Bay Street Theater and Friends of Bay Street in Sag Harbor have announced that critically acclaimed architecture firm Roger Ferris + Partners will design the theater’s first purpose-built home, which will house multiple spaces for the development of new work, dedicated education facilities, and public spaces.
Charcoalblue, one of the largest international theater, acoustic, and digital consultancy service providers, will design the theatrical elements for the project. The celebrated Theater’s new home will be built on a site at the entrance to historic Sag Harbor that runs continuously with John Steinbeck Waterfront Park, transforming what is currently a commercial space into a community resource.
The center will include a mainstage theater that will preserve the well-known intimacy of the original venue and will feature additional fixed and flexible spaces to accommodate different configurations keyed to artistic vision and production needs. The facility will feature dedicated space for the organization’s year-round educational programs for children and adults, a center for new work development, a shop and scenery storage, special events, and professional development initiatives.
This flexibility will permit Bay Street Theater to engage in more original works, co-productions and partnerships. Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts is led by the Executive Director, Tracy Mitchell, and Artistic Director, Scott Schwartz. The Board of Trustees is led by Chairman Steven Todrys.
To achieve this milestone project, Friends of Bay Street Theater, led by Adam Potter, is a separate non-profit organization that has been created to oversee the site’s development, including land acquisition, financing, fundraising, and design.
“Roger Ferris and his team designed an architecturally beautiful building that fits into the character of Sag Harbor Village and provides great public access to Steinbeck Park and the water,” said Chairman and Founder Adam Potter. “We hope to break ground later this year and anticipate completion in 2023.”
“This has been a lifelong dream for both the founders of Bay Street theater and myself as the current Executive Director. It will provide not only the space for creative growth but will ensure Bay Street’s future and legacy with a permanent home,” said Mitchell.
“As Artistic Director, I know this gorgeous new facility will enable Bay Street to continue the exciting artistic growth we have been experiencing over the past few years. It will make the company an even more versatile home for an ever-growing family of new and established voices in the theater and will allow us to offer expanded educational programming for both children and adults in our community. We could not be more excited,” said Schwartz.
Architect Roger Ferris said, “We are very excited to be part of this collective endeavor to design a new home for this legendary theater and to situate it on a site that will be transformative for the village of Sag Harbor.”
Now in its 30th year, the non-profit professional theater is one of Long Island’s preeminent performing arts organizations and features a long history of developing and premiering acclaimed works that have moved to Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional theaters across the country.
Visit www.baystreet.org.