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MISSION & VISION
MISSION & VISION

Strategic Plan 2017-2022

Community Awareness and Outreach
Superior Artistic Theatre
Financial Sustainability

Vision

The premier choice for producing live performance and providing theatre education i n North Texas.

Mission

Theatre Arlington enhances the quality of life in North Texas by presenting superior, diverse artistic experiences through performance, production, and education.

Core Values

Superior Quality
Live Performance
Education
Community Engagement & Outreach

Goals

Strengthen the core of Theatre Arlington to maintain and expand its superior artistic programs
Enhance the awareness and reputation of Theatre Arlington
Strengthen the economic sustainability of Theatre Arlington

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President,
Governance Chair
& Legal Committee Chair
Lynn Rossi Scott 

Strategic Planning Chair & Past President

Brian George

Secretary
Robin Dotson 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Chair & Parliamentarian

Dr. Felicia Abram 

Treasurer &
Finance Committee Chair
Nina Jones

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Governance & Legal Chair

Courtney Perez

 

Resource Development Chair & Annual Gala Co-Chair
Shalyn Clark

Board Development Chair & Annual Gala Co-Chair
Kara Lidell

Hospitality Chair
Sharon Kaye Miller

Governmental Relations Chair
Dr. Aaron Reich

Sponsorship
Chair
Peter Scott

Renovation Steering Committee
Chair
Craig Lidell

Guild President
Susan Malone

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Jenna Anderson

Barry Bondurant

Charles Brady

Al Clark

Lori Craig

Mark Craig

Bridgett Davis

Tracie Donaldson

Victoria Esquibell

Jack Hardaway

Pam Hardaway

William Harper

Kimberley Hussey

 Diane Kinzlmaier

Chris Menger

Dinah Menger

Michael Miller

Debbie Peach

Debra Freiheit Reich

Penny Reichert

Misty Shatto

Dr. Richard Urso

ADVISORY BOARD

Nadia DeStefano
Lee Anne Gierisch
Micah Green
Trinli Milliorn
Steve Pierret

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IN THE NEWS

 
IN THE NEWS
DFW Stage: Review of Gypsy - A Musical Fable

 

 


 

Dallas Voice: Review of Gypsy - A Musical Fable

 

 


 

Dallas Theatre Journal: Review of Gypsy - A Musical Fable

 


 
Onstage NTX: Review of Gypsy - A Musical Fable

 

 


 

John Garcia's THE COLUMN: Review of Gypsy - A Musical Fable

 


 

Theatre Arlington's 50th Anniversary Season Announced

 

 

 

 

Theatre Arlington to Receive $10,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

Arlington, TX
January 10, 2023
 

Theatre Arlington named Small Non-Profit Business of the Year by the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce

Arlington, TX 
August 6, 2022
 

BIZ TV with Guest Steven D. Morris
Arlington, TX
May 2022

 
Wonderful entertainment awaits at the corner of West & Main Streets

Theatre Arlington proudly announces 49th season
Arlington, TX, November 15, 2021







Drama unfolds at the corner of West and Main as renovations are set to begin
Arlington, TX July 15, 2021








Honor the arts legacy of Persis Forster

All of us at Theatre Arlington are deeply saddened by the passing of Persis Forster, known as “Miss Persis” to her multitudes of dance students as well as everyone else. In addition to creating THE dance studio everyone attended and sent their children and grandchildren to, Miss Persis was also a founder of Theatre Arlington, along with Shirley Orr and Charlotte Owen.
To honor her legacy, Theatre Arlington is raising funds to name one of its classrooms in Miss Persis’ memory during our renovation. To donate, please click https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/donate.php?donation_id=1093  In the Special Instructions, please type in “Team Persis.”

Thank you for helping us honor our Miss Persis. You also can donate by mailing a check to Theatre Arlington, 305 W. Main St., Arlington, TX, 76116 or by contacting Cathy O’Neal at 817.261.9628, ext. 206 or cathy@theatrearlington.org.

 
 
 
 
 

The corner of West and Main Street is about to get a whole new look!
Theatre Arlington receives $2 Million Capital Project grant
Arlington, TX, March 4, 2021

Theatre Arlington receives $80,000 operational grant
Arlington, TX, February 24, 2021
 
 

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THEATRE THURSDAY
THEATRE THURSDAY

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FAQS
GOT A QUESTION?

GENERAL INFORMATION

Is this a movie theater?
     No. We are a live theater in downtown Arlington.

