Ioka Blows Past 1,000 Member Goal

The group looking to announced Saturday that it had reached – and in fact, exceeded – its goal of signing up 1,000 members by March 31.

The final total of 1,328 was posted on the marquee at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, to cheers from the 50 or so people in attendance at the rally. The number was updated later in the day to 1,340.

"This is great, but there's a lot of work ahead," said Carol Walker Aten of the Exeter Theater Company, the nonprofit group working with theater owner Alan Lewis to reopen the Ioka. "This is just one preliminary step."

At the same time, Walker Aten said she is confident about the Ioka's future.

"This is going to be a theater again – I have no doubt," she said.

Lewis was not able to attend Saturday's rally, but he did issue a statement on reaching the milestone.

"We congratulate the Exeter Theater Company on the success of its membership drive," he said. "We are working closely with the Exeter Theater Company on the next steps to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the Ioka to be a cultural treasure to the Seacoast community."

Check back on Monday morning for more on the Ioka rally, including what's next for the historic theater.