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June 30, 2000/27 Sivan 5760, Vol. 52, No.43
AJTC relocates to Viad venue
LEISAH NAMM
Staff Writer
After seven seasons at the Herberger Theater, the Arizona Jewish Theatre Company is switching its venue to the Playhouse on the Park in the Viad building in Phoenix.
The main advantage of the move is "the prospect of having our own place where we can decide when we have the shows and how long they run," said Janet Arnold, AJTC producing director.
Because the Herberger Theater is a shared facility, a show could only run during its predetermined schedule, even if it was a big hit, Arnold said. The new scheduling flexibility will allow AJTC to extend the run for a popular play, she said.
The playhouse is being made available to AJTC through an agreement with Theater League, which currently holds the lease on the theater.
"The Viad was developed in the uptown arts district," said Mark Edelman, president and executive producer of Theater League. "As part of the arrangement, the city insisted that these spaces be made available for arts groups. It's subsidized by the building."
AJTC will pay for a share of operating costs, but will not have to pay rent, Edelman said.
The agreement will save AJTC nearly $30,000 per year, Arnold said. "It will allow us to put that money that we were spending on rent and technical support actually onto the stage," she said.
The AJTC had been performing in the Herberger's smaller theater, which seats 333 patrons. The Viad has 180 seats, "which for most of our performances is enough," Arnold said. "And if we find it's not, we can always just add a week."
Another benefit of the move is the location, at 1850 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix, Arnold said. "So many of our patrons didn't like going downtown. The parking is expensive. There's always the traffic with the different ball games going on."
Parking is free at the Viad building. AJTC will refund pre-paid parking to patrons who have already purchased tickets for the 2000-2001 season, Arnold said.
The first play of the new season, "A Romance in D," will open Nov. 4 rather than Nov. 18, as originally scheduled.
Other performance dates for 2000-2001 remain the same; other plays are "I'm Not Rappaport" and "Talley's Folly."
"The Herberger Theater is proud to have played a role in the growth of AJTC and joins them in celebrating this good news," said Michael Stirdivant, Herberger Theater president/CEO, in a statement.
The new facility will also allow for expanded programming Arnold said.
"I get new plays all the time that maybe aren't ready for a full-stage production but would be great to do in a reading series," Arnold said. "We may be able to do some weekend cabarets, also."
AJTC will be refurbishing throughout the summer, installing lights and painting. Volunteers are being sought to usher and work in concessions.
"We look at it as something wonderful," Arnold said. "Everybody knows we've been having financial troubles and I don't want them to think that this is a comedown from that. We don't see it that way at all."
For performance and ticket information, contact the AJTC office at 444 W. Camelback Road, #208, Phoenix; telephone 602-264-0402.
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