Benefit concert helping launch restoration efforts on Richey Suncoast Theatre

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — A local landmark unique to New Port Richey is looking to get a little love in terms of restorative work.

The Richey Suncoast Theatre has stood for nearly 100 years, offering entertainment on the silver screen as well as community plays. But now, the theatre is in need of some restoration. A recent benefit concert is spearheading those efforts.

At the corner of Grand Boulevard and Nebraska Avenue stands a landmark that has withstood the test of time.

“This theatre is the heart of New Port Richey,” said Lia Gallegos, interim president of the board of directors for the Richey Suncoast Theatre.

The near-century old monument in downtown New Port Richey is a place that’s dedicated to showcasing the arts. A place that has become like a second home for Gallegos.

“The community absolutely loves the theatre and everything that she brings to the community,” she said. “It’s a place for kids and adults to learn new skills and become more creative.”

But Gallegos said it’s in need of renovations, which was the inspiration for its first benefit concert, featuring Ed Roland of Collective Soul. The event raised over $42,000 from auctioned items.

“Renovation is never a quick process, especially on a 100-year-old building,” Gallegos said. “But we’re looking forward to getting it started this year.”

All sorts of relics from the theatre’s history are on display. History that board member Angela Sarabia knows well.

“This is a series of programs from that first big season that they came out as the Richey Suncoast Theatre,” she said. “This is a movie poster from one of Thomas Meighan’s films. The theatre was originally built to showcase Thomas Meighan’s films, and he was the Tom Cruise of his day.”

In order to understand where the theatre is going, she said, you need to know its past.

“Some of the renovations that we’re really interested in doing are bolstering our windows and doors and the upper windows to hurricane proof us, because we know we live in an area that is going to continue to get these big storms,” said Sarabia. “So we don’t want that to be a problem for performers for the next hundred years.”

Allowing the next generation of stars to take the stage, bringing in audiences both near and far.

“For the ‘Letters with E’ concert, we had people flying in from all over the country who had never been to New Port Richey before,” said Gallegos. “So the theatre is that — it’s the draw to bring people from outside of the area to enjoy our downtown and get to experience it and, hopefully, keep them coming back.”

And to keep breathing new life into this theatre.

Those at the theatre say renovations will begin with the roof in January. They then plan to make renovations to the theatre’s exterior afterwards.