Movin' on Up to the South Side: The Overtime Theater Gets a New Home in the Blue Star Arts Complex

The Overtime Theater, home to original plays and musicals, comedy improv, and performance and art events in San Antonio, is moving to South Town. Specifically, the Overtime Theater is setting up shop in the place widely considered to be the center of San Antonio's arts scene: the Blue Star Arts Complex. The new address for the Overtime Theater is 1414 S. Alamo, Suite 103, San Antonio TX 78210.

The Overtime Theater will fill the space that formerly held Armonart Studio. The leaseholder, Armon "Butch" Brown, said of the new tenant: "I think they'll be a valuable asset to the Blue Star Arts Complex, making this a theater mecca for San Antonio."

While the Overtime Theater had a good run at its location on West Avenue, the small retail space presented several problems in growing and keeping an audience: inadequate parking, dimly lit streets, and few amenities for theater-goers such as nearby restaurants or other, similarly artistic-themed businesses. The new Overtime Theater at the Blue Star has more conveniences for theater audiences: it's easily accessible, with more well-lit parking and restaurants and bars onsite at the complex, and in a location that has great name recognition as well as a number of other fine and performing arts organizations. The Overtime will continue to focus on producing new, original works that can't be seen anywhere else in San Antonio or the nation.

At the same time, the Overtime Theater is making the transition from a for-profit, single-proprietorship business to non-profit status. This decision has been made to extend the Overtime's mission to the greater community, including through planned, low-cost classes in acting, comedy improv skills, and art workshops by working professionals.

"We're changing our structure because the Company wanted it, and literally because now there is a Company!" John Poole said. "Sole proprietorship was appropriate two years ago, but now there's a whole group of people who have sweated and spent their resources on this idea, and we all decided that a non-profit status was the best way for our group to manage the growth and to share responsibility and authority. We're going to be a stronger theater company, and much better prepared to serve the community."

The new Overtime Board of Directors are: Michael Burger, Rebecca Coffey, Scott McDowell, Rigel Nuñez, and Chuck Wigginton. Christie Walheim will serve as Executive Director, and Roy Thomas as Artistic Director.

Throughout November and December, the Overtime Theater will continue to stage Saturday night comedy improv by The Denials troupe, as well as screening weird movies from John Poole's Schadenfreuden Collection. A holiday panto also is planned for December, and art workshops will start in the new space. (Please see below for a list of events.)

The grand opening of the new space will take place on January 8 with the opening of the new film-noir play, The Hard Bargain, written by Scott McDowell and directed by acclaimed director Andrew Thornton.

In business since 2006, the Overtime Theater was founded by John Poole, a San Antonio theater veteran who sought to create a theater "for people who don't usually go to theater" (San Antonio Express-News). The Overtime is dedicated to providing innovative and accessible entertainment at an affordable price. The shows are all new, original works, or new adaptations of old classics never before seen on stage.

In the past year, the theater has produced three original musicals: Sheer Bloody Lunacy!, Pirates Vs. Ninjas, and The Brain That Wouldn't Die: A New Musical. Other productions in 2008-2009 have included The Good Samaritan, Poet Faustus, Sob! Choke...LOVE!, Lear, What Will Happen, and most recently, the world premieres of Buddha Swings, and Action Philosophers!

Rebecca Coffey also has been with the Overtime, as its "Art Boss," since the theater's inception. The Overtime Theater focuses on showcasing artists from the Greater San Antonio Metroplex (in other words, anyone south of Austin) who work in the Fiber Arts and the genre loosely described as "Altered Art," or modern folk art.

For more information, including a calendar of upcoming events, visit: theovertimetheater.net

 

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