It’s been almost three years since the owners of Jesters Dinner Theatre announced that the beloved Longmont institution was up for sale. But passing by 224 Main Street on any given weekend, its lights are still on, the parking lot is full and the “For Sale” sign is nowhere to be seen.

Despite announcing its final curtain call in 2022, Jesters has quietly refused to exit the stage — much to the delight (and occasional confusion) of Front Range theater lovers.

After a journey that included almost three years on the market, a sale that never materialized, one GoFundMe campaign that fell short and a whole lot of community support, co-owners Scott and Mary Lou Moore are looking towards the future. The husband-and-wife duo have plans to keep the theater running and have a full season of stage productions on the calendar slated for the next year.

When the Moores announced they were stepping away from the business in March of 2022, the couple said they were eager to spend more time with family and pursue other interests after decades of working 60- to 70-hour weeks at the theater. Their decision to shutter came after navigating COVID-related interruptions and the mounting challenges of running a small theater in an increasingly screen-focused world.

Jester’s property — located among the hustle and bustle of downtown Longmont — was listed for $2 million as a prime redevelopment opportunity. The timing seemed right, especially given Longmont’s booming post-pandemic real estate market. With interest from developers at an all-time high, selling the building appeared to be a logical next step for the couple. It would give them a clean break from the demanding business they lovingly nurtured for more than 30 years. With that in mind, the Moores were prepared to close the curtain for good after a final production of “Guys and Dolls.”

While the timing may have felt right for the Moores, for longtime Jesters performer Amber Sutherland, the thought of the theater closing was unthinkable. Sutherland saw an opportunity to save the space she and so many others had come to call home — if only she could raise enough money to buy it herself.

“I was sad to see something that had created such a special place — a comfortable place for so many people — go away,” Sutherland said. “Everyone there just loved the theater so much, and I wanted to see if I could do something to help protect that home for the actors and for myself.”

In a valiant — if slightly optimistic — effort, Sutherland launched a “Save the Jesters” GoFundMe campaign with a lofty goal of raising $2 million, the price she needed to purchase the theater outright. While the campaign didn’t hit its mark, it did rally the community, raising $11,580 from 63 donors, none of whom were ready to say goodbye to the beloved neighborhood dinner theater.“We didn’t raise nearly enough to buy Jesters, so we started brainstorming other ideas — ways we could keep things going and maybe find a new home,” Sutherland said.

They ultimately partnered with The Arts Hub, a nonprofit arts center in Lafayette, as a temporary solution.

“We felt like if we could bring everyone along with us, we could at least keep the same vibe and move Jesters to a different place,” Sutherland said.

The team launched a fundraiser and began staging productions at The Arts Hub, at 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette, with the help of performers who had been part of the Jesters community for years. Before reallocating the funds, they reached out to donors for permission, explaining the new plan.

“Everyone agreed, so we went ahead and started producing shows there,” Sutherland said.

While the effort couldn’t save Jesters in its original form, Sutherland acknowledged that the campaign had an impact.

“We didn’t meet the $2 million goal, but we did get a lot of people to care,” she said. “That’s the next best thing.”

With the GoFundMe campaign coming up short, the Moores turned their focus back to making a sale. Despite the bustling market of Longmont and the building’s prime location, Jesters real estate spot was never officially purchased.

Though it did come close.

In 2024, the building was under contract as part of a proposed public-private partnership with River Caddis Development LLC, a real estate developer based out of Ingham County, Michigan. The developers expressed interest in a mixed-use project encompassing the Jesters property and neighboring parcels. However, as co-owner Scott Moore explained, the deal fell through when the city and the developer couldn’t align their visions for the project.

“We were warned that these partnerships fall apart about half the time,” Moore said. “There are just too many hands involved and too many conflicting ideas.”

Without an agreement in place, the property remained unsold. By the end of 2024, the Moores decided to take it off the market entirely. The City of Longmont has confirmed that there are currently no active development proposals for the site, which leaves the future of 224 Main Street uncertain for now.

In the meantime, the Moores have shifted their focus back to running the theater, leaving its long-term fate to be determined.

“Taking it off the market has allowed us to concentrate on what we do best,” Moore said. “We’re no longer distracted by wondering if anyone’s looking at the building or making offers. We can just focus on the theater.”

And focus on theater, they are. Jesters has a full season of productions planned through December 2025, with highlights including a youth production of “The Wizard of Oz,” an improv comedy show and 10-week run of “Shrek: The Musical,” opening on Saturday.

For Moore, putting on Shrek the Musical is an exciting way to usher in a new era for Jesters.

“We first did ‘Shrek’ in 2019 with students and just fell in love with the show,” Moore said. “The script is excellent, the music is great and it’s funny while also carrying a meaningful theme of acceptance and community. It’s such a good show.”

The production is a familiar title, which helps draw in audiences, Moore said, thanks to the popularity of the animated film starring Mike Meyers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy.

“That helps sell tickets,” Moore noted.

But staging Shrek hasn’t been without its challenges — especially in the costume department.

“My wife was so frustrated during the process that she swore she’d never do it again,” he said, with a laugh. “But now that all the costumes are made, she’s like, ‘I guess we have to do the show again since I already made everything!’”

Scott and Mary Lou Moore are truly a dynamic duo. They handle everything from directing and producing shows to sewing costumes, playing the piano and managing day-to-day operations — all with a hands-on approach that keeps the theater running like a well-rehearsed production.

“Its a labor of love.,” Scott Moore said. “It took a long time for people to even know we were here. I can’t tell you how many times, even 15 years in, people would say, ‘I never knew you were here — I drive by

this place every day!”

Moore added: “In recent years we’ve seen more people come through, especially after Boulder Dinner Theatre closed. Many of their patrons were looking for another option, and they’ve been coming to Jesters. For the most part, they’ve been pleasantly surprised by what they’ve found here.”

Guests would be hard-pressed to not be pleasantly surprised by productions at Jesters, especially when the ticket includes dinner, too. Tickets for “Shrek” are $52-$55 for adults.

Where else can you enjoy live theater and a concession menu that trades out stale popcorn and soda for beef stroganoff and a pomegranate martini?

Jesters also invests in the next generation of performers through its youth classes, which range from $300 to $350 and culminate in live performances. These programs give young actors the chance to experience the magic of theater while supporting the production company. And this gives parents the chance to watch their kids shine on stage while scarfing down chicken cordon bleu and a glass of chardonnay.

For performer Sutherland, she said the key to keeping Jesters alive is for people to show up.

“Honestly, just go see theater,” Sutherland said. “That’s what we do it for, and that’s what we need — people to come watch, to support us by being in the audience. Theaters can always use donations and sponsorships, too. It’s a hard art to keep alive. Theater requires a big space, and you can’t really charge outrageous ticket prices, so it’s challenging to sustain. But showing up, supporting, and contributing when you can makes a big difference.”

According to Moore, the community’s support has always been central to Jesters’ success.

“The best way to help is by coming to shows and enrolling in classes,” Moore said. “We’ve never gone nonprofit because we didn’t want a board of directors dictating decisions. My wife and I like being able to make those decisions ourselves. Also, we’ve always wanted our success to come from people buying tickets and supporting us directly, not from government grants or external funding.”

To help support the Moores and Boulder County’s last remaining dinner theater, guests can snag tickets to “Shrek the Musical,” which is on stage starting Saturday and runs through March 30. Local kids can also sign up for acting classes — or, if you’re feeling particularly generous, donating $2 million to the cause.

Tickets are available at jesterstheatre.com.