What are your office hours?
     Box Office hours are Tuesday - Friday, 11 am – 5 pm; (phone lines open)
     Regular office hours are Tuesday - Friday, 10:30 am-5:30 pm

 Where are you located? 
   The theater is located at 305 W. Main St., Arlington, TX 76010. 
   The daytime box office is located at 316 W. Main St. across the street from the theater. Click here for a map.

 How long have you been operating? 
   Our first show, Light Up the Sky, was produced in 1973.


ABOUT OUR SHOWS

How many shows do you do a year?
     We are currently producing nine shows a season – musicals, comedies, dramas, youth shows and new works, in addition to our Club Series. The Club Series includes Club Cabaret, featuring various musical theater talent from the DFW area, Comedy Club featuring hilarious improv and sketch comedy and Play Reading Club, featuring staged readings of new or contemporary work with a cast and director talkback afterwards.. There is truly something for everyone.

 Is it reserved seating or open seating? 
     Reserved seating for mainstage productions. Theatre Arlington has a 180-seat theater.
     Open seating in the lobby for the club series.

Are reservations required?
     Reservations are recommended but not required.

What is your refund policy?
     No refunds. All sales are FINAL. 

Will my tickets be mailed?
     No. You will receive an email notification of your ticket purchase. When you arrive please show the usher your e-ticket, either on your phone or a printed version. You must arrive no later than 5 minutes prior to show time or risk having your tickets released to those on the waiting list.

What is the dress code for the theater?
     There is no dress code. Most of our patrons dress business casual.

Do you allow lap children at your shows?
    No. Children must be three years old or older to attend our productions.

What happens if I am late to a show?
     Theatre Arlington has a strict no late seating policy. Once the show has begun, there is no late seating.

May I take pictures or record the shows?
     No. Cameras and recording devices are prohibited by law in the theater.

Is there food available?
     Concessions are available for sale before the show and at intermission. Food and drinks are NOT allowed inside the theater.
     Theatre BARlington is now open in the lobby! Serving a selection of beers and wines!
     The Bar is open 1 hour before showtime, during intermission and for 1 hour after the show.

Are there discounts for groups?
     For groups of 10 or more, we offer a discount for all performances. Reserve your seats in advance. A 25% deposit is due at time of the reservation. Final numbers and payment are due 2 weeks prior to performance.

May I buyout the House?
     Are you looking for a location to host your company Holiday Party?  Or perhaps you just wish to treat your employees to a night out as a special thank you for all their hard work.  Well, look no further.  We even offer the opportunity to buy out an entire house at an affordable price.
Simply call the box office to reserve your seats with a 25% deposit.  Final numbers and payment are due two weeks before the show date.
Call 817-275-7661 to reserve your group today!

Will you hold a reservation and let me pay at the door?
     A reservation will not be held without payment unless you are a season subscriber.

Which credit cards do you accept?
     MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover

Is there a charge for phone and online reservations?
     There is a $2.00 per ticket convenience fee for all online and over-the-phone ticket sales. Click here to purchase tickets. This fee is waived for tickets purchased in person at the door or at the daytime box office.

I’m a season subscriber. Do I have to pay a convenience charge to reserve my tickets?
     No. The convenience charge is only for single tickets.
     Click here to make a reservation


OTHER QUESTIONS

How do I join your email mailing list?
      Click here to sign up!

How do I go about getting cast in a show?
     No experience necessary. Click here for a list of upcoming auditions.

For what ages do you have classes?
     Ages 3 to 93. Classes for youth and adults!  Click here for more information.

How do I apply or volunteer to work backstage?
     Please e-mail the Executive Producer – Steven D. Morris

How do I volunteer to work box office, concessions and administration?
     Join our amazing Theatre Arlington Guild! Annual membership fee is $15. Email our Guild President Gayle Krengel to join.

What shows have you done in the past?
     Click Here for a list of past productions since 1973.

How do we ask for donated tickets for our fundraiser?
     You must be a 501(c)3 organization and the gift certificate shall be used to help raise funds for your organization. Submit a letter of request on letterhead with a contact name and phone number. direct to the attention of Front-of-House Manager, Hannah Bell. Drop by, mail, or e-mail. If we are able to process your request, we will call for you to come by and pick up the gift certificate.

Do you rent props and costumes?
     Theatre Arlington is not renting or loaning any props or costumes at the moment. Please check back with us later. Thank you!

