| 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 in 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
| 2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
OFFICERS
President: Dr. Richard Urso
Secretary: Robin Dotson
Treasurer: Debra Freiheit Reich
Immediate Past President: Dr. Aaron Reich
Fund Development Chair: Diane Kinzlmaier
Strategic Planning Chair: Brian George
Nominating Recruitment Chair: Kara Lidell
MEMBERS-AT-LARGE:
Courtney Barksdale Perez
Jennifer Boone
Sally Culver
Sissy Day
Tracie Donaldson
Kyle Fields
Parker Fitzgerald
Nancy George
Micah Green
Jack Hardaway
Pam Hardaway
Anita Heiskell
Leslie Hopton-Jones
Gayle Krengel
Craig Lidell
Linda Magazzine
Michael Miller
Sharon Kaye Miller
Trinli Milliorn
Becky Phillips
Pat Pierret
Steve Pierret
Holly Potter-Harvey
Peter Scott
Kylie Reynolds Thornton
Michael Talambas
| 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 Monday - Friday, 10:30am – 5:30 pm; (phone lines open)
Saturdays during productions 10am-1pm
Regular office hours are Monday - Friday, 10am-6pm
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 eight shows a season – musicals, comedies, dramas, youth shows and new works, in addition to the debut of our Cabaret Series in October 2019. The Cabaret Series will have seventeen different shows featuring various musical theater talent from the DFW area. There is truly something for everyone.
Is it reserved seating or open seating?
Reserved seating. Theatre Arlington has a 199 seat theater.
Are reservations required?
Reservations are recommended but not required.
What is your refund policy?
No refunds, Tickets can be exchanged 1 time with a $1.50 per ticket exchange fee.
All sales are FINAL.
Will my tickets be mailed?
No. We do not mail tickets due to the risk of them being lost in the mail. You will, however, receive an email notification of your ticket purchase. On the day of your selected performance, tickets will be printed one hour before your show time and are to be picked up at Will Call in the theater lobby. You must arrive no later than 15 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 casually nice to dressy.
Do you allow lap children at your shows?
Due to fire code laws, lap children are NOT allowed. We do not allow children under the age of 3 to attend our shows.
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.
We are excited to announce that wine and beer will be available for purchase very soon! More details to come!
Are there discounts for groups?
For groups of 10 or more, we offer a discount for all performances. Reserve your seats in advance. A 20% deposit is due at time of the reservation. Final numbers and payment are due 1 week 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 server your seats with a 20% deposit. Final numbers and payment are due two weeks before the show date.
Call 817-275-7991 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 4 to 18 and 55+. 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 Customer Service. 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 in the year. Thank you!
| STONY AWARDS |
SAVE THE DATE: The 46th Annual Stony Awards - Sunday, October 6, 2019 @ 6:30pm
2017-18 Stony Award Winners
Youth Acting Awards
Best Youth Actor in a Leading Role
CHRISTIAN ARRUBIA in Shrek The Musical Jr
Best Youth Actress in a Leading Role
SYDNEY DOTSON in Shrek The Musical Jr
Best Youth Actor in a Supporting Role
ANDRES REYES in Shrek The Musical Jr
Best Youth Actress in a Supporting Role
JUDE LEWIS in Shrek The Musical Jr
Best Youth Actor in a Minor Role
WARREN CHILDS II in Shrek The Musical Jr
Best Youth Actress in a Minor Role
CAMPBELL BEREND in Shrek The Musical Jr
Best Youth Cameo Performance
COOPER CAMPBELL in Shrek The Musical Jr
Adult Acting Awards
Best Actor in a Play
MATTHEW HOLMES in Red
Best Actress in a Play
JENNA ANDERSON in Sylvia
Best Actor in a Musical
JONATHAN HARDIN in Footloose The Musical
Best Actress in a Musical
