The Firehouse Theatre – Farmers Branch, Texas
Community theater showcasing a range of plays from comedies to musicals in a renovated fire station. Join us for music, magic, comedy, burlesque, cabaret and more! Firehouse favorites like Burlesque Right Meow, Firehouse Radio Players, Happy Hour Poetry, and Night of a thousand Laughs are joined by the new Firehouse Sings cabaret series, Virginia Theatre Machine’s family-friendly productions, and many others in this beloved series that makes Firehouse the place to go for diverse, live entertainment experiences.
History
In 1993 Richmond Fire Department’s Station House #10 was being decommissioned at the same time that five theatre artists – Bill Gordon, Anna Senechal Johnson, Harry Kollatz, Jr., Carol Piersol, and Janet Wilson – were looking for a space to put on a show. Firehouse Theatre Project was incorporated that very same year, established as a place where the founders could pursue their collective dedication to Meisner-based acting while producing provocative plays that other theatres in the area were unable or unwilling to take a risk on. For the next twenty years, under the artistic stewardship of Carol Piersol, Firehouse Theatre thrived as the community leader in new play development, artistic adventure, and excellence.
Dr. Joel Bassin took the reins as Producing Artistic Director in 2015, dramatically expanding community access to the well-established venue, and creating both recurring and one-time producing partnerships with a wide array of organizations and independent artists. Under Bassin, Firehouse delivered like never before on its mission as a thriving hub of creative activity, producing or partnering in over seventy performances per season, and hosting over two hundred evenings of live entertainment annually.
Compelled by the social unrest during the summer of 2020, and inspired by the theatrical experiments seen during the Covid-19 shutdown, roundtable discussions with artists, administrators, philanthropists, and innovators led to the birth of The New Theatre. Established in 2021 to challenge and expand art and industry, The New Theatre joined with others to envision an American Theatre that better reflects the entirety of the American experience.
With Bassin set to retire at the end of the 2022-23 season, Firehouse and The New Theatre announced intentions to merge in January 2023. New Theatre Artistic Director Nathaniel Shaw will follow Bassin as Producing Artistic Director on July 1st, 2023, ahead of the 30th Anniversary season. During its inaugural campaign, the merged organization will produce The New Theatre at Firehouse, while developing a multi-year strategic plan reflective of the values of both organizations.