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STONY AWARDS
STONY AWARDS

Sunday February 25, 2024


Honoring the excellent work of actors, directors, musical directors, designers, crew members and volunteers.
Thank you to all the people who shared their wonderful talents with us.
Achievement in Excellence Awards are given in 3 Categories: Performance, Design & the Club Series
The Stony Awards will take place at Theatre Arlington. 
6 pm – Reception
6:30 pm – Awards Program Begins
The event is free, but you do need a ticket.
Please note: Our ticketing platform Tickets to the City will initially show a cost of $27 per ticket. However, it will automatically reset to $0 once you click “Checkout”. No payment is required.

Click Here for Tickets!

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PAST PRODUCTIONS
PAST PRODUCTIONS
2023 (50th Season)
Gypsy
Noises Off
On Golden Pond
Fly by Night
Superior Donuts
Avenue Q
American Son
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, JR.
A Christmas Carol: The Radio Show
Club Series:
     Club Cabaret
     Comedy Club
     Play-Reading Club (The Game by Brian George & Arntey Jackson by James Anthony Tyler)
2022 (49th Season)
Sister Act
The Piano Lesson
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Black Comedy
Biloxi Blues
The Cake
Roald Dahl's James & The Giant Peach, JR.
Hooray for Holidays
Club Series:
     Club Cabaret
     Comedy Club
     Play-Reading Club (American Son, Fade, Fat Pig, Cowboy vs Samurai)
2020-2021 (48th Season)
(Abbreviated season due to Covid-19 pandemic)
Comedy Tonight Musical Revue
Theatre Arlington's Holiday Party Musical Revue
Cabaret Series
2019-2020 (47th Season)
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Winnie the Pooh
Hooray for Holidays: Theatre Arlington's Musical TV Special
Ripcord
A Raisin in the Sun
Damn Yankees  (Cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic)
The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley, JR.  (Cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic)
Biloxi Blues  (Cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic)
Cabaret Series
2018-2019 (46th Season)
9 to 5 The Musical
The Adventures of Nate the Great
The Magical City of Oz
Miracle on 34th Street
Dead Man's Cell Phone
Junie B. Jones The Musical Jr.
A Few Good Men
They're Playing Our Song
Brighton Beach Memoirs

2017-2018 (45th Season)
Bus Stop
Branching Out (staged reading)
Plaid Tidings: Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid
Sylvia
DreamWorks Shrek The Musical Jr.
Red
Footloose The Musical
Stellaluna
The Sweetest Swing in Baseball

2016-2017 (44th Season)
Guys and Dolls
Blithe Spirit
A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged
School of Rock - The Musical
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird
Legally Blond The Musical
Pinocchio Commedia
Einstein: A Stage Portrait

2015-2016 (43rd Season)
Hello, Dolly!
The Outsiders
Irvin Berlin's White Christmas
Light Up the Sky
Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella
The Mystery of Irma Vep: A Penny Dreadful
My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra
Gracefully Ending
Calendar Girls

2014-2015 (42nd Season)
Whodunit - The Musical
Miracle on South Division Street
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Boeing Boeing
Disney's The Little Mermaid JR.
Becky's New Car
Urinetown, The Musical
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
Mama Won't Fly

2013-2014 (41st Season)
Altar BOYZ
Of Mice and Men
A Tuna Christmas
Enchanted April
Disney's Mulan JR.
Doubt, a Parable
Nunsense
The Three Musketeers
The Nerd

2012-2013 (40th Season)
Rent
The 39 Steps
Annie
The Tale of the Allergist's Wife
OZ!
W;t
Always, Patsy Cline
Charlotte's Web
The Foreigner

2011-2012 (39th Season)
Forever Plaid
Corpse!
It's a Wonderful Life
Noises Off
Willy Wonka JR
Pete 'n' Keely
The Laramie Project
Alice in Wonderland
Hollywood Arms

2010-2011 (38th Season)
The Full Monty
Wait Until Dark
A Broadway Christmas Carol
Don't Dress for Dinner
Beauty and the Beast JR
Ain't Misbehavin'
How I Learned to Drive
The Hobbit
The Miss Firecracker Contest

2009-2010 (37th Season)
Big River
Stuart Little
Kringle's Window
The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940
Seussical JR
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Leading Ladies
The Dixie Swim Club

2008-2009 (36th Season)
Annie Get Your Gun
The Little Mermaid
Fruitcakes
Almost, Maine
Schoolhouse Rock Live! JR.
Are We There Yet?
The House of Blue Leaves
Cash on Delivery
Harvey

2007-2008 (35th Season)
Little Shop of Horrors
Bridge to Terabithia
A Christmas Story
Moonlight and Magnolias
Disney's Aladdin, Jr.
Working
The Book of Liz
The Boyfriend
Perfect Wedding

