Bethesda Theatre to Operate Exclusively as a Touring House

The Washington Post is reporting that the financially troubled Bethesda Theatre will no longer produce it's own shows and will instead operate only as a rental facility until further notice. The theater has been dark since the close of "3 Blonde Moms" stand-up comedy show in June.

The next show to play the Besthesda Theatre will be the "Forever Tango" touring show from Oct. 27-Nov. 1.

Says Tom Baum president of the nonprofit Bethesda Cultural Alliance tells the Post: "Our plan is to do more rentals for now and take less risk in the shows before we figure out what the ultimate direction for the theater should be." 

As previously reported, the Bathesda Theatre lost Executive Director Ray Cullom this year when he assumed post as Managing Director at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven Connecticut. The loss was significant for the theater, as Cullom programmed the Bethesda on behalf of Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment. Losing Cullom was a second hit for the theater, which suffered largely from the April 2008 closing of "Smokey Joe's Cafe" after a water pipe burst in the Whitney apartments above. 

To read the full report in the Washington Post, click here.

Previous shows at the Bethesda Theatre include, "Menopause: The Musical," "Men Fake Foreplay" and "My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish and I'm in Therapy." 

The Bethesda Theatre is owned by the Bethesda Cultural Alliance, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide financial and operational assistance to the theatre; to sponsor educational outreach programs; and to become a supporting institution for the expansion of cultural arts and activities in Bethesda and the greater metropolitan area. The theatre was donated to the Bethesda Cultural Alliance in 2005 by The Bozzuto Group.