Huntington Opens New Production Center in Everett

The Huntington Theatre Company officially opened the new Huntington Production Center in Everett, MA on Thursday, August 10 with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by over 80 people including Huntington supporters and stakeholders, Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Everett Kevin O'Donnell, Deputy Chief of Staff Catherine Rollins, Everett City Council members Fred Capone and Michael McLaughlin, Everett Representative Joe McGonagle, Production Center landlords Ed Owens, Sr. and Ed Owens, Jr., and Boston's Chief of Arts and Culture Julie Burros.

The new Huntington Theatre Company Production Center in Everett includes 25,000 square feet of production space, 18,000 square feet of storage space, and 4,000 square feet of office space, housing the company's prop, paint, and scenic shops. The new facility features large, open, and flexible work areas and onsite prop, costume, and scenery storage, allowing Huntington staff to produce more complex design work in a more efficient workspace, and to build upon the Huntington's community mission by expanding production services to other arts organizations, entertainment venues, and companies throughout the region. The Huntington's former production facility, located at 252-258 Huntington Avenue and previously owned by Boston University, will become the site of a new building developed by QMG Huntington LLC who purchased the lot in May 2016.

"I'm so delighted to welcome all of you to an extraordinary first step in the re-invention and the re-capitalization and the re-imagination of the Huntington Theatre Company, starting here with the dedication of this Production Center in Everett," said Managing Director Michael Maso as he welcomed the crowd.

"This is the first step in the journey that we are on right now to transform the Huntington Theatre Company," said Board Chairman David R. Epstein. "We've been a successful organization in Boston for 35 years, and we have ambitious plans about how to create the kind of facility that will entertain not just our children but our grandchildren."

"We are open for business," said Artistic Director Peter DuBois at Thursday's ribbon cutting ceremony. "The Huntington Production Center is going to enable us to expand our community mission, and the Huntington will be able to serve more theatre companies in the Boston area. We will also be able to serve the burgeoning, expanding, growing television and film community and our special events community."

The Huntington worked with Leggat McCall Properties (Boston) to select the Everett location and with Dacon (Natick) to design and build out the site. Construction was completed in June, the Huntington staff moved into the space in July, and work has begun to construct the sets of Merrily We Roll Along, the Huntington's season opening musical.

ABOUT THE HUNTINGTON

The Huntington Theatre Company is Boston's leading professional theatre and one of the region's premier cultural assets since its founding in 1982. Recipient of the 2013 Regional Theatre Tony Award, the Huntington brings together superb local and national talent and produces a mix of groundbreaking new works and classics made current to create award-winning productions. The Huntington runs nationally renowned programs in education and new play development and serves the local theatre community through its operation of the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA. The Huntington has long been an anchor cultural institution of Huntington Avenue, the Avenue of the Arts, and will remain so on a permanent basis with plans to convert our current theatre into a first-rate, modern venue with expanded services to audiences, artists, and the community. Under the direction of Artistic Director Peter DuBois and Managing Director Michael Maso, the Huntington cultivates, celebrates, and champions theatre as an art form. For more information, visit huntingtontheatre.org.