This weekend, Melon Patch Players will sink the ship onto the stage as they present “Titanic: Musical.” But the mood at Lake County nonprofits is more buoyant than ever. A deal with the city of Leesburg has given a new home in the heart of downtown for the next 50 years.
The agreement then lifted the financial burden of repairing the former location of the theatre company, one of Central Florida’s oldest performing arts groups, where the theatre companies were housed in a corrupt building on the land the theatre purchased.
“We didn’t have the ability to financially do the repairs we needed. The roof was literally leaking users,” said Dustin Labine, executive director of Melon Patch Players. “This is the second time the city has helped the Melon Patch.”
Under the agreement, the city purchased Old Tropic Theater, a one-time cinema on Main Street. It has the idea that it will be shared by the Leesburg Arts Center, which hosts galleries with melon patch players, runs adult and youth classes, and hosts the annual Leesburg Art Festival.
The current home of Centre for Arts is also owned by the city. The city owns it and plans to demolish the building and create a downtown car park. If an increased artistic presence in the city leads to more visitors as expected, it may be necessary.
The arts organization’s move was part of a complex relocation round caused by the need to provide more space to the city’s gas sector. At the same time, the buildings used by the Arts Center needed repairs and more parking in downtown.
“There are a few aspects coming together and together with the owners of the Tropic Theater, who are looking to sell the (Tropic Theater), we have made the entire concept possible,” says Leesburg City Manager. “Coupled with a desire to increase the arts and culture in Downtown and grant available money, we have achieved complex solutions to multiple situations.”
The Tropic Theater was owned by Dance Dynamix. This is currently moving a little further away. The dance school didn’t need all the spaces in the tropical theatre, Lavine said.
Dance Dynamics was the latest owner of the Tropic, which opened in 1937 as a cinema known as the Fein Theatre. In 1946, Kumba’s family purchased the theatre and in 1960 they changed their name to Tropic Theater.
Dance Dynamix owner Terri Hicks bought the building in 2006 and presented live music, comedy and other entertainment along with the dance school. The city paid about $2.16 million to buy the tropical, and Minner is using money from the Federal American Recovery Funds grant program during the Covid era.
Melon Patch Theatre paid the city $150,000 upfront for 50-year leases and money from selling the previous building. “It’s a good bargain,” Lavine said of the $3,000 annual rent. Nonprofits are also responsible for some of the utility and the theatre-related improvements it wants to do.
The city handles structural issues and expensive items such as air treatment systems.
“I’m really happy not to worry about that,” Labine said.
The stage and behind the scenes area were slightly smaller than the previous location, leading to a “giant learning curve” when players opened “Ben-Har” in new spaces in January. Those hiccups were ironed, Labine said.
“There are so many positive things, so these growing pains aren’t an issue,” he said.
Among those positives are far more patron-friendly lobby, about twice the size of the old location and boasting a “beautiful concession stand.” He also said there will be a comfortable outdoor area to mix pre-shows with breaks, plush seats in the 240-seat theater and a better toilet.
“The experience of a patron is important,” Labine said. “And this is where you want to be.”
At least one downtown business has already seen the benefits of having a downtown theatre, he said. McCracken’s Irish pub, just below the street, offers late-night menus for shownights for customers looking for food and drinks after the performance.
“That’s what we need to do. We’ll continue to support each other,” Labine said.
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There’s a lot more to come from the relocation plan. Arts Centre staff are preparing to move to Tropic later this year as Dance Dynamics moves into the new space.
“The board and staff of Leesburg Centre for the Arts are looking forward to being alongside Tropic’s melon patch players,” said Richard D. Colvin, executive director of the Arts Center. “We are grateful for the city of Leesburg for its visionary support of the arts.”
Minner said it would probably take about 18 months for all aspects of the plan, including the new parking lot, to become “squares.”
“Hopefully we’ve found the perfect solution for the city, car park, arts centre, Melon Patch and downtown Leedsburg,” he said.
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It was bittersweet to leave the theatre company’s previous home, but “we were there for 70 years and there was a lot of emotional attachment to it,” says Lavine – he’s sure the move will win for a melon patch player.
“We have a lot of support in the city,” he said. “We are very blessed.”
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“Titanic: Musical”
Location: Melon Patch Player at Tropic Theater, 122 W. Main Street Leedsburg Time: March 21st – April 6th Cost: $24, $10 for Students: melonpatchplayers.org
Original issue: March 21, 2025 5:02am EDT
