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Stage 88 Theatre was a community theatre company located in Bonita Springs, Florida. The company was founded in 2004 and performed in the Bonita Springs Community Hall at 27381 Old US 41. It was, from 2006 to mid-2008, the official community theatre company of the City of Bonita Springs. The City made an initial investment to improve community hall for the company, which moved into residency there in 2006 after spending 2004 through 2006 at the Norris Center Theatre in Cambier Park in Downtown Naples. The company closed in 2008.
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Production history
Productions staged by the company included Moonlight And Magnolias, The Vast Difference, Apartment 3A, and Escanaba in Da Moonlight by Jeff Daniels, Four Part Thunder, Pump Boys and Dinettes, Fridays, and Anton in Show Business.
Company collapse
The company officially collapsed on August 27, 2008, as stated in an e-mail sent to company subscribers and volunteers, and this information was then confirmed by the city of Bonita Springs. The collapse of the company was attributed to, among other issues, the economic downturn experienced in Southwest Florida after the most recent housing and real estate bubble peaked and began to slide in late 2007 through the middle of 2008.
Possible rebirth
The City of Bonita Springs has stated it wishes to continue using Community Hall as a theatre space, and the city is currently seeking and accepting proposals for a new resident theatre company for the space to fill the void left by the collapse of Stage 88. The possibility of using the Stage 88 name for this company in order to maintain audience continuity and name recognition has been left open.