Groundbreaking for one of the finest community theatre structures in America was on June 3, 1973 after a two-year campaign to raise funds to open the building debt free. Opening night on May 1, 1975 welcomed a full house to the production of My Fair Lady and the beginning of a new era for Theatre Memphis.
With a catering kitchen, rehearsal hall and lobby space, rental of areas are possible when there is no conflict with a scheduled production or event. An expansion project was completed in 1985 that added a full rehearsal hall, staff office space, additional restrooms, a meeting room/library and a production shop ten times the size of the original shop.
After initiating a SHINE ON construction and endowment capital campaign in 2020, a planned shutdown for renovations enabled us to expand and revisualize our facility with 21 restrooms (up from 8), expanded concession service areas, enlarged common areas and a dedicated Will Call office. We also added even more additional production shop space and created a new cater kitchen to service events.
There are two performance venues that are host to 11 productions annually. The proscenium Lohrey Theatre now seats 411 and the black box Next Stage can seat up to 110, Both venues have state of the art equipment for sound and lighting.
Both the Lohrey Theatre and the Next Stage are wheelchair accessible with handicapped accessible restrooms on the same level as the main lobby to both venues. The Lohrey Theatre also provides hearing assisted equipment to any who may require or request it, at no charge.
The proscenium Lohrey Theatre seats 411. It is wheelchair accessible and provides hearing assisted equipment to any who may require or request it, at no charge.
The black box Next Stage seats up to 110 and is also wheelchair accessible with state of the art equipment for sound and lighting.
Sculpture Mythically Caricaturing Key Theatrical Personages
Artist Lawrence Anthony created the statues for our sculpture garden Dramatis Personae from one-half-inch steel sheets in the warehouse of Keystone Laboratories, Memphis, TN. Funded by the Hubert and Stella Menke Family with the assistance of an art in public spaces grant from Tennessee Arts Commision and the National Endowment for the Arts. Commissioned 1978. Installed 1979. Dedicated June 20, 1983. Declared an official Urban Art Public Heritage Site 2008.
Both the Lohrey Theatre and the Next Stage Theatre are wheelchair accessible with a handicapped accessible restroom on the same level as the main lobby to both venues. The Lohrey Theatre also provides hearing assisted equipment to any who may require or request it, at no charge.
(Next Stage is open seating)
The black box Next Stage seats up to 110 and is also wheelchair accessible with state of the art equipment for sound and lighting.
