On Wednesday, the American Century Theater announced that it will close its doors after the conclusion of its upcoming season. The Arlington theater, founded in 1994, says its mission is “to promote 20th-century theater as a vital part of our cultural dialogue.” According to a release by the theater, the decision to close after the 20th-anniversary season was made jointly by the board of directors and artistic director Jack Marshall.
The decision, according to the release, is not due to financial reasons but instead “by a sense that the theater has accomplished what it set out to do.” Says Marshall, “We find ourselves fourteen years into the 21st century, and, in light of our artistic and cultural achievements we think that upon the completion of our final season we will have proved our point, made a difference, and accomplished our mission. Too many organizations fail at the hardest thing, which is knowing when to say goodbye. For The American Century Theater, we think that time has come.”
In its 20 years, the theater has produced more than 100 shows, including two that have evolved into continuously running productions (one of which is the current production, An Evening With Danny Kaye, running through August 16). The upcoming season has yet to be announced.
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