Throughout its history, WaterTower's artistic vision, service to the community and growing audience has led to a unique partnership with the Town of Addison, one aimed at the development of an exciting destination for residents and non-residents to experience the best in theatrical arts.
Building on its reputation for being an intrepid producer of new works, WTT has garnered numerous accolades through the years. WTT's commitment to new work is reflected in its history of world premieres including Song of Motherhood (1998), Blind Lemon: Prince of Country Blues (2001), A Country Life (2005), Creep (2015), The Spark (2015), The Great Distance Home (2017), and Bread (2018). The 27th Season will close with a world premiere musical, Goin' Hollywood by Stephen Cole & David Krane. At the conclusion of the 2022-2023 Season, WTT will have produced 184 plays and musicals, including 11 World Premieres and 43 Regional Premieres.
Funding to support our production budgets for the 2022-2023 Season in order to survive as an organization. We are reaching the end of our 27th season, while preparing for Season 28. We have survived a lot over the years, including rising costs due to inflation, the need for Covid testing, PPE, and new personnel. We are up to that challenge. WTT was one of the first theaters in the nation to obtain approval from Actors' Equity Association to reopen SAFELY with in person audiences, and has kept EVERYONE on & off stage employed SAFELY throughout the pandemic. WTT is proud to have maintained a perfect Covid safety record throughout all our productions.
We are currently researching pathways to improve our website experience to better communicate with and facilitate the accessibility for current patrons and our surrounding community.
Recently, we have joined forces with The Penguin Project, where a group of children take to the stage to perform a modified version of a well-known Broadway musical. These productions are unique, however, because all the roles are filled by young artists with developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities visual impairment, hearing impairment, and other neurological disorders. They are joined on stage by a dedicated group of “peer mentors” – children the same age without disabilities who have volunteered to work side-by-side with them through 4 months of rehearsals and through the final performance. By providing access to community theater, The Penguin Project demonstrates that the special challenges of a disability should not handicap a child’s ability to participate in life’s experiences. We are excited to be a part of this journey
Founded in 1996, WaterTower Theatre is one of Texas' leading professional theatre companies and flagship arts institutions in North Texas, having played an important role as a leader in developing new talent and encouraging the growth of the DFW artistic community through its commitment to hiring local professional artists. WaterTower Theatre is consistently recognized for its artistic excellence by the Dallas Theatre League, DFW Theatre Critics Forum, The Dallas Morning News, The Dallas Observer, D Magazine, and The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, among others. WaterTower Theatre has a subscription base of more than 2,000 subscribers and serves an audience of over 24,000 patrons annually.
MISSION
WaterTower Theatre's mission is to create innovative, diverse theatre that builds community by fostering empathy and dialogue.
At WaterTower Theatre, we believe that there is no place in this world for discrimination, prejudice, or racial injustice. We believe that Black Lives Matter, love is love, and that every person deserves to be treated with respect, equality, and equity. Our goal is to celebrate the diversity of our world through the creation of art, and to also reflect these values within our organization. WaterTower Theatre strives for our stages, board, staff, and audience to mirror the wonderfully diverse community in which we live.
We know that being a part of building a more equitable artistic community is a journey that we are committed to, and we are ready to take on the challenge. We are proud to report that the work is being done and the proper steps are being taken to learn and grow. We are taking part in enlightening conversations with members of our community, anti-racism learning sessions, and have accepted a call to action which is the first step towards meaningful change for WTT to build a trusting relationship with those who support us. Finally, we believe it is vital for us all to hold one another up with love, kindness, and understanding during these turbulent times. It is our hope that our children, our children’s children, and all generations that come after will see one another as equals regardless of race, ability, identity, or religious affiliation.
Organization name
WaterTower Theatre
Causes
Arts, Culture & Humanities, Community Improvement
Operating Budget
$500,000 - $999,999
Counties Served
Dallas
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic or Latinx, Other
BIPOC Leadership
Neither/None
Equity Statement
Equity Statement
Address
WaterTower Theatre 15650 Addison Road