Actor Linda Kelsey, one of the chairs of Park Square's capital campaign spoke at a recent fundraiser.

Recession? What recession? Park Square Theatre has reached 75 percent of its $4.2 million Next Stage campaign. The St. Paul troupe announced grants of $350,000 from The St. Paul Foundation and $200,000 from the F.R. Bigelow Foundation as well as new gifts from individuals that totaled $50,000. Park Square still needs about $1 million to reach its goal — which would trigger construction of a new 142-seat thrust stage in the basement of the company's Historic Hamm Building home.

Already, Park Square has spent $500,000 of the funds to refurbish the 350-seat auditorium with new seats and carpeting. Headed by artistic director Richard Cook, Park Square has been about the most-ambitious midsized theater working in the past few years. Operations have grown 30 percent over the past three years and the troupe has nearly doubled its hiring of local artists. For example, a production of "Ragtime" next season will use 35 actors.

The campaign is spearheaded by theater lovers Jim and Cindie Smart and actor Linda Kelsey.

As a side note, Cook told a crowd at a recent Summit Avenue fundraiser that Park Square has topped last season's record-breaking ticket sales. With two shows yet to go ("Opus," opening May 13, and "Panic" on June 17), attendance for the season is 57,242, compared to 55,832 all of last year. Subscriptions for next season are up 38 percent over the record set in 2010.