Generic Theater

Generic Theater was founded in 1981. For 45 years it has been Norfolk’s underground, Off-Broadway playhouse: producing bold, intimate work that produced a deep resonance with a dedicated audience that comes back show after show. The Theater presents contemporary work, new plays and musicals, and reinterpretations of the classics that audiences in Hampton Roads are unlikely to see anywhere else. The city’s planned renovation of Chrysler Hall, which included the Little Hall, our home for the last 18 years meant we had to go. What began as a crisis has transformed into an opportunity to occupy our own dedicated space in within the Norfolk Masonic Temple at 7001 Granby St. in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Theater is volunteer-powered – a true labor of love. Board members build sets. Actors sweep floors.

Four commitments have been held steady throughout the decades:

• Productions that tackle relevant and controversial issues within our community
• Innovative productions of contemporary and new work
• Space for experienced artists and technicians to do serious work to hone their craft, and provide a place for new talent to train

• Access for people who could not otherwise afford a ticket, through volunteer opportunities, via Volunteer Hampton Roads, Arts4All and Kids Free Hampton Roads

  The 40-foot by 76-foot room we want to turn into the theater is a shell right now. Transforming into a working black box theater requires a lighting grid, electrical service, a stage deck, sound infrastructure, dressing and storage space, lobby and box office, and seating. We are salvaging where we can: chairs left behind from the previous Generic Theater space are slated to be reinstalled as audience seating rather than purchased new. But we know that this type of operation will, ultimately, not be sustainable. And not allow us to achieve our overall mission and vision. With our move to the new space, we extend this invitation to the community to help us complete the theater to live up to its potential.

  Moving costs and the first phase of demolition and construction has cost roughly $96,000 to date, funded largely by more than $20,000 raised through Give Local 757 in May and by early gifts from people who did not want to see this company end after 45 years. The full build-out will cost substantially more.

Our goal is $500,000 and we have raised $86,000 so far. $414,000 remains to be raised. This is where you come in.

Our goals are intertwined this season, because a finished new home with no productions is just a room, not a theater. Your gift will support three achievements at once:

1. Bring To Life Our New Home. Lighting, electrical, the stage, the seats. Every dollar given to the build-out stays in the building and serves every production that follows.Stage Season 46. Four productions between November and June: Putting It
2. Together, Marjorie Prime, Making God Laugh, and The Colored Museum. Ticket revenue covers roughly 58% of what it costs to produce our season. Contributed income must cover the rest.

3. Deepen Arts Access for All. Arts4All, Kids Free Hampton Roads, and our work with Volunteer Hampton Roads put approximately 80+ people in seats last season who are not usually exposed to the arts.

   The Generic Theater impacts our local community – and has grown into its own extended community – in ways that are unexpected and beneficial. YOUR participation in the campaign allows these bonds to strengthen and flourish. As our Generic Theater community strengthens and grows, YOUR SUPPORT lets us build our ability to showcase innovative performances and serve Hampton Roads with our programs. The Theater has created opportunities for:

• Court referred, students, and military volunteers to gain vital team-building skills and self-esteem working in the theater. Sometimes, the court-referred volunteers continue donating their time to the Theater after their required hours have been met. In one instance, another volunteer bonded so much with the Generic Theater “family” they spent holidays with some of our Board members!
• Minorities and disenfranchised communities see their stories reflected in our productions. We present plays that tackle topics other theater companies shy away from, like racism, homophobia, and the dangers of artificial intelligence

• Young people seeking “hands on” training in the technical aspects of theater, such as construction, sound, lighting, and staging, to gain valuable experience

  YOUR gift is what stands between this room and the theater it is about to become. The lights come up on November 6. We invite you to help us turn them on.