Theatre Arlington is a theatre in Arlington, Texas

Arlington, Texas

Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...

. It was established in 1973 with the goal of providing the city with a professional live theater. The once small theatre has since become a large 199 seat building providing entertainment and education. As one of the largest community theatres in the nation, Theatre Arlington offers quality entertainment to the North Texas area featuring a semi-professional cast and stellar designers and staff.

The Beginning of a Theatre

Productions were performed at different locations within Arlington, until finally in 1981 an older church on Division Street was bought and was remodeled. For the first time, the theater had a permanent home that seated 134 audience members. The theater grew and grew, and the board of directors began planning to expand.

The Sell of Division Street

1990 began for Theatre Arlington with the sale of the Division Street Theater.

Theatre Arlington then moved on from its old establishment to its new beginning on Main Street

Main Street

Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...

 in the center of downtown

Downtown

Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....

 in 1991. On New Year’s Eve 1991, the new theater which had 199-seats opened with a successful play named "Pump Boys and Dinettes

Pump Boys and Dinettes

Pump Boys and Dinettes is a musical written by a performance group of the same name. The performance group, "Pump Boys and Dinettes" consists of John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann...

". The theater operated for the next three years.

Two Renovations

A second phase of renovation, then added:

1. A better lobby.

2. 199-seat theater.

3. A Box office,

4. Dressing rooms and prop rooms. And even more

In August 2000, Theatre Arlington was donated a 7500 square feet (696.8 m²) building, across the street from it, to use for the expansion of their educational programs. The Theatre Arlington Education Center houses the theatre’s administrative offices, rehearsal hall and downstairs box office.

A third renovation installment was completed in 2004.

Timeline

1973: Arlington Community Theatre is established.

1981: Division Street location is purchased.

1991: Theatre Arlington moves to Main Street.

1999: Theatre Arlington wins the Best of Tarrant Award.

2007-08: Celebrated 35th Anniversary Season.