Stone Street Theatre

An Aged Wine for a New Vineyard
Stone Street Theatre Opens with Veteran Dance Company

Downtown residents who like dining, shopping and working within minutes from home, can now experience the world of live theatre just outside their doorsteps. City guests and visitors to the new downtown Dallas who are looking for an evening of fine dining and one-of-a kind entertainment now have a place to experience both. After an initial town meeting in June, the new Stone Street Theatre will open its doors with a grand debut from the Mahogany Dance Theatre of Texas, Friday and Saturday, September 23rd and 24th at 8:00 p.m. Tickets for the performance are $25.00 and are available at the door or by calling the dance company at 214-828-0959. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. for refreshments; seating in the new space is limited so reservations are suggested.

In the heart of the city, the new venue is located on the second floor of the Metropolitan Downtown Tavern, 1525 Main Street. The theatre entrance is nestled in the center of the Stone Street Gardens between Main and Elm Streets. Theatre founders Bryan Hutson and Sergio A. Garcia have partnered with restaurant owner George Elson, the Central Dallas Association, the Adolphus Hotel and Stone Street Garden’s Thomas Taylor to create an intimate retreat for great entertainment by local artists and performers. This latest addition to the city’s urban center promises to be a welcome escape for downtown residents and visitors alike.

The featured artist for the theatre’s opening, Mahogany Dance Theatre of Texas, is celebrating its 30th year as a community arts advocate. An explosive blend of ballet as well as acrobatic, African and jazz movements, “Pulse, Sweat and Rhythm” is an artistic delight from a company renowned for its spiritual roots and cutting edge dance.

The Dance Theatre was founded in 1976 by south Dallas native, Vann J. Gilbert. Dr. Gilbert has spent his dance career offering amazing opportunities and training thousands of aspiring young artists, living amidst communities hard hit by the elements of criminal gang warfare. This production is an historical hallmark of the company’s long history of service on Dallas stages and cities throughout Texas, rejuvenating low to moderate income communities.

The Stone Street Theatre promises to set a new precedence in Dallas with its unique, intimate space and diversity of artists. The Mahogany Dance Theatre continues an amazing history of endurance, and proves it’s the movement that’s making a difference.

Stone Street Theatre Update!

Stone Street Theatre Update

Welcome

Some of you may be receiving this update for the first time. It is because you have been added to our list from other lists stashed away on our computers. If you do not wish to continue to receve these updates and/or wish to be taken off the list...please let us know. If this is your first update, please go to the website at http://www.stonestreettheatre.com/ (it will go to our blogsite right now) to find out what this is all about. Thanks for your interest and support...Bryan Hutson & Sergio A. Garcia.

Theatre to Open With Mahogany Dance Theatre in Late September

We are excited to announce we will be opening our doors with a performance from the Mahogany Dance Theatre on Friday and Saturday, September 23 & 24 at 8:00 p.m.. Plans for the opening include everything from a red carpet to searchlights announcing our location! Ticket and press information will be sent out soon. A reception and preview night will be held on Thursday, September 22nd for the press and invited guests.

The schedule for the rest of the year is still being finalized and will include cabaret performances from Linda Leonard and Tom Grounds, Section 8 Comedy and more.

Send Us Your Video Audition

All right all you singers/performers...it is time to update your resume and send us a video of what you can do! We are still looking for some cabaret performers and specialty acts…if you would like to audition for a slot please send a video(dvd, vhs, or media file) and resume to:

Stone Street Theatre
1509 Main Street #204
Dallas, TX 75201

Our plans still call for auditions for other shows, musicals and plays, sometime after the first of the year. This will depend on how successful the next few months are enabling us to pay for royalties, etc.

Facility Changes

The graphics for the banners and sign designed by Jay Cantrell are at the printers and will be installed soon…all donated by the building owner, Thomas Taylor.

The versatile stage has been located three blocks away. It will be constructed from what used to be a raised floor for a federal data processing center located in a downtown building being converted to condos! Bryan and Russell Dyer have looked at the floor and believe it has some great possibilities…and it is free! The 2 x 2 floor panels and frame will need to be removed and transported to the theatre space soon so we will be scheduling a volunteer work “party” for that in the near future. Yaaaaaaaaa!

Other panels which will cover some of the windows to keep out nighttime light are being constructed by Eric Guthrie. Eric works with Bryan at Calloway’s Nursery and designs and builds custom made furniture. He is volunteering his time and materials for this project. These panels will be used as canvases for artist Jim Fredrick and others and will serve as both blackout panels and large paintings which can be purchased and replaced…hopefully on a regular basis.

We will be needing help over the next few months in setting up and taking down the stage before and after a run of performances. The Metropolitan Downtown Tavern has graciously given us the space for this project, however, there are still some event dates which were booked previously, and we must honor those and return the space to what the guests have booked. It will be a challenge to work through these but I know with everyone's help we can get get it done! After these bookings are over in December, no more moving!

Web Page Being Developed

The Stone Street Theatre web page will be up and running soon, we are just waiting for a digital copy of the sign graphic for the "splash" page, then development of the full site will follow. Sergio and Bryan met with Phil Lockhart and Chris Jones, both downtown residents, who are donating their time, experience and creative abilities to design a one-of-kind website give us the prescence we need. You will be able to find out schedule information, buy tickets, read performer bios, find links to other theatres and performances, etc. We look forward to seeing what Phil and Chris will come up with!

Parlor Grand Piano To Make 500 Mile Journey

Estimates are being taken for some minor repairs to a parlor grand piano to be moved from the Rio Grande Valley. Sergio has owned this piano for a long time and another downtown resident, John Burkel has graciously offered to cover those expenses and have it brought to Dallas and the Stone Street Theatre!

Art Showing/Fundraiser Coming in Spring

We are also in discussion with an actor/soap star, who has now become a respected Los Angeles artist, to have a showing in early Spring to benefit a local non-profit organization. We want this to be as versatile a space as possible and with this event we are well on our way. We will keep you posted on the details of the event.

Next Meeting Scheduled

The last meeting before the official opening will be at 7:00 on Saturday, September 10th at the Stone Street Theatre. Please use the theatre entrance on Stone Street rather than the Metropolitan. This will be an opportunity for all of us to regroup and talk about volunteer opportunities to help get ready for September 23rd. It has been amazing to see all the outpouring of support from the community, however we are still in need of folks to just help get things ready. If you have been reading these updates and only been to one meeting or no meeting at all...now is the time to help! Hopefully we will see you at this next meeting and at the Mahogany Dance Theatre’s performance.

Questions?

We are in the process of changing over to our new email so if you have any questions please email us at bryan.hutson@stonestreetheatre.com or sergio.garcia@stonestreettheatre.com.

Pass it On!

As always if you know someone who might be interested in this please pass it on. Email and word of mouth will help make all this happen!