Ground Broken on New Pre-Broadway Development Theatre in Arizona

The Phoenix Theatre Company, Arizona’s oldest producing theatre, has broken ground on a new state-of-the-art theatre facility suitable for pre-Broadway productions. The new theatre – named after Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J Stephenson – is the first major renovation in a decade for the venerable company now celebrating more than 100 years of operation, offering more than 500 performances per year on multiple stages, as well as thriving education and outreach programs, summer camps, training programs and more. The renovation will convert the current 250-seat black box-style theatre space to a Broadway-sized house, with 500 seats, a proscenium stage, cutting-edge technology, and other renovations, making it an ideal location for pre-Broadway productions in development.  
 
“We have been looking forward to breaking ground on this much anticipated theatre for many years,” said Phoenix Theatre Company Producing Artistic Director Michael Barnard. “We are well known to actors, directors, and producers in New York City and other cities for the extremely high caliber of our productions, and Broadway producers and a variety of creatives are already considering us as a place to develop their newest properties. We are approached by more of these projects every season – it is clear the ‘pipeline’ of pre-Broadway show development is ready to flow to The Phoenix Theatre Company, once we have an industry-standard venue. This will certainly benefit our community through significantly higher production values, project enhancement investments, increased work opportunities, and will give our audiences access to the newest and most exciting shows before they get to Broadway and beyond. We are grateful for to all who supported this endeavor.”  
 
More than 100 people, including Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, were onsite September 14 to help break ground on the project. Hobbs and Gallego both spoke about the economic impact on the Arizona community.  
“From world class arts organizations such as The Phoenix Theatre Company, to rural arts centers in every corner of Arizona, arts programs do more than provide a creative outlet for those who engage,” said Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. “They enhance education, promote community pride, and attract tourism and investment across the state – all things that make Arizona stronger.” 
 
The future Stephenson Theatre will include a larger stage area with proscenium, full fly loft (area above the stage from which scenery is lowered), on-stage trap doors with below-stage lifts, and twice the seating capacity of the current space. Other renovations include much-needed classroom, rehearsal, and training spaces. 
 
Said Phoenix Theatre Company Executive Director Vincent VanVleet, “We have one of the strongest balance sheets of any nonprofit theatre in the country. In addition to producing shows on multiple stages, we run our own successful bar and bistro, maintain an apartment complex that provides rental income to subsidize our guest artist and apprentice housing, and offer lauded, inclusive camps and training programs that serve not only future performers, but also children with special needs and patients in local hospitals and trauma centers.”  
 
The new Arts and Innovation Wing will also support the national headquarters for the company’s Partners That Heal Program, a direct-service program poised for exponential growth as a national training program for healthcare professionals. 
 
The Phoenix Theatre Company currently employs 130 full-time people, and with a $13 million annual operating budget is the largest regional theatre in Arizona and one of the largest in the Southwest. In naming the new theatre space, the company honors Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J Stephenson. Dr. Stephenson is a bestselling author and leader in functional and integrative medicine. Mr. Stephenson is the former chairman and founder of Cancer Treatment Centers of America. 

The anticipated cost of the entire renovation project is $30 million. Fundraising started in 2017 and is part of a 20-year, $70 million expansion plan, making it one of the largest investments for a regional theatre in the country.  
 

ABOUT THE Phoenix Theatre Company  

The Phoenix Theatre Company is not only the largest professional regional theatre company in the state, with nearly 500 performances each year on multiple stages, but it’s also the first arts organization in Arizona and a founding member of the Central Arts District. Committed to advancing the performing arts in the Valley, The Phoenix Theatre Company's mission is to create exceptional theatrical experiences that inspire hope and understanding. For more information about our upcoming shows, campus venue, located at 1825 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix, outreach programs, and more, visit phoenixtheatre.com. 
 

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