Triad Stage began as a dream... Co-founders Preston Lane and Richard Whittington forged their artistic partnership as graduate students at the Yale School of Drama. After managing a theater in Connecticut for two years, they undertook the three-year task of opening their own theater in the heart of historic Greensboro. In September 1999, Triad Stage purchased the former Montgomery Ward building, which had been built in 1936 and sat vacant for almost 40 years. Renovations transformed the five-story building into a world-class theater center now called The Pyrle Theater, complete with a 300-seat theater and thrust stage, rehearsal hall, offices, two spacious lobbies and other audience amenities. Photo courtesy of Greensboro Historical Museum
The Grand Opening took place in January 2002 with Tennessee Williams’ modern classic Suddenly Last Summer.
In 2008, Triad Stage finished a second round of renovations to The Pyrle. A scene shop annex was added in the basement. The top floor underwent major construction to create the 90-seat UpStage Cabaret performance space, the Sloan Rehearsal Hall, and the studio and office facilities of WUNC Public Radio’s new Greensboro Bureau. In 2011, Triad Stage purchased a 30,000 square foot building near the Greensboro Coliseum Complex to serve as the theater’s new production facility, relocating its scene, costume and properties shops as well as its warehouse. In 2013, with significant support from The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, Triad Stage announced a major expansion of programming to be produced at the Hanesbrands Theatre in downtown Winston-Salem.
The Pyrle Theater, Greensboro
Hanesbrands Theatre, Winston-Salem
Now in its 16th season, Triad Stage has over 3,000 Season Passholders and more than 700 annual donors. The company has received accolades on national, state and local levels, including being named “One of the 10 Most Promising Emerging Theatre Companies” by the American Theatre Wing and “One of the Best Regional Theaters in America” by the Drama League of New York. Triad Stage has been voted the Triad’s “Best Live Theater” by the readers of the News & Record’s GoTriad ten years in a row and named “Professional Theatre of the Year” by the North Carolina Theatre Conference in 2003 and 2011. Its production of Tobacco Road was listed among the “Best of 2007” by The Wall Street Journal, its production of The Glass Menagerie was named “Best North Carolina Production of 2010” by Triangle Arts & Entertainment, and 2012’s production of Reynolds Price’s New Music trilogy was named among the “Best Productions” of the year in Triangle Theatre by Independent Weekly. 12