Here's the advice I got from a techie who's been in the business for decades and this will give you the opportunity to grow with your theatre.  The speakers mentioned are SMALL, but put out great sound if you're indoors.  See if you can find someone at a music store who rents the stuff to advise on speakers you can use outdoors.  We run our effects/music from an iPod through the soundboard and it works fine.

Sorry.  Clinton.  My bad.  I shouldn't have shortened your name.  People routinely shorten my screen name to “magic” so since this is a message board, I didn’t think it a problem.  I won’t do it again, though.

Note that I said, "there's plenty of good used equipment out there that can be had for much less than full price.”

That was kind of the point of that sentence preceding all the other ones.  It sets up what can be purchased – USED – for a good price, thereby allowing the buyer to do so for quite a bit less than the 5 grand you suggested.  Since most good equipment typically sells used for 50% to 60% of new, 3 grand was a reasonable estimate based on your 5 grand figure.  Note also that I encouraged her to find someone she trusts to help her find it, that is knowledgeable about these items.

Perhaps my suggestion of finding equipment at Sweetwater was misunderstood.  I meant it in terms of a good place to search for what one might want, then have a tech person help them find it used, locally.

A Bose stick for a theater?  I understand why a single acoustic folk singer or duo might do well with such a system, or perhaps a traveling improve troupe of three players where set and scenery are non-existent, but beyond that, a Bose stick isn’t terribly useful for a theatrical sound person trying to run sound effects that requires even simple things like panning hard left or right, or for a system that may require expansion in the future.  They have few inputs, and as such, would be woefully inadequate for theatrical needs.  I would surmise that’s why Bose markets them to musicians, instead of theaters.  Besides, where would you place it if you had a backdrop?  A set with plywood flats that stretches across the stage?  Not terribly useful, I don't think.

There is one bit of very important information missing. What do you expect to use this system for?

Having a system like the one OP gave a link to is nice in that it doesn't require a lot of set-up and it all packs into a neat little package. However the one shown is more appropriate for selling ShamWows or small seminars. The system shown is too limited for any use for theatrical. There are similar systems that might work, but they will be a lot more money.

For theatrical use you usually need a sound operator. Are you going to be happy with a sound operator standing behind a speaker on the apron? A minimum requirement is to separate the speakers from the mixer. I personally wouldn't want the amplifier to be built into the speakers or the mixer, but I can see how that might be attractive for a person that is not into technical stuff. With so little money available, you might do better to try renting different systems until you find something you like.

Are you just amplifying voices or do you need to get over an orchestra or even a Piano? It matters.

Will it be used for music playback or just voice? You may need bigger speakers to make music sound decent.

Will it have to reproduce sound effects? a ringing telephone doesn't take much, but thunder takes a lot.