2006-2007 (34th Season)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Jungalbook
The Homecoming
The Underpants
OZ!
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change!
The Shadow Box
Das Barbecu
Arsenic and Old Lace

2005-2006 (33rd Season)
big: The Musical
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Over the Tavern
Cinderella
Angry Housewives
Rounding Third
Something's Afoot
Rumors

2004-2005 (32nd Season)
The Music Man
Honk! JR
Miracle on 34th Street
Driving Miss Daisy
James and the Giant Peach
Always...Patsy Cline
Kimberly Akimbo
Lucky Stiff
How the Other Half Loves

2003-2004 (31st Season)
Oliver
Wonderland! JR
Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus
On Borrowed Time
Charlotte's Web
Dinner With Friends
A Thousand Clowns
Clue: The Musical
You Can't Take It With You

2002-2003 (30th Season)
Pump Boys & Dinettes
Aesop's Falables
It's a Wonderful Life
Bus Stop
The Hobbit
Anything Goes
Art
Over the River and Through the Woods
Communicating Doors

2001-2002 (29th Season)
The Goodbye Girl
Schoolhouse Rock Live!
A Christmas Story
The Boys Next Door
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
Six Degrees of Separation
Les Liaisons Dangerous
The Man Who Came to Dinner

2000-2001 (28th Season)
Forever Plaid
The Homecoming
The Last Night of Ballyhoo
The Miracle Worker
The Secret Garden
Catch Me If You Can
No Sex Please, We're British

1999-2000 (27th Season)
Grease
As Bees in Honey Drown
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
The Foreigner
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Little Foxes
Moon Over Buffalo

1998-1999 (26th Season)
Smoke on the Mountain
The Compleat Works of Wm. Shakespeare Abridged
Miracle on 34th Street
The Twilight of the Golds
Bedroom Farce
1776
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird
Five Women Wearing the Same Dress

1997-1998 (25th Season)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum!
The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe
It's a Wonderful Life
The Trip to Bountiful
Blood Brothers
Funny Money
Dancing at Lughnasa
Don't Dress for Dinner

1996-1997 (24th Season)
Godspell
Beau Jest
The Homecoming
The Heiress
Into the Woods
Laughter on the 23rd Floor
Stepping Out
A Small Family Business

1995-1996 (23rd Season)
Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Vanities
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Marvin's Room
A Flea In her Ear
Ruthless
Lost in Yonkers
I Hate Hamlet

1994-1995 (22nd Season)
A Christmas Carol
A Country Christmas (Children's Theatre)
Hair
Noises Off
Dearly Departed
A Few Good Men
The Nerd

1993-1994 (21st Season)
Nunsense
The Cemetery Club
Lend Me a Tenor
Damn Yankees
Love of a Pig
Broadway Bound

1992-1993 (20th Season)
Cabaret
Blithe Spirit
Prelude To a Kiss
Six Women with Brain Death or Expiring Minds Want to Know
Rumors
Deathtrap
Biloxi Blues

1991-1992 (19th Season)
Romance/Romance
Daddy's Dyin': Who's Got the Will?
A Country Christmas (Children's Theatre)
Pump Boys & Dinettes
Run For Your Wife
Leader of the Pack
Steel Magnolias
Brighton Beach Memoirs

1990-1991 (18th Season)
Evita
Alice in Wonderland (Children's Theatre)
Isn't It Romantic
The Ransom of Red Chief (Children's Theatre)
Painting Churches (Studio Theatre)
The Boys Next Door
Mornings at 7
Crimes of the Heart
The Velveteen Rabbit (Children's Theatre)
Lunch Hour

1989-1990 (17th Season)
Pump Boys & Dinettes
She Loves Me
An Old-Fashioned Christmas (Children's Theatre)
Small Craft Warnings (Studio Theatre)
Amadeus
The Emperor's Invisible Clothes (Children's Theatre)
Mr. 80%
The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940
Hay Fever
The Octette Bridge Club (Studio Theatre)

1988-1989 (16th Season)
Angry Housewives
Season's Greetings
Christmas in Fairytale Land (Children's Theatre)
Extremities (Studio Theatre)
The Foreigner
Close Ties
Personals
Winnie the Pooh (Children's Theatre)
Alone Together
Fool for Love (Studio Theatre)

