Citing the pandemic and fundraising, Park Square Theatre cancels most of its current season

Park Square Theatre has canceled most of the remainder of its 2022-23 season.

The St. Paul venue's next show, "The Revolutionists," a co-production with Prime Productions that is currently in rehearsals, will run March 29-April 16 as announced. The theater's SteppingStone youth program and rentals also will continue. But the three remaining shows of the planned season, "Between Riverside and Crazy," "Ann" and "Holmes/Poirot," will not be produced.

Park Square's website advises patrons they'll be contacted next week about options. The site urges them to donate back the tickets for un-produced shows and adds: "We aspire to provide refunds to those requesting them, but note that we are not in a position to issue refunds immediately."

In announcing the cancellations, board chair Paul Sackett cited the pandemic as a key factor ("The Revolutionists" was originally scheduled for the 2020-21 season but was postponed as a result of the pandemic).

Last December, Park Square announced the cancellation of winter productions "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" because of poor ticket sales.

Like many theaters, Park Square also has struggled in the transition from its founder to successors, with several management changes since Richard Cook retired in 2018. Artistic director Flordelino Lagundino, who was hired in 2018, stepped down in 2020 after a little more than a year in that role. Park Square is currently run by three artists, Ansa Akyea, Ellen Fenster and Rick Shiomi.

"We are confident we can return to our founding principles stronger and more engaging than ever before," Sackett said in a statement.

When asked by the Star Tribune to comment further, Park Square declined.

The board chair said that Park Square hired Rachel Murch-D'Olimpio, its interim executive director, to address challenges it faces, including fundraising.

"The first phase of this work has exceeded goals in terms of new donor support and the theater is hopeful others will donate and provide additional help," Sackett said.