Orlando community members have raised over $20,000 for Renaissance Theatre Company after it was forced to close until further notice due to a failed annual inspection.
The City of Orlando condemned the building Sept. 19 due to fire safety issues, including unpermitted construction and blocked exits found during a routine inspection.
Since the closure, Orlando community members and businesses have rallied to support the actors during one of the Ren’s most important performances of the year. Determined to keep the show alive, local performers worked together to ensure the fifth annual production of “Nosferatu” continued despite the challenges.
“We create the art we make for our community,” Abby Cash, staff member and cast member of “Nosferatu,” said in a press release. “If anything, this situation has further shown all of us at the Ren that what we are creating is important and needed, and that we are valued and supported by the people and organizations in our community.”
The Plaza Live in the Milk District opened its doors to the Ren to ensure that the show continued for three shows on Sept. 27, Oct. 4 and Oct. 10, showing a version of the “Nosferatu” show, “V Bar Condamned.”
As of press time, these were the only shows until they are able to secure another venue or reopen their original building after construction.
The Ren shared via social media that they have hope they will be back at the original building for additional dates and have not adjusted anything further until they know more.
“There are a lot of great people in our city government (thank you great people),” Donald Rupe, co-founder of the Ren, stated in a Facebook post. “We’d like to thank them for their diligence and for taking care of our community, and we look forward to working with them toward re-opening.”
Many other businesses and individuals have stepped up to assist. Creative City Project and Memoir Agency are providing temporary equipment for the touring shows, SunRoom hosted the Ren’s staff meeting and a slew of local artists and companies have offered help when the Ren is ready.
The City of Orlando released a statement Sept. 22 providing the reasons the building was condemned.
“The building was condemned … due to life-safety concerns stemming from construction work that had been completed without required permits, including the unapproved addition of a second floor. The site has several life-safety hazards, such as electrical issues, lack of sprinklers or fire suppression in some areas, and obstructed exits due to a maze-like layout,” it read.
“These conditions create significant risks for patrons and hinder evacuation routes in the event of an emergency,” the statement continued. “The City is actively working with the business to address and correct these violations, but until all code and safety issues are resolved, the property will remain condemned.”
The city approved a permit Sept. 25 to begin construction to get the building up to code. The best path forward is to completely demolish the set of “Nosferatu” and start from scratch, Rupe said in a press release.
“I know we try to keep things light and cheeky, but please know that I take this all very seriously,” Rupe said. “I’ve temporarily suspended my own salary in an effort to lessen our financial obligation.”
Rupe says the event is by far the theater’s biggest annual money-maker and biggest expense. This year, the Ren spent about $500,000 making the show.
The Ren is known for hosting themed queer events with talented performers throughout the year. Behind the scenes, the team had been working hard for months coming up with concepts for this year’s show run to now have to start over from scratch.
Each year the team works to create and transform the space while rehearsing their numbers. Nothing is ever the same at the Ren, making it a new experience for guests every year. Each year they develop their ideas from the previous, making the show engaging and exciting.
Before the closure, the Ren was transformed into a vampire lair that pulled mortals and served an interactive experience. Guests played the role as prey to the vampires who stalked their every move as they made their way through the venue during this immersive experience.
In the original space, every inch of the 15,468-square-foot warehouse became the hunting grounds for the coven. The show was presented in three “distinct movements,” with The Wandering, The Choosing and V-Bar. The Wandering gave guest time to move from space to space, The Choosing included a 45-minute ceremony with the coven and V-Bar included dancers, music, specialty cocktails and drag performances.
“I love getting to move around the spaces,” Blake Aburn, who plays Nosferatu in this year’s show told Watermark Out News. “It almost feels like you’re in a movie, kind of like you get to watch this movie in front of you.”
Each performer at the Ren spent a lot of time curating their frightening and alluring characters for the event. The actors interact with the audience, making the experience tailored to the crowd and different each night.
“I feel like this year we have a lot of fun in it,” Cora Elyardi, also known as her drag persona Coco Cavalli, says. “In past years, it’s always fun, but I feel like they’re highlighting a lot of individuality this year.”
It is unclear when the Ren will be reopened and when shows will resume at their home theater.
The Ren is reporting that the shutdown and subsequent construction will result in a loss of around $100,000. The community has responded to this by donating money to support the company and actors through this difficult time.
An email sent from Rupe noted that the donations helped pay everyone for the missed performances on Sept. 19-20.
“We’ll know more about codes, permitting, and city and state regulations, and we feel like we will end this with a deeper relationship with the local government,” Rupe has also noted.
Supporters should continue to monitor the Ren’s website for updates and can currently purchase tickets for future shows.
“Thanks for being here for us, and you can trust and believe we’re going to give you a show,” the Ren promises.
For updates on the shows and donations, visit RenTheatre.com.
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