Next Act Reaches Fundraising Goal

I was really disappointed when I found out that the Off-Broadway Theatre was shutting down. Those at Next Act seemed to be keeping a pretty level head about it-knowing full well that they really needed to grow beyond the theatre anyway . . . they had their eye on developing an entirely new space. The plans for the new spaceas developed by Quorum Architects, Inc., looked really ambitious. The former Transpak building on 255 South Water Street would be housing the new theatre company and provide another stage for developing theatre companies. Okay, but things rarely go as planned, right?

When I saw Artistic Director David Cecsarini prior to the opening of John McGivern's latest holiday show this past December, he seemed absolutely confident that the company would raise the necessary money for the new facility. It comes as little surprise that Next Act has, in fact, raised the necessary money for the new project. Next ct announced last Friday that through donations and gifts, it had raised, “$994,020.” The goal needed for the project was $950,000.

The prospect of a brand new theatre in town is, suffice it to say, really exciting. Construction on the new building at 255 South Water Street, will begin in February. The press release describes the location as being “just across the river from the Skylight Theatre complex.” Looking at the address on Google maps, it appears to be in a space I would be more likely to refer to as “right around the corner from Moct.” Bad Soviet habits had a few really good shows there . . . Moct has been home to some interesting experimental stuff over the course of the past couple of years. I'm looking forward to Next Act's new space as being sort of a bridge between experimental, avant-garde work and the more traditional theatre fare found at the Broadway Theatre Complex . . . here's looking forward to the opening of the new space for the coming 2011-2012 theatre season . . .