Fantasma’s Carefree Days Are Over

West Palm Beach, Fla.’s historic Carefree Theatre was deemed unsafe after a portion of its roof collapsed December 6th.

The venue’s future is uncertain and the incident has caused its main tenant, Fantasma Productions, to seek permanent residence elsewhere, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Approximately 600 people were attending the Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival at the theatre when the roof collapsed, and another 40 patrons were eating Chinese food at a restaurant housed in the venue, the paper said. The collapse happened in a part of the building that was not occupied.

People heard a crash, then water from broken sprinkler pipes. They were asked to vacate the premises for their safety.

Fantasma founder Jon Stoll has already moved the office and his 18 employees to 700 W. Olive, with a year lease. The promotion company, which runs the 750-capacity Carefree, had to cancel a concert on the schedule – Ottmar Liebert December 9th.

Regarding the future of the venue, Stoll – who could not be reached during the move – didn’t paint a positive picture to the Post.

“The problem is, it’s old,” the promoter said. “Old, old, old.”

The theatre, opened in 1939, has housed a bowling alley, a roller-skating rink, a laundromat and an ice cream parlor. A comedy club there hosted Jerry Seinfeld and Adam Sandler, among others.

Fantasma’s phone numbers and zip code remain the same.