Bread & Water Theatre Fights Back (and needs your help)

Almost two years ago Bread & Water Theatre received a letter in the mail from the City of Rochester. The letter stated that we were in violation of the law and needed to get an Entertainment Center license to continue operating within the city limits. As an organization we had long been a tenent at 243 Rosedale St., a church bordering Cobbs Hill Park and Brighton.

More letters followed demanding the theatre get the required license or else fines would begin to accrue. In addition, the city forced the church at the threat of additional fines to get a zoning variance which they did.

In February of this year J.R. Teeter, Artistic Director of Bread & Water Theatre was ticketed and summoned to an administrative hearing. At the hearing J.R. was found not guilty of operating an entertainment center.

The reason for the not-guilty verdict are two fold. 1. The city ticketed Mr. Teeter when they should have ticketed Bread & Water Theatre. 2. Nowhere in the city ordinance are non-profit organizations listed as being required to get an entertainment center license. Only businesses and individuals.

During our hearing we were able to secure the services of a local attorney who operated pro bono on our behalf. Since the time of our hearing City Hall has contacted us and informed us that they will again ticket our organization and revoke the zoning variance allowing us to operate in the church.

As an organization we wish to be proactive in this effort and fight city hall. To do so we need the support of other community organizations and to be represented by an attorney that can operate in a pro bono manner. In short, we want to sue the city and have the law governing entertainment center licenses found unconstitutional. There is already a great deal of case law supporting this point of view, but it will take a lawsuit to drive it home.

The more organizations and businesses that come together and support the lawsuit the more it will demonstrate how oppressive this law is in regard to freedom of speech and assembly. It will also spread out any costs involved among many groups rather than an individual group. An legal support given will be treated as an inkind donation to the theatre and will be tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

To support our efforts or find out more e-mail info@breadandwatertehatre.org. If you do not help us fight this eventually the city will come knocking on your door telling you that you are in violation of the law and need to get an entertainment center license before having your political, social, cultural or religious meeting.