Great Big Stuff Happens at Baltimore's Everyman Theatre

It was a joyous exuberant crowd on Baltimore's Eutaw Street two weeks ago in an empty space across from the Hippodrome Theatre and across a courtyard next to the popular Irish pub Maggie Moore's. A crowd of two hundred gathered to announce one of the worst kept secrets in Baltimore that the acclaimed Everyman Theatre will be coming from its North Station neighborhood near Penn Station to the revitalized West Side Development at Fayette Street and Eutaw Street. It was back in 1975 that Baltimore's Center Stage opened its new home thanks to generosity of a large unused Jesuit high school that cost them $1. Well, history has repeated itself. Everyman's Artistic Director Vince Lancisi for the same price, now owns a building in downtown Baltimore thanks to the generosity of the Bank of America and the real estate development firm, the Dawson Company.

There was much good cheer as a mixture of bankers, developers, politicians (including Baltimore City Council President and soon-to-be Mayor Sheila Dixon) and actors from the acclaimed Everyman production of "The School for Scandal" munched on delicious shrimp, scallops, and sushi in an un-renovated space soon (hopefully) to be filled by a restaurant. It was a glorious day for theater in the Baltimore/Washington area. Baltimore has been slow to follow Washington's lead in renovating spaces in the downtown area into theaters. Success stories abound with the Shakespeare Theatre, Whooly Mammoth, and Studio Theaters recently opening new spaces with more to come. Urban areas are recognizing the importance of theater to a community.

You may have noticed the grand façade of the Town Theatre on Fayette Street located adjacent to the Center Point residential and commercial development and parking garage. Once again a historic theater, this one built in 1910, will see live actors again. The Baltimore Sun in an editorial entitled "A Change of Scenery" applauded the move using Cleveland's Playhouse Square as an example of an urban area being revitalized with four restored theaters.  What they didn't mention is there is one more small theater, "The Mayfair", just a few blocks north on Howard Street that is ripe for restoration.

Lancisi spoke about the beginning of the Everyman Theatre twelve years ago where artists along with the administrative staff scrubbed toilets to get the theater up and running on North Charles Street. He admitted he had no idea one day his theater would be moving downtown across from the Hippodrome with all sorts of possibilities. Plans call for a theater space of around 300 on the first floor, and room for a costume shop, scene shop, educational programs and a long range goal for a small black box theater on the fourth floor. Zelig Robinson, President of the Everyman Board of Directors, spoke of the many success stories at the theater including "The Cone Sister", this year's tremendous "Opus" (which recently was awarded Play of the Year in Philadelphia), "Proof" and "Fences". I would also add Jason Robert Brown's "The Last Five Years" which broke all box office records.

The neighborhood no question is thrilled with this announcement. Hippodrome Executive Director Marks Chowning said he was thrilled to have another legitimate theater on the block. Maybe the happiest couple in the room was John and Maggie Moore who own the beautiful Irish pub next door. Can I suggest maybe one Irish play a year to coincide with "Maggie Moore's" Irish pub as a neighbor? After the speeches, everyone attended the unveiling of a three story tall banner (located in the courtyard between "Maggie Moore's" and the Center Point development on Eutaw Street. The banner highlighted members of the Everyman Theatre Company with scenes from "Yellow Man", "Candida", "Opus", "The Children's Hour", "Rose", and "My Children, My Africa". Most of the actors in attendance were misty eyed as the banner was unfurled. Credit should go to photographer Stan Barouh.

Renovations should be completed for an opening in 2009. Lancisi is hopeful that the space on N. Charles St. will continue as a theater. Let me suggest the possibility of moving one or a combination of local theaters such as The Fells Point Corner Theatre, Spotlighters, Vagabonds, Mobtown Players, Chesapeake Shakespeare Theatre, Baltimore Shakespeare Theatre, and Theatre Hopkins which needs a new home. It would be a shame if the great tradition of live theater on N. Charles ends when the Everyman moves downtown.

For comments, cgshubow@broadwayworld.com

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