ATLANTA — Show biz is one tough racket.

But Jeff Watkins says his crew knows how to fight.

“It says everything there is to know about us. Everybody pulled together,” Watkins said.

Watkins is the Artistic Director of The Atlanta Shakespeare Company.

A few weeks back somebody with lighter fluid and a match started a fire in the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse along Peachtree Street in Midtown.

“They poured lighter fluid in our mailbox,” Watkins said.

The sprinkler system put it out, but Jeff says the water stayed on for another half an hour. The end result was more than $150,000 dollars in damage.

He says it could have been a whole lot worse.

“The biggest, scariest thing was directly below us. Our costume shop,” he said.

It’s a lucky thing that a member of the staff was in the building during the late hour when the fire was started.

They rushed to move dozens of costumes out of harm’s way and saved the wardrobe needed for the current play: Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida.

“All you really have in terms of your next week’s payroll is what you bring in ‘this’ week. So, yes. The show must go on,” Watkins said.

A preview performance is set for Thursday and Friday.

Opening night is Saturday.

There is an effort to raise funds to repair the playhouse.

You can learn more on their website.