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Theatre Auditorium

Theatre Auditorium ~2003

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Takoma Theatre Conservancy

Featured Events/ Performances

how-old-is-a-heroWinter Season Continues with TTC Sponsorship of Smithsonian Discovery Theater Performances of "How Old is a Hero"
Wiith presentations of the musical play, How Old is a Hero, students at Shepherd ES, Takoma EC and West EC  heard the inspiring stories of three young heroes of the civil rights movement: Ernest Green of the Little Rock Nine, the first black student to graduate from an integrated high school; Claudette Colvin, who refused to give up her bus seat before Rosa Parks; and Ruby Bridges, who won equal rights before she could read. In partnership with Class Acts Arts. [Jan/Feb, 2012]
(Read more ... )

Conservancy sponsors Lesole's South African Dancers at newly renovated Takoma ECIMGP0122At the first performance event in the newly renovated school, the Lesole's Dance Project introduced three South African cultures to Takoma EC's students through their high energy dances: the traditional Indlamu dance from Zulu villages; the Gumboot, a percussive kind of "instant messaging" dance slapped out on gold miners' rubber boots, and the Pantsula, an upbeat urban dance like American hip-hop but with a cultural twist.  After each presentation, native South African Lesole Maine (pronounced Mah-ee-nay), the dance company's founder, explained the origins and context of the exciting dances and gave the young audience of pre-school through 2nd grade students an opportunity to participate and try the dance steps. In partnership with Class Acts Arts. [Jan, 2012] (Read more ... )

IMGP0095TTC Begins Third Year of Sponsoring Arts Performances in DC schools with Native American storyteller, Dovie Thomason
Performances this school year kicked off with a student favorite, Dovie Thomason, Native American storyteller, at LAMB Public Charter School.  Ms. Thomason shares her culture with understanding, sly humor and astonishing vocal transformations. Through diverse voices and gestures she conjures up the wisdom of Native Americans from the time before rocks were hard.  [Nov, 2011]
(Read more . . .)

Conservancy President Loretta Neumann receives a 2011 Azalea Award 
Ms. Neumann received the annual "Takivist" award for someone who "exemplifies Takoma-style civic leadership." The Azalea Awards are sponsored by the Takoma Foundation andTakoma Voice newspaper.  [April, 2011] (Read more ...)

"Let Freedom Sing: The Story of Marian Anderson" performances for youth, seniors and community members
The Conservancy brought four performances of the opera to the community in local schools and neighborhood venues.  Composer Bruce Adolphe and librettist Carolivia Herron (Conservancy VP) engage young audiences in the creative, dynamic and inspiring history of Washington, DC. [March, 2011] (Read more . . .) 

Prologue

At dusk Saturday, a band of light appeared on the front of the old brick building at Fourth and Butternut streets NW, [DC] beneath the clatter of Metro trains. Soon after, small groups of people began to drift through the building’s glass doors, and cars swing in and out of an adjacent parking lot . . . The light belonged to the marquee of the old Takoma Theatre . . . [1]

It was 1978. A community non-profit group had begun to light-up the historic movie screen once again but the owner, K-B Theatres, was unsupportive, and the corner, once a focal point for the community, was dark again. Since then other community groups and the current owner have sought unsuccessfully to sustain the theater through short seasons of live performances. Today, the Takoma is once again dark, and, most significantly, since 2005, it has been threatened by demolition by the current owner. (more . . .).

Saving and revitalizing a community resource

The battle to save the historic Takoma Theatre, at least from substantial demolition, is now over. In May, the DC Mayor’s Agent for Historic Preservation issued a legal ruling denying the owner’s application to raze the theater, a contributing resource in the Takoma Historic District, to construct a 43-unit apartment building. [2]

The Mayor’s agent concluded that the Applicant did not satisfy the burden of proof that demolition is in the public interest because of “special merit”, or that failure to issue the permit to raze would result in unreasonable economic hardship. The appeal to the Mayor’s Agent followed a decision in October, 2009 by the DC Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) rejecting the owner’s application to demolish nearly all of the theater building.
(more . . .)

For supporters seeking to save the theater, the Mayor’s Agent decision lifts a major cloud of uncertainty from its future. However, increased efforts are needed to revitalize the theater and light up the marquee once again. Unlike prior efforts, the Takoma Theatre Conservancy is seeking to acquire the theatre from the owner.

[Note: The Conservancy is not associated with its current operation, renting or leasing.]

The Conservancy seeks to revitalize the theater as a communityVision of 4th Street & Theatre resource – a cultural arts and education center – a place once again for community events and activities, and a resource to help rejuve­nate the adjacent commercial area. We will seek to renovate the theater and host a wide array of theatrical, film and musical programs; to support a variety of theater and arts groups and local performers; to provide classes for people of all ages, especially youth who lack access to arts in their schools; and to offer vocational training and internships for high school students and young adults. (see Goals)

Over the past three years, the Conservancy has raised public and private funds and initiated the architectural, engineering and financial studies to achieve these goals. The Conservancy is beginning to advance its program goals by supporting local performers and major Arts Integration activities in local DCPS schools. (more . . .)

We seek to create a wealth of arts and education programs that will be an economic and cultural benefit to the neighborhood. Please join us in these efforts through your contribution and/or membership in the Conservancy. (The Takoma Theatre Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your contributions are tax deductible.)

[1] Group Fights to Save Takoma Park Theater by Jackson Diehl, Washington Post, Jan 1, 1979

[2] Mayor's Agent Decision and Order, HPA09-380, May 21, 2010

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