...907, 908, 909... Ioka Group Close to Goal

An intense grassroots campaign by a group trying to revive Exeter's is paying off.

The group, the Exeter Theater Company, is close to achieving its goal of signing up 1,000 members by the end of March. It had a little more than 900 as of Monday – putting it well on its way to reaching the goal.

The group is working with , who won a for the theater after its former owner couldn't pay the mortgage.

Lewis is prepared to lease the Ioka to the theater company under extremely favorable terms – $1 a year for 99 years – if it can meet the 1,000-member mark.

The theater company has pulled out all the stops, getting businesses to to people who sign up, setting up signup tables at multiple town events – including last week's , which netted more than 50 new members, and getting radio spots on the air, among other efforts.

The theater company has also been holding for members of the community to voice their ideas about what should be shown at the Ioka when it reopens.

For more on the Ioka revival effort, visit our on Exeter Patch. The theater company also runs a constantly updated Facebook page.