WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. November 23, 2005: Tony Stimac, Producing Director of the White Plains Performing Arts Center convinced the Common Council last night to fund the WPPAC for 2005-2006 with an additional $100,000, to be matched by  an equal $100,000 contribution to the theatre by Super Developer Louis Cappelli, who has also agreed to raise an additional $100,000. Stimac said the cash infusion from the city and Mr. Cappelli's efforts would give the WPPAC the $300,000 it needed to "breakeven" for the year in 2005-06.

Tony Stimac addressing the Common Council Tuesday evening. Photo, WPCNR News

Stimac in the course of a wide ranging Power Point presentation, said the WPPAC lost $197,000 in 2003-2004, the theatre's first year, revealed it had lost $107,000 in the year just completed (2004-2005), and the theatre is losing money at the rate of  $300,000 in its third year, without the infusion of $300,000 from the city, Mr. Cappelli and friends. No detailed financials were provided in the powerpoint presentation.

Stimac  said he was looking for a new Executive Director for the theatre to replace Ray Cullom who announced his departure to WPCNR last week. Stimac responding to a question from Rita Malmud about Mr. Cullom's leavetaking said, "He (Cullom) wasn't the right guy. He wasn't the right fit. He was a very expensive guy." 

The $100,000 from the city will be taken out of the $200,000 Louis Cappelli contributed to the theatre in the original deal on the the Renaissance Square Fountain,  but was not used, according to Benjamin Boykin, Common Councilman.  Boykin told WPCNR the council will vote on an amendment at its December 5 meeting, to transfer $100,000 in urban renewal funds into that fund to replace the $100,000 that will transfer to the White Plains Performing Arts Center. WPCNR hopes to contact Mr. Cappelli for more details on his apparent more aggressive interest in the WPPAC.

The $100,000 forthcoming from the city, will be in addition to the services the city pays for the White Plains Performing Arts Center, which may be more or may be less than the WPPAC received from the city in its first year. In the first year these "services" amounted to $192, 860  in "donated services or the use of materials, equipment or facilities at nor charge, or substantially less than fair rental value," according to the WPPAC's 2003-2004 "990" form filed with New York State.

Stimac said the theatre plans to present more community-involving productions, school-based productions to involve more parents and family with the WPPAC, basing the strategy on the PlayGroup Theatre productions, A Christmas Carol, and similar productions which were the best draws the theatre had in its first two years. He said he hoped to present Moliere and Shakespeare productions in the spring using school actors and actresses.

Stimac said he felt the first two years performance of the theatre was "remarkable" and that the theatre was not "limping along" as Councilperson Rita Malmud described it. He said instead it was "galloping."