Theatre Arlington Receives $2 Million Capital Project Grant

Theatre Arlington has announced that the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation (ATF) has awarded Theatre Arlington a $2,000,000 capital project grant.

This grant will provide the 48-year-old theater the opportunity to renovate and improve their 52-year-old theater building. Since 2007, the ATF has contributed almost $21 million to the great city of Arlington to keep it thriving by supporting the causes which benefit the citizens and enhance the natural surroundings and lifestyle of the city.

Since 1991, when Theatre Arlington purchased and moved into the old Kier Lumberyard building, various improvements and renovations had been done on the building that sits proudly at the corner of West and Main Streets in Downtown Arlington. These modifications have largely been executed by competent volunteers, often working with construction professionals, but have always been limited in scope and spread out through the years to keep costs low. This combined effort has produced a functional facility, but one that has evolved into a mixed bag of intertwined physical and technical solutions. The performance venue has been adequate for years but will not be able to support the Theatre as they move into the future as a Small Professional Theatre under the auspices of Actors' Equity Association. The anticipated improvements in production quality and patron experience will serve the Theatre well in both the near term and align with longer term plans. As the quality of productions continues to improve, the renovated theatre will provide the technical capacity to support this transition. The improved aesthetics will enhance the patron experience and the Theatre expects expanded numbers as they continue outreach to the traditional audience as well as targeted outreach to a more diverse audience.

Theatre Arlington's renovation project will include major changes to the theater building lobby and entry, including a new ticket counter and service bar, a donor wall, art and marquee. The lobby will be expanded to the east and the house will receive new seating and stairs. Technical upgrades and equipment for productions will include new light board and circuitry, intelligent LED Lighting, and a newly thought-out lighting grid. Sound equipment, computer software, sound board and stationary microphones will be included. Computer monitors, video projectors, and cameras for streaming will be added to the newly positioned technical booth, as well as new electrical distribution throughout the main panels. This project is scheduled to begin March 1, 2021.

2021 will certainly be one of the most exciting times in the history of Theatre Arlington. "All of us at the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation are delighted to be a catalyst for the renewal of Theatre Arlington's theatre, acoustics and audience experience," said Carolyn Mentesana, Executive Director, Arlington Tomorrow Foundation. "We are confident these upgrades will transform our beloved theatre and promises to engage and entertain future generations of performers, audience and visitors to Arlington."

Executive Producer, Steven D. Morris, staff and board of directors of Theatre Arlington are thrilled to receive this generous capital grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation and are ecstatic to begin the project. Morris states, "This monumental grant will allow Theatre Arlington to greatly improve the patron experience and quality of our productions. It will also have a huge, positive impact on our educational programing. We are grateful that the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation and the City of Arlington have made the choice to support live theatre and the arts in such a substantial manner. We are so excited about what this means for the future of Theatre Arlington and the community."

The performing arts are a necessary and vital part of the life of any community. Through arts-based programs and artistic pursuit, lives can change, and communities will thrive. The arts connect us all and empower us to make positive changes in the world around us. Theatre Arlington is dedicated to this mission and with the support of the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation, the Theatre can continue to provide experiences that only the magic of live theatre can offer for generations to come.