Business & Tech

Theatre in the Square Closes

Theatre in the Square in Marietta suspended all performances Monday and will not finish the season or launch a 31st season. Share your memories of Theatre in the Square and reaction to its closing!

, and , closed their curtains Monday.

The theater suspended all performances as of Monday and will not finish the season.

“It is not feasible for us to finish our current season or launch a 31st season. We simply do not have the money," Board Chair Mike Russell said in a press release.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Share your memories of Theatre in the Square and reaction to its closing in the comments below.

The closing was met with surprise and sadness on Theatre in the Square's Facebook page.

"I literally had to sit down when Kara told me what had happened. I'm crushed, but I look forward to seeing what comes next, because there WILL be a next," Dolph Amick wrote on the Facebook page.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

"Theatre in the Square is 5 minutes from my home. It was where I was half-dressed as a Victorian police officer when my wife went into labor. It was where I was given an opportunity to shine with Bryan Mercer, Jason MacDonald and Catherine Dyer in one of the best shows I've ever been privileged enough to be a part of," Scott Warren wrote.

"MARIETTA, You cant let this happen! You have put so much support into the Cobb Energy Center and the over the last five years the money is gone by the time you get get to Theatre in the Square. 20 years ago they were here supporting the downtown," John Christian wrote.

The Board of Directors raised .

The theater decided to decline from . "We can’t accept the funding in good conscience knowing that we will still have to close our doors in a matter of days," Russell said in the press release. 

Mayor Steve Tumlin called Dave Reardon and Tom Browning, who serve with Tumlin on the Downtown Marietta Development Authority, and proposed giving the theater an additional $30,000 to $50,000 during an emergency DMDA meeting, The Marietta Daily Journal reports.

However, Russell told Tumlin it would not be enough to save the theater, the MDJ says.

The closing of the theater may have a big impact on downtown Marietta. The theater welcomed over 45,000 people through its doors each year and represented a $785,000 economic impact on . Approximately, when they saw a show at the theater.

The theater was in the middle of a production of Flyin’ West, which was set to run until April 8. The theater is investigating an opportunity with area theaters for a ticket swap for Theatre in the Square's current ticket holders of the remaining season plays.

Keep up with all the news you care about by subscribing to our free email newsletter, liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here