Greensboro Theater Scene Is a Vibrant Part of Life in the Triad
culture, performing arts, piedmont triad, theater,
It’s all a big act these days in Greensboro and the Piedmont Triad region.
The region is home to a number of theatrical groups, with major productions taking place throughout the year.
Such is the case at Triad Stage, which debuted in Greensboro in late 2001 and hires accomplished professional actors and stage technicians from all over the country for its performances.
“We are currently in the 2008-09 season that runs from September to the end of July, and we annually present six plays along with a holiday show,” says Richard Whittington, managing director/co-founder of Triad Stage. “Paying our actors gives us access to leading professionals from hot spots such as New York and Los Angeles, as well as talented up-and-comers from the Triad area.”
Whittington says much of that local talent is hired from area universities.
“For example, we have a good partnership with UNCG [The University of North Carolina at Greensboro], which is the only school in this area that offers a master’s degree in acting,” he says. “We use a lot of their graduate students and faculty members to stage our performances.”
Whittington adds that Triad Stage also has a good working partnership with the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, hiring many of the school’s designers and technicians for productions.
“In addition, the Community Theatre of Greensboro, City Arts, Bennett College for Women, North Carolina A&T State University, Guilford College and Greensboro College all have strong performing arts programs in place,” he says.
Triad Stage originated when Whittington and co-founder Preston Lane met at the Yale School of Drama in Connecticut. The men started talking about creating their own theater somewhere in the United States.
“We looked all across the country, and Greensboro/Piedmont Triad was our No. 1 choice after an exhaustive search process,” he says.
Triad Stage is headquartered in the five-story Pyrle Theater building on Elm Street and features a 300-seat performance auditorium.
“We have 3,000 season-ticket holders and perform to 43,000 theater-goers every season,” Whittington says. “Greensboro has been a strong theatrical community for us over the years, and the performing arts here continue to get stronger all the time.”
The Piedmont Triad region has several other theatrical troupes, with one of the oldest being the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival.
The city of High Point is the headquarters for the annual festival, with High Point Theatre hosting classic plays September through December.
After the performances in High Point, the Shakespearean troupe hits the road to tour other parts of the state.
“We are entering our 33rd season in 2009, and we also attract the highest-caliber actors, directors, designers and technicians from all over the United States,” says Pedro Silva, Festival Executive Director. “These days, we perform 30 weeks and reach more than 50,000 students and adults statewide each year.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Courtesy of NyghtFalcon
