Austin Musical Theatre, the six-year old Texas company performing out of the Paramount Theatre, will be forced to suspend operations if $500,000 is not raised by Nov. 18, executive director David Jenkins has announced. The theatre produces three musicals a year and is scheduled to revive Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella and Guys and Dolls in the coming months.

The Sept. 19-Oct. 6, critically well-received production of My Fair Lady sped along the demise of AMT as $625,000 worth of tickets were sold for the $1 million revival, the Austin American-Statesman reported Nov. 5. Austin has recently suffered several artistic losses with the firing of Joseph McClain at Austin Lyric Opera for deficits in the company's ledgers and the projected eviction of either Austin Museum of Art or Austin Children's Museum so the federal government can build a courthouse.

Austin Musical Theatre launched itself six years ago with a production of Peter Pan at the Paramount Theatre. Since then, they have revived the classics of American and British musical theatre from Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music to A Chorus Line and Jesus Christ Superstar.

For now, subscribers are encouraged to hold on to their Cinderella and Guys and Dolls tickets. For information on how to help the Austin Musical Theatre or to donate money, contact David Jenkins through Austin Musical Theatre, PO Box 1528, Austin, TX 78776 or e-mail him at [email protected]

— By Christine Ehren