Triad Stage

Last updated

Triad Stage at The Pyrle Theater
The Pyrle Theater (Triad Stage).jpg
Triad Stage
Address232 South Elm Street
Greensboro, North Carolina
United States
Coordinates 36°04′14″N79°47′26″W / 36.070684°N 79.790533°W / 36.070684; -79.790533
TypeRegional theatre
Capacity 300
OpenedJanuary 2002
ClosedJune 20, 2023
Website
triadstage.org

Triad Stage was a regional theatre located at 232 South Elm Street, Greensboro, North Carolina.

Contents

History

Triad Stage began with the goal of creating a professional not-for-profit regional theater to serve the communities of the Piedmont Triad. Co-founders Preston Lane and Richard Whittington forged their artistic partnership as graduate students at the Yale School of Drama. After managing a theater in Connecticut for two years, they undertook the three-year task of opening their own theater in the heart of historic Greensboro.[ citation needed ]

In September 1999, Triad Stage purchased the former Montgomery Ward building, which had been built in 1936 and vacant for almost 40 years. Renovations began in spring 2001, transforming the five-story building into a world-class[ according to whom? ] theater center (now called The Pyrle Theater) complete with a 300-seat live performance space, rehearsal hall, offices, two spacious lobbies, special events areas and other audience amenities.

The grand opening of the theater took place in January 2002 with Tennessee Williams' modern classic Suddenly, Last Summer . Triad Stage produced over 100 productions and has sold over 500,000 tickets.[ citation needed ]

In 2008, Triad Stage finished a second round of renovations to The Pyrle. A scene shop annex was added in the basement. The top floor underwent major construction to turn what was previously a storage center into the 80-seat Upstage Cabaret performance space, the Sloan Rehearsal Hall and the studio and office facilities of WUNC North Carolina Public Radio's Greensboro Bureau.

In 2011, Triad Stage purchased a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) building near the Greensboro Coliseum Complex to serve as the theater's new production facility, relocating its scene, costume and properties shops as well as its warehouse. [1]

In 2013, Triad Stage expanded its season to include shows in Winston-Salem.

In April 2020 the theatre paused operations due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

In November 2020, the theatre's co-founder and artistic director, Preston Lane, resigned following accusations of sexual misconduct. [2]

The theatre reopened in October 2022. However, on April 19, 2023, the theatre paused operations again due to financial difficulties. [3] On June 20, 2023, the company announced its closure. [4]

Awards

The theater company has received accolades on the national, state and local levels, including being named "One of the Best Regional Theaters in America" by New York's Drama League, voted the Triad's "Best Live Theater" by the readers of the News & Record's GoTriad thirteen years in a row and "Professional Theatre of the Year" by the North Carolina Theatre Conference twice. Its production of Tobacco Road was listed among the "Best of 2007" by The Wall Street Journal .[ citation needed ] Triad Stage has been spotlighted in American Theatre, Stage Directions, Southern Living, Playbill.com, Our State and UNC-TV's "North Carolina Weekend". The American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony Awards, named Triad Stage "one of the top ten most promising theatres in the country" as the recipient of a 2010 National Theatre Company Grant. [5]

Triad Stage has been further honored with the award of grants from the National Endowment for the Arts [6] and The Shubert Foundation.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greensboro, North Carolina</span> City in North Carolina, United States

Greensboro is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the 3rd most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the United States, and the most populous city in the Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. At the 2020 census, its population was 299,035; at the 2022 census estimate, its population was 301,115. Three major interstate highways in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina were built to intersect at this city.

The Druid Theatre Company, referred to as Druid, is an Irish theatre company, based in Galway, Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piedmont Triad</span> Region in North Carolina

The Piedmont Triad is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group of cities lies in the Piedmont geographical region of the United States and forms the basis of the Greensboro–Winston-Salem–High Point, NC Combined Statistical Area. As of 2012, the Piedmont Triad has an estimated population of 1,611,243 making it the 33rd largest combined statistical area in the United States.

