Ioka Supporters Holding Rally Saturday

A group trying to buy the historic Ioka building in downtown Exeter and turn it into a community theater will hold a rally Saturday at noon.

The Exeter Theater Company wants to purchase the Ioka from local philanthropist Alan Lewis, who won a bidding war for it at a 2011 auction.

Lewis initially wanted to lease the building to the theater company, but changed his mind and now wants the company to buy it.

The theater company has tried to raise $600,000 in recent months for the purchase. Lewis bought the building for that price.

"The response to our fundraising appeals in these past 30 days has been very good, but we know that large and corporate donors are holding off on contributing, waiting in the wings to step forward once we have ownership of the theater," said Tony Callendrello, chairman of the Exeter Theater Company board. "This rally on Saturday may be the last opportunity for our community to speak as one voice that we want the IOKA back."

The theater company held a similar rally in March 2012 (see video at right).

The theater company wants to fix up the Ioka and make it available for movies, plays, concerts, and other performances.

The Ioka was built in 1915 and for decades screened films, among other performances. Before it was sold to Lewis, the building was used as a Zumba studio.

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