Letter to the Editor: Your support can help bring back SCT

Dear editor,

The History Museum on the Square operates the Historic Fox Theatre, an iconic building on the square filled with memories for so many Springfieldians. Two years ago, Springfield Contemporary Theatre approached us with a bold idea that would bring new life to that long-dormant theater.

This partnership wasn’t just about sharing a venue. It was about reimagining what happens when two cultural nonprofits unite around creativity, storytelling and community. We launched with “The Color Purple,” a co-production with Mosaic Arts Collective that marked the first professional stage production in the Fox Theatre in nearly a century, it was an unforgettable run that sold out almost every night.

SCT became the Fox’s resident company, and in doing so, they reignited live performance on the square. They brought audiences into the theater. They brought energy to downtown. They brought bold, challenging and meaningful work to the stage. They reminded us what happens when you give art the space to do its thing.

We are heartbroken that Springfield Contemporary Theatre has announced a pause in operations for the foreseeable future.

Let me be clear: This is more than the loss of a theater company. It’s a gut punch to the vibrant cultural fabric of our city.

Running a nonprofit is hard. Really hard. Most people will never see the constant juggling of budgets, staffing, programming, mission and everything in between. (Just ask any nonprofit director about their HVAC.) SCT did it for nearly 30 years, with grit, creativity and joy.

This moment demands something from all of us. If we want a Springfield where art, history, music and theater don’t just survive, but thrive, Springfield has to show up. Cultural nonprofits do more than entertain. They boost business for local bars and restaurants. They give kids hands-on learning outside the classroom and away from screens. They create jobs. They shape identity and pride in our community.

Springfieldians love to claim Brad Pitt, Chappell Roan, Bob Barker, Pearl White, John Goodman, Kim Crosby and many, many others who’ve made it big. But without creative spaces like SCT to inspire the next generation, that list stops here.

When an organization like SCT has to pause, the ripple effects are real. And the truth is, it could happen to any of us. The difference between continuing and closing often comes down to what a community chooses to value.

So here’s our ask: Support the arts. Support museums. Support galleries, theaters, concerts – anything that brings creativity and connection to this city. If you can donate, do it. If you can buy a ticket, do it. If you can share a post or bring a friend to a program, do it. Every act matters.

We at the History Museum remain committed to keeping the Fox Theatre a space for the arts and for the community. And we remain hopeful that Springfield Contemporary Theatre will return, stronger than ever.

This is their intermission, not their final curtain call.

—Sean Fitzgibbons, executive director of History Museum on the Square