A Good Samaritan has ensured that these and other productions at Honolulu Theatre for Youth will go forward. Honolulu Theatre for Youth

Anonymous gift gives theater new life

By David Butts
Advertiser Staff Writer

A patron who asked that he not be named walked into the warehouse-like office of the Honolulu Theatre for Youth this week and dropped off a check for $500,000.

"This basically allows us to cancel all debt and establish a cash reserve," said Louise King Lanzilotti.

"There are angels out there," said Louise King Lanzilotti, managing director of the non-profit theater.

The generous gift comes as many arts and culture organizations struggle to stay above water. The state cut its financing for arts, and musicians at the Honolulu Symphony recently agreed to a 20 percent pay reduction to help erase $1 million in debt.

In an Advertiser article Dec. 8, Lanzilotti said keeping the 49-year-old Honolulu Theatre for Youth alive was a major challenge. "The quality of programming is excellent, but the financial challenge is really huge right now," she said at the time.

On Monday, the donor called and said he wanted to come by to give Lanzilotti a check. When the man arrived he said, "It sounds like you need some money," and handed Lanzilotti a folded envelope.

Without looking inside, Lanzilotti said, "Thank you so, so much. Every donation is really important." The man commented that his family enjoys Honolulu Theatre for Youth productions and walked away.

Lanzilotti took the envelope to her receptionist, thinking it was just going to be $10. She began to hand the check over and said, "Here is a check from this nice man for 500 ... THOUSAND DOLLARS."

"I just couldn't believe it," she said. Lanzilotti immediately broke into a staff meeting.

"I don't want to interrupt but we just got a really nice donation for $500,000," she said. Jaws dropped.

"It was like an alien landed," Lanzilotti later recalled.

The gift will put the teetering theater on sound financial footing.

"It is a very big thing for the theater," Lanzilotti said. "This basically allows us to cancel all debt and establish a cash reserve."

The theater has a staff of 25 who teach and perform for 100,000 children statewide. Its current production is "Christmas Talk Story," in collaboration with Kumu Kahua Theatre at the Tenney Theatre.

Before the $500,000 arrived, Lanzilotti wondered when the last performance might come.

"I was worried about this year. Even though we were pulling it together and tightening our belt, I was worried that we wouldn't be able to go on much longer."

Those worries are over for now.

Reach David Butts at 535-2453 or dbutts@honoluluadvertiser.com.