WUNC is a listener-supported public radio station, serving the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. It is licensed to Chapel Hill and is operated by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. On weekdays, WUNC carries National Public Radio, American Public Media, Public Radio Exchange, and BBC programming in an "all-news-and-information" format, including shows such as All Things Considered, Morning Edition and Fresh Air. On weekends, in addition to NPR weekend shows, WUNC broadcasts locally produced folk music programming. The longest-running continuously produced program offered by the station is Back Porch Music, a weekly folk and traditional music program. WUNC holds periodic on-air fundraisers seeking listener contributions.

An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization. The artistic director of a theatre company is the individual with the overarching artistic control of the theatre's production choices, directorial choices, and overall artistic vision. In smaller theatres, the artistic director may be the founder of the theatre and the primary director of its plays. In larger non-profit theatres, the artistic director may be appointed by the board of directors.

Houston Ballet, operated by Houston Ballet Foundation, is a professional ballet company based in Houston, Texas. The company consists of 59 dancers and produces over 85 performances per year. It is the 5th largest ballet company in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinity Repertory Company</span> Theater company and theater in Providence, Rhode Island

Trinity Repertory Company is a non-profit regional theater located at 201 Washington Street in Providence, Rhode Island. The theater is a member of the League of Resident Theatres. Founded in 1963, the theater is "one of the most respected regional theatres in the country". Featuring the last longstanding Resident Acting Company in the U.S., Trinity Rep presents a balance of world premiere, contemporary, and classic works, including an annual production of A Christmas Carol, for an estimated annual audience of 110,000. In its 52-year history, the theater has produced nearly 67 world premieres, mounted national and international tours and, through its MFA program, trained hundreds of new actors and directors. Project Discovery, Trinity Rep's pioneering educational outreach program launched in 1966, annually introduces over 15,000 Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut high school students to live theater through matinees as well as in-school residencies and workshops. As of 2016, Trinity Rep's educational programs serve students in around 60% of Rhode Island schools, and it has a 9 million USD annual budget.

Intiman Theatre Festival in Seattle, Washington, was founded in 1972 as a resident theatre by Margaret "Megs" Booker, who named it for August Strindberg's Stockholm theater. With a self-declared focus on "a resident acting ensemble, fidelity to the playwright's intentions and a close relationship between actor and audience", the Intiman soon called itself as "Seattle's classic theater". Its debut season in 1972 included Rosmersholm, The Creditors, The Underpants, and Brecht on Brecht. The theater has been host to Tony-nominated Director Bartlett Sher, Tony-nominated actress Celia Keenan-Bolger, and movie actor Tom Skerritt. It was also home to the world premieres of the Tony-winning Broadway musical The Light in the Piazza, Craig Lucas's Singing Forest and Dan Savage's "Miracle!". Lucas also served as the Associate Artistic Director. Intiman won the 2006 Regional Theatre Tony Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New National Theatre Tokyo</span>

The New National Theatre, Tokyo (NNTT) is Japan's first and foremost national centre for the performing arts, including opera, ballet, contemporary dance and drama. It is located in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo. Since 1997 more than 650 productions were staged. There are about 300 performances per season with approximately 200,000 theatergoers. The centre has been praised for its architecture and state-of-the-art modern theatre facilities, which are considered among the best in the world. In 2007, the NNTT was branded with the advertising slogan: Opera Palace, Tokyo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Theatre of Iceland</span>

The National Theatre of Iceland (NTI) in Reykjavík, is the national theatre of Iceland. The theater, designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, was formally opened on 20 April 1950. Since 2020, the artistic director of The National Theatre is Magnús Geir Þórðarsson.

