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Manifesting a Dream

Life’s a Pitch

by Kristen Coury - Founder, CEO & Producing Artistic Director, Gulfshore Playhouse

early twenty years ago, I discovered game changer. As a result of that gift, we were able to conduct a
beautiful Naples. Like so many of us, I feasibility study, hire development professionals, and began the
Ndecided to move here, but unlike many search for land. As one location after another fell through, it was
of us, I also decided to start a professional hard to keep the faith. I kept believing in the dream, kept my nose We promote your
theatre company. Many of the details were to the grindstone, and, of course, kept making art. Finally in late
uncertain, like where the theatre would be 2017 the perfect piece of property came through. Can you guess Business, Organization or Event
or how to raise the money to build one; all I where it was? Yup. Right across the street from my old balcony.
knew then was that I wanted to create a Tony A couple of months ago, we decided to tell this story in and we’re Doggone Good at it!
Award-winning regional theatre and thus Gulfshore Playhouse video. We called the current owners of my old condo to see if we
was born. could shoot some footage from the balcony. As I stepped onto
Th e early years were hard. Working from the back bedroom that balcony, prepared to narrate the story of what happened, I
of my Bayfront condo, there was no staff , no funds, nowhere to unexpectedly burst into tears. It had never occurred to me that
produce. When I wanted to give up, I would stand on the balcony what I was about to see in reality was something I had never, seen,
overlooking Goodlette-Frank Road and visualize a theatre before…outside my own imagination. From that very balcony, you
emerging from the land - land that was at fi rst a disused strip mall can clearly see that construction has begun on that very land, and a
and then totally empty. Like Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother waving theatre is springing up out of the earth. As we fi nish out our $66M
a wand and transforming Cinderella’s plain dress into a gown, in capital campaign, and begin to point steel beams toward the sky,
the world of my imagination, I could totally see a theatre magically I am so excited that the impossible dream really is indeed coming
appear over and over again. While the details were still uncertain, true.
I could see it clearly…right there across the street. When I moved • website creation, renovation & repair • e-newsletters - online advertising
out of my Bayfront condo in 2014, I left with both the faith that Th e Baker Th eatre and Education Center is located at Goodlette-Frank
the Universe was doing its work…and a little bit of fear that I was Road and 1st Avenue South and is projected to open in early 2024. • social media strategies • graphic design - print advertising
dreaming the impossible dream. Th e new home of Gulfshore Playhouse will house a 368-seat mainstage • video creation • press releases - promotion
A year went by. Halfway through 2015, philanthropists Jay theatre and a 125-seat studio space, in addition to numerous event,
and Patty Baker pledged a transformational gift that was a total rehearsal, and educational spaces.

Russell Tuff
Managing Partner
social-impact.com • 239.325.1127
Reaching New Heights for Your Business! info@social-impact.com

78 Life in Naples | August, September, October 2022 Life in Naples | August, September, October 2022 79