Everyman Theatre, Baltimore facts for kids
The Everyman Theatre auditorium ahead of a performance of Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery.
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| Formation | 1990 |
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| Type | Theatre group |
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Artistic director(s)
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Vincent M. Lancisi |
| Website | everymantheatre.org |
The Everyman Theatre is a professional theatre in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. It has a special group of actors who perform many different plays. The theatre's main goal is to make live plays easy to see and affordable for everyone in Baltimore. You can find the Everyman Theatre in the Bromo Arts and Entertainment District.
Contents
History of Everyman Theatre
How Everyman Theatre Started
The Everyman Theatre was started in 1990 by its artistic director, Vincent M. Lancisi. Their very first play was called The Runner Stumbles. They performed it in Saint John's Church in Baltimore. For the first few years, the theatre only put on one play each season. They used different places around the city for their shows.
Finding a Permanent Home
In 1995, Everyman Theatre finally found its own home. It was in a building on Charles Street that used to be a bowling alley. This was a big step for the theatre. For the first time, they could offer yearly tickets to their shows. The first play they performed in their new space was Buried Child by Sam Shepard.
A New Building for the Theatre
In November 2006, Everyman Theatre got an amazing gift. The Bank of America and The Dawson Company gave them a new building. This building was the historic Town Theatre, located at 315 West Fayette Street in Baltimore. This new home was a very important step for the theatre.
The Old Town Theatre Building
The building that became Everyman's new home has a long history. It first opened in 1910 as The Empire. Back then, it hosted many different kinds of shows. These included vaudeville performances, Yiddish theatre, boxing matches, and even bingo parties. The original building was designed by Otto Simonson and William H. McElfatrick.
In 1937, the theatre was known as The Palace. It was a burlesque theatre at that time. However, people thought some of the performances were not appropriate. Because of this, the theatre was closed down. After that, the building was changed into a parking garage.
In 1947, the building was redesigned again. It became a large movie house with 1,550 seats. This renovation was done by Baltimore architect John Zink. It was known as The Town Theatre during this period. It had a grand opening with the classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The movie's star, Jimmy Stewart, and director, Frank Capra, even attended the opening.
By 1990, The Town Theatre was in bad shape. It closed its doors and stayed empty for many years. Then, in 2006, it was given to Everyman Theatre.
Renovating and Reopening
The building was valued at $1.5 million. It was completely renovated to fit the needs of a modern theatre. The new space included shops for building sets and making costumes. It also had facilities for props and areas for education. The theatre itself became a state-of-the-art space with 253 seats.
The outside of the building was also carefully restored. Its beautiful neoclassical terra cotta and granite front was brought back to life. This restoration was a big part of bringing new energy to the area. Along with the nearby Hippodrome Theatre, Everyman's new home helped create a lively theatre and arts district in downtown Baltimore's Westside.
In January 2013, Everyman Theatre celebrated the grand opening of its new home. They opened with a production of Tracy Letts's play, August: Osage County.
See also
- Theater in Maryland
