PHOENIX — A community children's theater has reached its fundraising goal after it was burglarized and vandalized overnight on Sunday.
Someone broke into the rehearsal space of the Ahwatukee Children's Theatre and stole the theater’s electronic equipment—keyboards, microphones, fog machines, snow machines and more. In all, an estimated $12,000 in equipment was stolen.
Michele Ruvino, the nonprofit’s executive director and founder, said the robbery has made it difficult to play music and teach the kids the songs.
“We are definitely coping. We have had a lot of community help and a lot of community outreach. But it’s hard. It’s hard emotionally,” she said.
On the bright side, the robbery hasn’t stopped the theater’s production of Mary Poppins from opening on Saturday.
“We have been able to put enough stuff together and beg and borrow so that we’re going to be fine and the show is going to go on,” Ruvino said.
One of the theater’s alumni put up a Gofundme to help with the insurance deductible and some of the cost of the stolen equipment. The campaign quickly reached its goal of $4,000.
Ruvino said now that the nonprofit has reached its goal, the theater will continue to replace the items it lost.
“The best thing the community can do is just come out and see the show and just keep supporting local theater,” she said.
Meanwhile, police told Ruvino they are keeping an eye out on websites like Craigslist and Offerup to see if any of the stolen equipment turns up there.