Glimmer of hope in Moonlight Players saga
Homeless troupe might receive land to build its own theater
The offstage drama for the Moonlight Players reached a first-act cliffhanger when the community-theater troupe announced a nearby parking lot’s redevelopment was forcing it out of its downtown Clermont home of more than 20 years.
But an emotional outpouring of support could lead to a happy finale, as city officials say they are now considering providing land for the theater to build its own venue — a longtime dream of the Players.
The road to this point, though, has been a bumpy one with weeks of tearful Facebook posts, angry letters, moving sales, miscommunication, sidewalk installation, a mayoral candidate’s intervention and the appearance of an unassuming retaining wall — the unlikely structure that kicked events into motion.
“The wall is forcing us to do what we need to do,” said Trista Fouts, president of the Moonlight Players.
Theater officials have long been aware of potential development coming to their neighborhood, between Montrose Avenue and Minneola Street. The city has supported both downtown redevelopment and the theater company, said Kathryn Deen, Clermont’s public information officer.