.
FICTION: MUSICALFARE IS A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION
FACT: MusicalFare is a 501c3 not-for-profit charity. (The Buffalo Bills are a private organization.) No one owns MusicalFare or directly profits from it. Our financial records, tax returns and audited financials are all public record.
FICTION: THE 2024 AMHERST TAX INCREASE WAS DUE TO MUSICALFARE’S NEW THEATRE.
FACT: No 2024 tax dollars were used toward the new theatre. A bond was approved in March 2024 by the Amherst Town Board for the costs of the new theatre. No payments on this bond will occur in 2024.
FICTION: THE TOWN OF AMHERST CAN’T AFFORD TO INVEST IN MUSICALFARE THEATRE.
FACT: MusicalFare currently has a 2.8 million dollar annual economic impact. We hired 138 employees in 2023. In the new and enlarged theatre our economic impact will conservatively grow to 4 million dollars a year. That’s a 120 million dollar impact over the 30 years of our lease in return for an investment by the Town of Amherst of 6.66 million dollars.
FICTION: MUSICALFARE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RAISE ITS SHARE OF THE COSTS.
FACT: MusicalFare has currently raised 2.7 million dollars in pledges and commitments from its “silent” campaign. The public campaign will begin in Summer 2024.
FICTION: MUSICALFARE HAS INSISTED ON SOLE CONTROL OF A PUBLICLY FUNDED BUILDING.
FACT: MusicalFare produces over 200 performances a year. Our lease stipulates that we will work with the Town of Amherst on their events at the theatre. MusicalFare is also offering free tickets, when available, to all Amherst middle and high school students and is creating a special “Mornings at MusicalFare” performance for each production for residents who don’t want to drive at night or for whom a morning performance time is preferable. We are working very hard to ensure the new theatre can be attended by all Amherst residents and becomes a community resource.
MusicalFare is a 30-plus year Amherst Arts organization which produces the highest quality theatre in an intimate setting that differentiates us from Shea’s. Keeping MusicalFare in Amherst continues Amherst’s ascent as a cultural center for the Arts.