WaterTower Theatre – Addison, Texas
WaterTower Theatre is the resident company of the Addison Theatre Centre, an award-winning flexible theatre space that can be reconfigured to accommodate each new production. WTT, the only professional theatre in the North Dallas area, presents an annual season that includes classic and contemporary plays, musicals, and new works.
WaterTower Theatre’s vision is to connect the world to Addison and Addison to the world through developing and presenting innovative theatre that is artistically vital to their community locally and beyond.
They will be a development center and laboratory for theatre creation that pushes the boundaries of their art-form to find new, essential expressions of theatre. Their creative laboratory will develop art and artists, and incubate new productions that will excite and engage theatergoers and make WaterTower a sought-after and relevant artistic voice to DFW and the national theatre community.
WTT is committed to being a supportive home for diverse artists. They will cross-pollinate their spaces with artists who: work in different styles, forms, and genres; range from emerging to experienced; are from DFW and around the world; and that speak from different backgrounds, genders, sexualities, abilities, and countries of origin.
They will also connect with theatres locally, nationally, and internationally, exchanging work and ideas that will resonate not only in their art forms but in the conversations, they have within and around their work.
WTT is a place where audiences can trust that each show at their theatre will bring something different to their audience: a new point of view, the genre of theatre, or experience. WTT’s productions will take their audiences on a journey in their imagination and hearts without leaving their Addison home.
They are committed to producing work that aligns with their core values of diversity & inclusivity, community & connectivity, innovation, honesty & integrity.
History
Founded in 1996, WaterTower Theatre (WTT) is one of Texas’ leading professional theatre companies and a flagship arts institution in North Texas, having played an important role as a leader in developing new talent, new work, and encouraging the growth of the DFW artistic community through its commitment to hiring local artists.
WTT traces its origins back to Addison Community Theater (ACT) of the 1970s which began performing at the Old Stone Cottage, a 1930’s WPA project which still stands adjacent to WTT’s current home at the Addison Theatre Centre. Addison Theatre Centre, completed in 1992, is an award-winning 32,000-square-foot space, including the Main Stage – a flexible black box space with seating for approximately 200 – and a smaller Studio Theatre. WTT is the resident theatre company of the Addison Theatre Centre, which also houses WTT’s administrative, artistic, and production offices.
Throughout its history, WaterTower’s artistic vision, service to the community, and growing audience have led to a unique partnership with the Town of Addison, one aimed at the development of an exciting destination for residents and non-residents to experience the best in theatrical arts.
Building on its reputation for being an intrepid producer of new works, WTT has garnered numerous accolades through the years. WTT’s commitment to new work is reflected in its history of world premieres including Song of Motherhood (1998), Blind Lemon: Prince of Country Blues (2001), A Country Life (2005), Creep (2015), The Spark (2015), The Great Distance Home (2017), Bread (2018), WTT’s Out of the Loop Festival (2002-2016), and DETOUR: a Festival of New Work, beginning in 2018. At the conclusion of the 2018-2019 Season, WTT will have produced 176 plays and musicals, including 9 World Premieres and 39 Regional Premieres.
From 1999 to 2016, WaterTower Theatre was under the artistic leadership of Terry Martin. During his tenure, Martin oversaw the presentation of more than 130 productions in WTT’s Main Stage and Studio Theatre. The Company was then led by Artistic Director Joanie Schultz from January 2017 to December 2018. In March 2019, Shane Peterman was selected as the Company’s new Producing Artistic Director.