BEVERLY — "It's a sad day," said Beth Brown as she leaned her elbows on the bar and waited for the intermission crowds to pour into the theater lobby.
Brown began her relationship with the North Shore Music Theatre 30 years ago — first as a singing waitress at the theater's restaurant, then called The Terrace, where she also performed in cabaret shows.
"One of the best times I've ever had," she recalled.
She went on to work as head bartender at the restaurant for years, and most recently, she has worked the theater concessions for five years, four nights a week.
"I love the shows, and I've made many friends," said Brown, of Hamilton, who braced herself for her last day of work at the theater, perhaps forever.
Yesterday's near-sellout crowd for the "High School Musical 2" matinee belied the reality that the theater will close for good, unless it raises $500,000 by the end of January and another $4 million by April, according to theater officials.
Fifty-four theater employees, out of 57 total, were out of a job following yesterday's performance, not to mention the 250 volunteer ushers.
"I was stunned," said volunteer Ed Moran, who took tickets at the theater door and joked with children. Moran has volunteered at NSMT for 11 years, ever since he retired from Salem State College. "I hated retirement. This saved my life."
"I'm upset about it," said longtime volunteer Gerry Morenski, whose first visit to the North Shore Music Theatre was in the late 1950s, when her boyfriend took her to see the operetta "The Student Prince."
"I understand the economic reasons," Morenski said yesterday afternoon, "however, I think we may possibly lose a jewel that has been part of the culture of eastern Massachusetts for (nearly 54 years)."
Meanwhile, the theater has feverishly tried to raise money to prevent closure, with cabarets, radio appeals and other efforts ever since it announced the budget crisis two weeks ago.
"Even though it's the end of 'High School Musical 2,'" said theater spokeswoman Carol LaRosa, "our fundraising efforts and appeals for support will continue through January."
Before curtain time at yesterday's production of the popular Disney musical, the lobby was packed with theatergoers, many families with young children, whose boots squeaked on the sandy, wet floor.
"We had a gift certificate, and I heard they were closing so I said, 'We better use it,'" said Karen Brown of Dracut, who brought two 7-year-old girls who are devoted fans of the "High School Musical" trilogy.
Many patrons expressed grief and disbelief that the theater might close, like Margaret and Sal Pomer of Peabody, who were longtime season-ticket holders.
"It introduces you to things you wouldn't see if you didn't have season tickets," Margaret Pomer said. "You see new things and old things."
Sal Pomer said he was shocked the theater could close.
"Its' been here for years," he said.
"We're devastated," Margaret Pomer said. "We came here when there was a tent," she said, referring to the theater's early days as a canvas tent.
Andrea Beaudry, who took her daughters Erica, 10, and Sabrina, 8, to the show yesterday, said the theater should have sounded the alarm sooner, rather than two weeks ago.
"It's very sad because it's one of many things that makes living on the North Shore fun and interesting," said Beaudry, a Beverly resident.
"I was most surprised that they hadn't publicized the shortfall sooner," she continued. "It seemed perhaps like a missed opportunity for people to donate at the end of the year."
At the start of the 2 p.m. show, the theater's artistic director, Barry Ivan, took to the stage and made a plea for donations.
"Your continued support and word of mouth is key," Ivan said. "Please know that no amount is too small. And no amount is too large."
LaRosa said fundraising efforts have generated $155,000 so far — nearly a third of what is needed by Jan. 31. She said she expects that figure to be a little higher once all of the weekend donations are tallied.
The handful of remaining employees today are people like the groundskeeper, who can maintain the building. Ivan is staying on in a one- or two-day-a-week capacity to assist with fundraising.
Patrons at yesterday's final show included David Fellows, chairman of the theater board, who sat in the back row along the wall, and Joanne Patton of Hamilton, a donor and former board member, who embraced the ushers, Moran and Morenski, and shared words of encouragement as she made her way into the theater-in-the-round.
"We've been kind of upbeat," Moran said. "I hope that a theatrical angel will step up to the plate."
Other volunteers and patrons said they, too, are hopeful the theater will raise the money it needs to reopen, albeit with a reduced staff and schedule.
"I do believe they'll raise the money," Margaret Pomer said, "because it's an established place. People have been coming here for years and they enjoy it."
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