DONOVAN LAWSON in Footloose The Musical
Best Supporting Actor in a Play
MICAH GREEN in Sylvia
Best Supporting Actress in a Play
RHIANNON LOMONACO in Bus Stop
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
REMA MARTINEZ in Footloose The Musical
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
KEITH WARREN in Footloose The Musical
Best Actor in a Cameo Role in a Musical
LARRY MACKLIN in Footloose The Musical
Best Actress in a Cameo Role in a Musical
ALEXANDRA KOENEKE NEARY in Footloose The Musical
Fan Favorite — Female
Jenna Anderson
Fan Favorite — Male
Micah Green
Design & Production Awards
Best Choreography
DAWN CONLEY PREJEAN for Footloose The Musical
Best Costume Design
JANICE PENNINGTON for Footloose The Musical
Best Director of a Play
SHARON KAYE MILLER for Sylvia
Best Director of a Musical
STEVEN D. MORRIS for Footloose The Musical
Best Lighting Design
KYLE HARRIS for Red
and
BRYAN STEVENSON for Footloose The Musical
Best Musical Direction
ALEX VORSE for Footloose The Musical
Best Properties Design
CATHY PRITCHETT for Red
Best Scenic Artist
KAT MERRIMAN for Red
Best Set Design
KEVIN BROWN for Footloose The Musical
Best Sound Design
BILL EICKENLOFF for Footloose The Musical
Best Stage Management
STACI INGRAM-COOK for The Sweetest Swing in Baseball
Best Play
SYLVIA directed by Sharon Kaye Miller
Best Musical
FOOTLOOSE THE MUSICAL directed by Steven D. Morris
Special Achievement Awards
President’s Award
Lisann Peters
Lisann Peters Community Champion Award
Penny Patrick
Guild Volunteer of the Year
Chris Abbott
Guild Rising Star
Jessica Douglas
Guild Lifetime Achievement
Jack and Pam Hardaway
Melanie Goodwin Outstanding Youth Awards
Michael Weiss and Zachary Weiss
Sponsor of the Year
Simply Divune Catering – Adrian Tella
Outstanding Community Partner
AISD Fine Arts – Barbara Keaton
Above & Beyond Award
Michael and Sharon Kay Miller
Outstanding Volunteer
Jay Johnson
Unsung Heroes
Janice and Alton Pennington
BACK TO TOP
| PAST PRODUCTIONS |
| 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 Go the Will? |
| A Country Christmas (Children's Theatre) |
| Pump Boys & Dinettes |
| Run For Your Wife |
| Leader of the Pack |
| Steal 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 |
| Crimes of the Heart |
| The Velveteen Rabbit (Children's Theatre) |
| Lunch Hour |
| 1989-1991 (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 |
BACK TO TOP
| THEATRE ARLINGTON HISTORY |
Decade One: The Potluck Players |
|
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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. And as the last few years of Decade Four begin, the corner of Main and West Streets is still abuzz with excitement, education and entertainment! In 2018, the Board of Directors appointed Steven D. Morris as Executive Producer to lead the Theatre into the future. Morris, who has directed, acted in or written more than 60 shows at Theatre Arlington, is looking forward to this exciting new chapter, or rather Act, at the Theatre. “I have loved Theatre Arlington for over 40 years, and I am honored to be able to serve in this capacity,” says Morris. “I am thrilled to work with this wonderful Board of Directors, the amazing theatre guild and the incredible staff to continue to build a superior quality theatre and educational programming for our community.” |
Daniel Hernandez is a graduate of Texas Wesleyan University where he received his BA in vocal performance studying under Julie McCoy. He taught elementary music for a number of years and worked as the musical director at Nolan Catholic High School. Daniel has found a home at Theatre Arlington working on 5 of 9 shows for the 2018-2019 season, including music directing the Youth Musical, Junie B Jones The Musical Jr. He is excited to be teaching Musical Theatre and private lessons at Theatre Arlington. When not working or in a show, Daniel enjoys spending time with his two nieces Ysabel and Adrianna.