<i>Underneath the Lintel</i>

Underneath the Lintel is a play by Glen Berger that premièred in 2001. The sole character—the Librarian—embarks on a quest to find out who anonymously returned a library book that is 113 years overdue. A clue scribbled in the margin of the book and an unclaimed dry-cleaning ticket then take him on a mysterious adventure that spans the globe and the ages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Sidney Bembridge</span> Musical artist

Brian Sidney Bembridge is an American scenic, lighting, and costume designer for theater and film. His work has been seen on stages and screens throughout the country and Internationally in Australia, Germany, Prague, Ireland, and Great Britain. Mr. Bembridge has also taught and lectured at many universities across the country. He holds a BFA from University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Williamstown Theatre Festival</span> Resident summer theater in Massachusetts, US

The Williamstown Theatre Festival is a resident summer theater on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1954 by Williams College news director Ralph Renzi and drama program chairman David C. Bryant. It was awarded a Tony Award in 2002 and the Massachusetts Cultural Council Commonwealth Award in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Shakespeare Theater</span>

California Shakespeare Theater is a regional theater located in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Its performance space, the Lt. G. H. Bruns III Memorial Amphitheater, is located in Orinda, while the administrative offices, rehearsal hall, costume and prop shop are located in Berkeley.

Founded in 1991, Theatre at the Center is a year-round professional theatre in Munster, Indiana. They bring a performing arts series, a children's theatre program, and serve as hosts for special programs that enhance cultural opportunities in Northwest Indiana. As part of the Ridgewood Arts Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit company, it is Northwest Indiana's only professional equity theatre and is located 35 minutes from downtown Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greensboro Ballet</span> American ballet company

Greensboro Ballet is a professional ballet company in North Carolina. It is the only ballet company in the Piedmont Triad. It is one of the few non-profit ballet companies in North Carolina. Greensboro Ballet has presented works by George Balanchine. The company also has performed a number of works made especially for the Greensboro Ballet by Rick McCullough, Jill Eathorne Bahr, Leslie Jane Pessemier, Elissa Minet Fuchs, and Emery LeCrone. Maryhelen Mayfield, who served as artistic and executive director of Greensboro Ballet from 1980 to 2019, choreographed over twenty-five works for the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janet Lilly</span> American modern dancer

Janet Lilly is an American modern dancer and choreographer. She was a principal dancer for Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane's company from 1983 to 1991. She currently serves as the Director of the UNCG College of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Dance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. From 2012 to 2014 she was the president of the Board of Directors of Iyengar Yoga National United States Association.

Kate Goehring is an American stage, film and television actress.

Justin Tornow is an American dancer, choreographer, dance scholar, and dance teacher. She is the founder and artistic director of COMPANY, a co-founder and co-organizer of Durham Independent Dance Artists, former Board President of the North Carolina Dance Alliance, and producer of the PROMPTS art series in Durham, North Carolina. Tornow is trained in Cunningham technique and is a New York Public Library Research Fellow in Cunningham dance pedagogy. She serves on the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Elon University, and the American Dance Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne-Claire Niver</span> 21st-century American singer-songwriter

Anne-Claire Niver, known professionally as Anne-Claire, is an American singer-songwriter and recording artist. A North Carolina native, Niver studied opera at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro before starting her career. She is a former lead singer of the band Anne-Claire and the Wild Mystics, which disbanded in 2016. She has since performed as a solo artist.

References

  1. Triad Stage's Co-founders Triad Stage buys property to house costumes, build sets
  2. https://www.americantheatre.org/2023/06/21/triad-stage-closes-its-doors/
  3. https://triad-city-beat.com/triad-stage-paused/
  4. https://www.wxii12.com/article/north-carolina-triad-stage-closes-after-20-years-financial-stresses/44274350
  5. "National Theatre Company Grant Recipients 2010". AmericanTheatreWing.org. Archived from the original on January 31, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  6. "CVNC - Triad Stage's Radiunt Abundunt: A Picture Perfect Meditation on Art". CVNC.org. Retrieved May 19, 2017.