мÓƶà¶à¿ª½±¼Ç¼

"It's been a long dress rehearsal, then all of a sudden, showtime," Angela Daddabbo, the theater's artistic director, told мÓƶà¶à¿ª½±¼Ç¼. "We've been rehearsing so long we almost forgot a show was coming."

That show came May 11, when Café 108 welcomed its first indoor diners. Before then, all food and beverages were sold to go, or to be enjoyed at the business's outdoor seating on Exchange Street.

Daddabbo said the staff decided to open for indoor dining after every member was vaccinated against COVID-19. Only half of the café's seating has been installed due to the continuing need for social distancing, but so far, the move has increased business about 20%. Proceeds from the café support Auburn Public Theater, and the business pays rent to the nonprofit arts and culture organization.

Though Café 108 is now almost fully open, and has been serving customers for nine months, its grand opening won't take place until the end of June. Its hours — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays — may be extended then as well. In the meantime, the staff will continue tweaking its menu and "building as solid a foundation in these weird times as we possibly can," Daddabbo said.

Further away, however, is the reopening of Auburn Public Theater.

Since March 2020, the theater Daddabbo and Executive Director Carey Eidel founded 16 years ago has not hosted any of the concerts, plays or other events that normally pack its calendar.

The theater could resume hosting those events this week under the state's COVID-19 guidance, which in April began  indoor performing arts and entertainment venues to reopen with a capacity limit of 33% or 100 people (whichever is lower). But, as Daddabbo explained, reopening a venue like the downtown theater isn't as simple as opening the doors and turning the lights on.

The organization cut its staff from six to three — Daddabbo, Eidel and Director of Operations Janie MicGlire — and they're spending most of their time working at the café for half of their salaries. Even with a full staff, though, a season at the theater requires significant lead time to book. And many of the entertainers who have worked with the theater still aren't committed to touring again.

That's why the next event on the theater's schedule, a concert by singer/songwriter David Wilcox, isn't until Sept. 24. He and other performers scheduled for later this year were booked for earlier shows at the theater before the pandemic began. But Daddabbo said there's a chance the theater will host more informal events in its Stage Right space, such as a jam night, later this summer. Meanwhile, work continues on the renovation of the theater's 13,000-square-foot basement into multipurpose space, the second phase of the $1.9 million expansion that created the café.

For now, then, the only ways to support the theater are , buying food and beverages at Café 108 — or ordering a new beer from Prison City Brewing.

The Auburn brewery recently participated in Curtain Up, a nationwide effort to make beers that support arts workers. But Prison City owners Dawn and Marc Schulz not only selected the theater as the beneficiary of its beer, they took inspiration from Eidel. When brewer Ben Maeso heard Eidel was fond of Pilsner Urquell, he made a similar Czech pilsner and even invited Eidel to help brew it.

The beer, also called Curtain Up, is now on tap at Prison City's brewpub on State Street and urban farm on North Street. It can also be purchased in Crowlers (32-ounce cans) at the brewpub.

Daddabbo shared her gratitude for the fundraiser, and for the Schulzes. They've regularly ordered catering from Café 108, she said, which she finds particularly generous since they own a restaurant. 

"They've been amazing community partners and fabulous neighbors," Daddabbo said. "When we're ready to tell the success story of the café, every person who's bought any items here is part of that."