"To me, by now, there should be a cushion. And they have had time to garner the community's sympathy and support," she said.
The theater is talking with two mortgage companies and a bank about refinancing the payment, Boone said.
Banks holding the mortgage have refused to refinance, Wolford said in January.
Graff said the board held four fund-raising events this fall: a Bonanza at the Sheraton, which netted about $800; a Ben Jones Art Benefit, which brought in between $8,000 and $10,000; and two Christmas caroling concerts in December.
But Sager said the board's plan to pursue rentals of the theater instead of in-house productions gives donors little incentive to support the theater.
"Is that complement of performances enough to appeal to people to contribute?" Sager asked.
Board members maintain that in-house productions carry the risk of losing money at a time when the theater can ill afford it, while rentals bring in guaranteed income at a controlled cost.
