Biggest U.S. Black Theater Suspends Work Amid Cash Crunch

The country’s largest African-American theater has suspended programming and laid off more than a third of its full-time staff as it struggles with a severe cash crunch, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Eliminating six of 16 employees and temporarily halting production will trim $800,000 from the St. Paul, Minn.-based Penumbra Theatre’s $2.7-million budget, itself down more than 15 percent from the previous fiscal year.

The nationally respected 36-year-old company, which has recently mounted successful productions in Arizona, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C., as well as in its Twin Cities base, said it could next present a show in March 2013 if it can raise $340,000 this fall.

“This funding environment is tough, especially when projections don’t go according to plan,” said Chris Widdess, Penumbra’s managing director. “But based on the response we’re getting to date, we think we can do it.”