1987-1988 (15th Season)
Light Up the Sky
The Magical City of Oz (Children's Theatre)
Chicago
DTA's Children's Christmas Show
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All / The Actor's Nightmare (Studio Theatre)
The Women
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Children's Theatre)
Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean
Little Shop of Horrors
Cinderella (Children's Theatre)
Pack of Lies
Beyond Therapy (Studio Theatre)

1986-1987 (14th Season)
A Chorus Line
Winnie the Pooh (Children's Theatre)
Mass Appeal
DTA's Children's Christmas Show
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Veronica's Room (Studio Theatre)
A...My Name is Alice
Goldie and the Three Bears (Children's Theatre)
Hot L Baltimore
Is There Life After High School?
Aesop's Fables (Children's Theatre)
The Miss Firecracker Contest
Sleuth (Studio Theatre)
Egad, What a Cad! (Outdoor Melodrama)

1985-1986 (13th Season)
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Little Red Riding Hood & Her Not-So-Famous Sister (Children's Theatre)
Laundry & Bourbon / Lone Star
DTA's Children's Christmas Show
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking (Studio Theatre)
Celebration
Alice in Wonderland (Children's Theatre)
Quilters
I Do, I Do
Three Little Pigs (Children's Theatre)
The Oldest Living Graduate
Ladies at the Alamo (Studio Theatre)
Curse you, Jack Dalton (Outdoor Melodrama)

1984-1985 (12th Season)
Gypsy
The Magical City of Oz (Children's Theatre)
The Front Page
Charlie Brown Visits the North Pole (DTA's Children's Show)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Dames at Sea
The Emperor's Invisible Clothes (Children's Theatre)
Private Lives
Side by Side by Sondheim
The Dining Room
The Enchanted Forest (Children's Theatre)

1983-1984 (11th Season)
Guys & Dolls
Cinderella, Cinderella (Children's Theatre)
The Lion in Winter
The Christmas Doll's Review (DTA's Children's Show)
They're Playing Our Song
To Grandmother's House We Go
The Fantastics
A Tale of Sleeping Beauty (Children's Theatre)
That Championship Season

1982-1983 (10th Season)
Anything Goes
Dear Liar
The Typist / The Tiger
Working
Sean Victor O'Casey
The Women
Tribute

1981-1982 (9th Season)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Same Time, Next Year
The Philadelphia Story
An Evening of One-Acts
Company
Vanities
On Golden Pond
California Suite

1980-1981 (8th Season)
Charley's Aunt
Chapter Two
Catch Me If You Can
The Diary of Anne Frank
The Man Who Came to Dinner

1979-1980 (7th Season)
Lily, The Fein's Daughter (Melodrama)
Bus Stop
The Odd Couple
Cactus Flower
The Dark at the Top of the Stairs
Six Rms Riv Vu

1978-1979 (6th Season)
Unexpected Guest
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Count Dracula
Harvey
Relative Values
You Can't Take It With You

1977-1978 (5th Season)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
The Good Doctor
David and Lisa
Picnic
Enter Laughing

1976-1977 (4th Season)
The Apple Tree
The Subject Was Roses
Hay Fever

1975-1976 (3rd Season)
Private Lives
The Lion in Winter
What the Butler Saw

1974-1975 (2nd Season)
Spoon River Anthology
The Fantastics
Come Blow Your Horn
Picnic

1973-1974 (1st Season)
Light Up the Sky
The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wilde
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HISTORY
THEATRE ARLINGTON HISTORY

Decade One: The Potluck Players (1973 - 1982)

In 1973, a group of Arlington citizens got together to form a theater group. This group was originally called The Potluck Players, because they met in the Potluck Room of Miss Persis Dance Studio. Their first production of I Do, I Do was performed at Arlington High School and thus was the beginning of Theatre Arlington. With their second production, Light Up the Sky, they convinced a young director, Cliff Redd, to lead the group forward, and they soon changed their name to Arlington Community Theatre. Times were tough for this rag-tag troupe of theater gypsies, but with passion, energy and the ability not to say no, the group continued to perform anywhere they could find a space. In order to pay for things such as sets, royalties and costumes, cast and crew members (along with users and others) had to pay $10 for the honor of being associated with a show. These members paid happily to be part of a growing organization who had a love of live theater and community. 1981 found the group moving into a permanent home on Division Street. The 134-seat theater opened with the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum directed by Cliff Redd and choreographed by Persis Forster. The traveling group had finally found a space to roost and began producing seven shows per season!


