PERFORMANCES

Mill Mountain Theatre (currently under reinvention)

Center in the Square is proud to house one of the country's top professional nonprofit regional theatres. Mill Mountain Theatre and Players entertained, challenged, and educated nearly 75,000 adults and children last year alone through the on-site offerings and touring groups.

Mill Mountain Theatre is currently reinventing its productions and business operations to reemerge stronger than ever in the newly renovated Center in the Square. A welcoming and patron-friendly lobby space and an efficient, public-oriented box office are just the first of many steps to make a wonderful evening at the Theatre even more magical.

Mill Mountain Theatre (MMT) served for more than 40 years as a nationally recognized professional, regional performing arts theatre committed to producing the highest quality theatre in Southwest Virginia, actively promoting and developing new theatre works, strengthening the artistic influence in the community through education and outreach, seeking and developing new audiences, and providing a diverse population access to both alternative and traditional theatre.

Mill Mountain Theatre officials have been at work this year working out the details of a reinvention business model that is innovative, pragmatic, and emphasizes regional and organizational collaboration. The new model acknowledges the organization's historical importance to the region's identity and tourism initiatives, while being sensitive to today's economic realities. Our new model will be dedicated to:

  • Positioning Mill Mountain Theatre as a Regional Center for Live Theatre and Training Center
  • Defining MMT as "The Professional Theatre for Valley" in regard to artistic quality and leadership
  • Executing a collaborative model between arts organizations, educational institutions, and businesses
  • Providing a vital role in Center in the Square, Downtown and Regional Economic Development
  • Building new audiences
  • Building upon a fiscally sound base of operations
  • Continuing MMT's emphasis on education programming

Mill Mountain Theatre Conservatory (MMTC), the educational wing of Mill Mountain Theatre, has been the driving force in keeping the theatre alive for the past year.� MMTC has continued all spring, summer and fall classes and has done so more profitably than in the past. MMTC has traditionally offered several scholarships to low-income individuals on as-needed basis. Once the construction of Center in the Square is completed, a reinvented MMT hopes to work together and collaborate with other theatres and professional arts organizations across the region to provide excellent programming for the citizens of Southwest Virginia.