CAT Theatre to continue operations at longtime home after all

Henrico's CAT Theatre – which last month announced that it would cease operations in October, then reconsidered following an outpouring of community support – will remain in operation after all.

Officials from the theater, which is celebrating its 54th year in operation, announced today that they had reached an agreement with the North Henrico Civic Association's board of directors for a new lease at the building it has called home for its entire existence at 319 North Wilkinson Road.
“We have every expectation that this will be a long term fix to our short term challenges,” said Kelly St. Clair, president of the Board of CAT Theatre. “Plans call for CAT’s productions to continue in place for many years to come.”

Boeing, Boeing, the first production in CAT Theatre’s 2018-19 five-show season, opens tonight in its traditional home.

CAT and its landlord had been unable to reach amenable lease terms last month, prompting the theater's announcement that it would close Oct. 31 and cancel several planned shows. Several other venues offered support and space, and it was help from Virginia Repertory Theatre that ultimately provided CAT what it needed to continue.

“When we announced the sad news of CAT’s closing, we were immediately overwhelmed by a strong show of community support for our operations,” said St. Clair. “We are particularly grateful for the generous assistance offered by the Richmond Department of Rec and Parks, managers of Pine Camp, and HATTheatre in western Henrico.”

Virginia Rep will sign a lease with NHCA and a sublease with CAT that will allow Virginia Rep to offer spring break and/or summer camp experiences at the Wilkinson Road site, Virginia Rep Managing Director Phil Whiteway said.

“Once all sides fully understood the challenges at hand, strategic solutions that positively addressed the needs of all parties were quickly identified,” he said.

In addition, Whiteway and Bruce Miller, the founding producer of Virginia Rep, will provide a theater management consultancy with the CAT Theatre board during the coming months to help board members develop short and long term financial strategies to ensure CAT’s sustainability.

“Greater Richmond benefits the most when all of its live theaters thrive,” said Jeff Gallagher, chairman of the board of Virginia Rep. “Nurturing an extensive, strong and diverse theater community has been a cornerstone of our mission since 1975. We didn’t want to see CAT’s operations end when solutions to relatively minor short term challenges seemed within reach.”

Despite its significant involvement, Virginia Rep will not be operating CAT, Gallagher said.

“We were concerned to read the early news reports. Our staff leadership has decades of experience running theater operations in Richmond and beyond. They were able to offer a creative solution to help our friends at CAT stay the course and return to sustainability. Through these transition arrangements, everyone – especially RVA’s audiences, theater artists, and the northern Henrico neighborhoods – will emerge in the winner’s circle.”

News that the theater will continue to operate was met with excitement by its immediate past president, Pat Walker.

"CAT Theater has long functioned as a ‘farm team’ for every other theater in town,” Walker said. “Countless actors, directors, and designers have launched their careers at CAT and then moved successfully to larger theaters throughout the metro area. CAT is an important part of RVA’s arts ecology.”

For details about CAT Theatre’s coming season, visit http://www.cattheatre.com.