Triad Stage facts for kids
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| Address | 232 South Elm Street Greensboro, North Carolina United States |
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| Coordinates | 36°04′14″N 79°47′26″W / 36.070684°N 79.790533°W |
| Type | Regional theatre |
| Capacity | 300 |
| Opened | January 2002 |
| Closed | June 20, 2023 |
Triad Stage was a special theater located in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was known as a 'regional theater.' This means it was a professional theater that served its local community. It was located at 232 South Elm Street.
Contents
The Story of Triad Stage
Triad Stage started with a big dream. Its founders, Preston Lane and Richard Whittington, wanted to create a professional theater. They aimed to serve the communities in the Piedmont Triad area. Preston and Richard became friends while studying at the Yale School of Drama.
After running a theater in Connecticut, they decided to open their own. It took them three years to make their dream a reality. They chose historic Greensboro as the perfect spot.
Building The Pyrle Theater
In September 1999, Triad Stage bought an old building. It used to be a Montgomery Ward store and was built in 1936. The building had been empty for almost 40 years.
Renovations began in the spring of 2001. The five-story building was transformed into a fantastic theater center. It was named The Pyrle Theater. The new space included a 300-seat performance area. It also had a rehearsal hall, offices, and two large lobbies. There were also special areas for events and other things for the audience.
The theater officially opened in January 2002. The first show was Suddenly, Last Summer by Tennessee Williams. Over the years, Triad Stage put on more than 100 plays. They sold over 500,000 tickets to their shows.
Expanding the Theater Space
In 2008, Triad Stage made more improvements to The Pyrle. They added a scene shop in the basement. This is where they built sets for their plays.
The top floor also got a big makeover. It used to be a storage area. It was turned into the 80-seat Upstage Cabaret. This was another performance space. They also added the Sloan Rehearsal Hall. Plus, WUNC North Carolina Public Radio's Greensboro office and studio were built there.
In 2011, Triad Stage bought another building. It was about 30,000 square feet. This new building was near the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. It became the theater's main production facility. Their shops for building sets, making costumes, and storing props moved there.
In 2013, Triad Stage started putting on shows in Winston-Salem too. This meant they were reaching even more people.
Challenges and Closure
In April 2020, the theater had to stop its operations. This was because of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
In November 2020, Preston Lane, one of the founders, left the theater.
The theater reopened in October 2022. However, on April 19, 2023, they paused operations again. This was due to financial difficulties. Sadly, on June 20, 2023, the company announced it was closing for good.
Awards and Recognition
Triad Stage received many awards and honors. They were recognized nationally, statewide, and locally. New York's Drama League called them "One of the Best Regional Theaters in America."
The readers of the News & Record's GoTriad voted them the "Best Live Theater" for thirteen years in a row. The North Carolina Theatre Conference named them "Professional Theatre of the Year" twice. The Wall Street Journal listed their play Tobacco Road among the "Best of 2007."
Triad Stage was also featured in many magazines and TV shows. These included American Theatre, Southern Living, and UNC-TV's "North Carolina Weekend." The American Theatre Wing, which created the Tony Awards, gave Triad Stage a special award in 2010. They called it "one of the top ten most promising theatres in the country."
Triad Stage also received grants from important organizations. These included the National Endowment for the Arts and The Shubert Foundation.