Decade Two: Established on Main Street (1983-1992)

The second decade of the Theatre saw many changes. It now had a full-time staff! Cliff Redd was now its Executive Director. Judy Rehders and B.J. Cleveland were also on the payroll. The Theatre added a children’s series and a studio series, bringing the number of shows produced to a staggering nine to 14 per season! Through this time Theatre Arlington’s board and staff began developing a long-range plan. The major issue was to adequately provide the cultural experience of live theater to a larger audience without sacrificing the intimacy its patrons had come to love. The process began with the sale of the Division Street facility in 1990. In 1991, the Theatre saw a move in management and in venue. Penny Patrick became the Executive Director and the theater moved from its 134-seat playhouse to its new home on Main Street in the heart of Downtown Arlington in June. Renovations began and on New Year’s Eve 1991 the new 199-seat cabaret-style theater opened with a dynamite production of Pump Boys and Dinettes. With the board and staff working diligently to raise funds for more renovations, the third decade of the Theatre’s history promised an even brighter future ahead.

Decade Three: Expansion (1993-2002)

Theatre Arlington saw even more changes. Fundraising was completed and the opening of the Allan Saxe Mainstage Theatre in November 1994 was a tremendous step forward for the organization. The staff of the Theatre grew, as well. Shirley Orr was now the Box Office Manager. Patti Diou, Marketing Manager, Julie Aylor, Administrative Assistant and B.J. Cleveland was hired back as the Theatre’s new Artistic Director. In 1996, Theatre Arlington began offering year-round theater classes for children and adults. The Theatre also began its successful outreach arm with its ACTUPS program (Applied Creative Thinking Using Performance Skills). This program sends a resident artist into an at-risk school during the year teaching creative solutions to problems through theater games and techniques. The end of the decade brought major upheaval for the organization, but in a good way. The Theatre (and the patrons) got a downstairs restroom! Theatre Arlington’s great benefactor, Gene Patrick, purchased the old Chamber of Commerce building across the street. Now the Theatre had room to expand their education program, have a rehearsal space and new offices. In 2001, Executive Director Penny Patrick decided to add all-youth shows and introduce a new youth touring company, Standing Room Only, to the Theatre Arlington mix. Also, in 2001, The Secret Garden wins a Best of Tarrant Award and is recognized by the Star-Telegram as one of the top five theater productions in the Metroplex. Just one of the many accolades ahead for the organization.

Decade Four: Looking to the Future (2003-2012)

The fourth decade began with the addition of the TAG Players, the Theatre’s Senior Readers Theater outreach group. This group of seniors travels through the Metroplex performing for other senior organizations. In 2002, Patti Diou became the Executive Director of the Theatre and saw more changes in store. With the youth and education program growing, doing nine shows per season, outreach programs and two touring companies there was never a dull moment. In September 2004, a third renovation brought a more spacious lobby and new seating in the Theatre, but it wasn’t easy. In 2009, Todd Hart was appointed as Executive Producer of the Theatre. Looking back at the amazing people who have left their legacy, Hart realized he had to do what they did – look to the community and understand the importance of culture in that community. With the addition of new lighting and sound, a full-time professional staff, two buildings and serving more than 33,000 per season, Theatre Arlington grew from a small group of people performing in a dance studio to become the second largest and second oldest theater in Tarrant County. 

Decade Five: A History-Making Decade (2013 to 2022)

In 2016, a major change happened on Main Street when the state of Texas designated the downtown area as the Arlington Cultural Arts District with Theatre Arlington as an anchor arts organization. After some leadership changes, the theater hired Steven D. Morris as executive producer in 2018. Steven, who had been Lamar High School’s drama teacher for 27 years, has a long history with Theatre Arlington since the 1980s as an actor, director and writer of original shows. Steven had barely begun his first full season at the theater when the world shut down because of the pandemic. Theatre Arlington joined the rest of the arts and entertainment industry in being forced to close. During the enforced hiatus, conversations with city officials resulted in something amazing! Through the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation, the city agreed to grant the theater $2 million for a history-making renovation that would bring Arlington’s only live theater into the present and take it successfully into the future. While other theaters were sitting out the pandemic and its after effects, Theatre Arlington used the down time to plan the theater that Arlington needed with all new technology, an expanded lobby, a dedicated box office, new theater seating, a green room, new dressing rooms, expanded wing space and a new stage with a revolve. In 2021, the theater hired its first full-time development director and raised an additional $1.4 million. On March 25, 2022, the all-new Theatre Arlington re-opened for its first full season since the pandemic. The theater finished 2022 as a Small Professional Theater with Actors’ Equity Association and as the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Nonprofit of the Year.

 



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