Alabama's performing arts organizations celebrate the state's history and diverse cultural traditions through live theater. Although Birmingham has, by far, the largest concentration of theatrical groups, quality performances can be found across the state from the upper mountains to the beaches of Mobile.
Alabama has an official Outdoor State Drama, The Miracle Worker, which is performed annually in June at the Helen Keller Festival in Tuscumbia. There is also an official Alabama Outdoor Musical Drama, The Incident at Looney's Tavern, staged each year at the Winston County Free State Festival.
Birmingham
As Alabama's largest metropolitan area, Birmingham is home to approximately 30 theater performance groups and companies. Ranging from high school drama to university theater departments, and Community Theater to professional, the theatrical scene runs the gamut in the Birmingham area.
Birmingham Festival Theatre is the area's oldest theater, producing innovative works and plays by Southern writers. Since its founding in 1972, the organization has produced over 200 shows that have been seen by over 100,000 audience members.
City Equity Theatre is the region's most well known member of the Actors Equity Association. Equity theaters are professional theaters under contract with the union. The Metropolitan Arts Center is another company producing professional quality shows. Housed in the Virginia Samford Theatre, the organization produces stage favorites.
The Birmingham Park Players produce a variety of indoor and outdoor shows, including the works of William Shakespeare. Shows are held at the Alabama School of Fine Arts' theater and at the Aldridge Botanical Gardens in Hoover.
The Red Mountain Theatre Company, formerly a summer stock program called Summerfest, has become a year-round professional theater company producing shows in both the Virginia Samford Theatre and the Red Mountain Cabaret Theatre. The Terrific New Theatre Company also stages shows in Birmingham.
For the younger set, the Birmingham Children's Theatre produces professional shows for kids. As one of the country's largest professional theaters for children, the BCT produces seven shows each year, with four of them touring. Over 250,000 audience members enjoy BCT's performances each year.
The Magic City Actors Theatre is an organization that produces Community Theater, and is also located at the Virginia Samford Theatre. Other community based theatrical groups include several high school and college groups; the Seasoned Performers Adult Theatre, made up of senior citizens; South City Theatre, a community group in south Birmingham; Dane Peterson's Theatre Series, which utilizes theater professionals and local talent; and the Politically Incorrect Cabaret, which performs throughout the area showing risqué comedy and cabaret.
Other stage productions take place at the historical Alabama Theatre of the Performing Arts. Built in 1927, the theater was originally built by Paramount Studios to show the studio's films, and operated as a movie house for 55 years. Today, the theater has been restored, and hosts live shows, as well as films. Called "The Showplace of the South," the Alabama Theatre presents over 300 events each year, and is home to the Mighty Wurlitzer theatrical organ. The Alabama Theatre is the official state historic theater of Alabama.
Outside Birmingham
Outside of Alabama's largest metro area a number of theatrical groups produce shows. In Huntsville, the Renaissance Theatre at Lincoln Center presents a variety of dinner theater, cabaret, and classical shows in this intimate historical setting. Seating only 85 patrons, this charming building dates back to 1927 as well. Huntsville is also home to the Theatre Huntsville Company, a community theater created by a merger between two existing theater groups.
Other area theater groups include CAST (Community Actor's Studio Theatre) in the Anniston area; the Leeds Arts Council Community Theatre, Looney's Tavern Entertainment Park in Double Springs, the Montevallo Main Street Players, (in Montevallo), the Whole Backstage Theatre in Guntersville, and the Way Off Broadway Theatre in Prattville.
One significant theatrical group is the Tuskegee Repertory Theatre. Located in historic Tuskegee, this theater company bills itself as 'Alabama's African American Theatre.' The group performs at its home space, the Jesse Clinton Arts Centre, and on tour as well. The theater's mission is not only to produce works about the African American cultural heritage, but to provide professional training and performance experience for African American artists.
In the small town of Decatur is the Princess Theatre Center for the Performing Arts. Built in 1887 as a livery stable, and transformed into a vaudeville playhouse in 1919, this historic building now hosts a variety of theatrical performances and musical acts. The Art Deco building was renovated in 2001, and plays host to over 60,000 attendees each year. The theater is home to the resident art group Backstage Theatre Inc. and Studio One.
In Mobile, visitors can attend nationally touring shows at the historic Saenger Theatre. Hosting dance performances, theatrical touring groups, comedy, musical acts, and the likes of BB King, the Saenger has been called 'the most beautiful playhouse in all of Dixie.'
Another interesting stop for theater fans, and those interested in Shakespeare, is the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. A staged production of the Alabama Shakespeare Company's War of the Roses Trilogy is the inspiration for an exhibit based on modern stagecraft, creative design, and the construction process. The exhibit will follow the transformation of an Elizabethan style production into the 21st century.
Alabama is home to a wide variety of theater, ranging from professional resident companies to touring groups, to children's theater. Alabama's historic theaters offer show-goers a chance to step back in time to the days of vaudeville and silent film as they enter jewel box theaters across the state. Whether it is Shakespeare, comedy, family fun, or community playhouse standards, visitors to Alabama have a wide variety of staged productions from which to choose, in theaters ranging from grand old dames to small and intimate playhouses.
