Theater Alliance Creates Unique Performance Space in Southwest D.C.
In a creative response to recent upheavals, Theater Alliance has transformed a vacant retail space in the Westerly apartment complex, located in Southwest D.C., into a dynamic theater venue for the 2024-25 season. Producing Artistic Director Shanara Gabrielle emphasized that visitors entering the new space might not immediately recognize it as a theater, remarking, “If you walk in here, you don’t necessarily say, ‘Oh, this is a theater.’ You say, ‘Oh, people have made a theater here.’”
The move to this 9,000-square-foot area follows the unexpected eviction from their previous location, the Anacostia Playhouse, due to unpaid rent by the property owner. Seeking a solution, Theater Alliance leveraged Mayor Muriel Bowser’s newly launched pop-up permit program aimed at revitalizing vacant spaces. With a simple, expedited permitting process, the initiative allows organizations to transform unoccupied areas into functional venues, promoting economic activity and public safety.
The newly established theater features high ceilings, cement floors, and flexible seating arrangements, making it an adaptable space for performances. Gabrielle expressed enthusiasm about the venue’s potential, stating, “The arts are the piece that makes it a whole community,” highlighting the value of integrating arts and culture within residential developments.
As Theater Alliance gears up for programming through May 2025, Gabrielle invites the community to experience the excitement of live performances in this innovative space. “They’re bringing in people from the suburbs and new visitors to the area,” said Brian Hanlon, director of D.C.’s Department of Buildings, acknowledging the significant role of arts in community development.
The theater’s opening marks a new chapter for Theater Alliance and a bold step in utilizing unconventional spaces to enrich the cultural landscape of Washington, D.C.
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Photo credit wtop.com
