A Portable Theatre to Cease Operations

The Board of Directors of A Portable Theatre, Inc. (APT), a professional touring theatre company based in Columbus, has decided to cease operations. The organization's final performance, Jeffrey Hatcher's A Picasso at the Columbus Museum of Art, took place on July 8, 2016.

The company toured its productions over a period of four years to many venues, including churches, corporate boardrooms, private residences, retirement communities, colleges, and local stages throughout Ohio. In addition to A Picasso, the company produced The Duck Variations by David Mamet; Pierce to the Soul by Chiquita Mullins Lee; Talking Heads by Alan Bennett; Tales from the Grave adapted by Geoffrey Nelson; and Every Christmas Show Ever Told (And Then Some) by John K. Alvarez, Michael Carleton, and James FitzGerald. The organization was supported by grants from The Hazelbaker Foundation, The Columbus Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council.

Even though APT enjoyed critical success, financial stability and audience support, the Board reluctantly voted to disband upon learning of the relocation of its volunteer artistic director and founder Geoffrey Nelson to another state.

"In addition," said current Board president Diana Vance, "last September, APT suffered the untimely passing of Board president Cheri Mitchell. We lost a dear friend with a deep background in arts administration. "

The Board is working with The Columbus Foundation to administer its remaining assets to local theatre companies aligned with APT's mission to make professional theatre available on an affordable basis to a broad audience.

APT's Board of Directors would like to thank Geoff Nelson for his leadership and service and all of its donors, artists, presenters, audience members, and volunteers for their unwavering support.

APT is a non-profit, professional touring theatre based in central Ohio. The company employs highly-skilled Equity actors and professional directors, performing plays that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. APT performs in traditional theatres, both large and small, and in non-traditional spaces. By bringing live professional theatre to audiences throughout Ohio, APT promotes the public value of all theatre - community theatre, academic theatre and professional theatre.

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