Zach Theatre

ZACH Theatre
Topfer Theatre Building
Map
Full nameZachary Scott Theatre Center
Former namesAustin Civic Theatre
Location202 South Lamar Blvd
Austin, Texas 78704
Public transitCapMetro Rapid 803 at Barton Springs station
Construction
Built2011
OpenedJanuary 1, 1932 (1932-01-01)
Website
zachtheatre.org

ZACH Theatre (the Zachary Scott Theatre Center) is a professional theatre company located in Austin, Texas, as well as its associated complex of theatre facilities. The company is the oldest continuously active theatre company in Texas, and one of the ten oldest in the country.[citation needed]

Offerings and facilities

The theatre operates year-round, serving more than 100,000 patrons annually, with more than 500 performances including plays, musicals, original works, and theatre for youth. ZACH also provides education programs that are utilized by thousands of children throughout central Texas.[1]

The theatre complex, located on the south shore of Lady Bird Lake, includes three stages, several event spaces, and numerous classrooms and offices. Some of the theatre's facilities are made available for private rental, including the three stages.[2] Costumes and props are also available for rental.

History

The theatre originally opened in 1932 as the Austin Little Theater. Sometime later, it became known as the "Austin Civic Theater." The company's name was changed to the Zachary Scott Theatre Center in 1968 to honor Austin native and film star Zachary Scott. Since then, it has been rebranded to be titled ZACH Theatre.

In 1972, the 230-seat Kleberg Theatre was built, and in 1990 a 135-seat theatre-in-the-round called the Whisenhunt Theatre was added. In 2006, the city of Austin passed a bond issue which included $10 million to fund a new theatre for ZACH, resulting in the construction of the 420-seat Topfer Theatre in 2011.[3]

Production history

A complete list of ZACH Theatre productions beginning in 1995 is shown below.[4]

2024-2025 Season

  • Beautiful: The Carol King Musical
  • The Lehman Trilogy
  • Prom
  • Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

2022-2023 Season

  • A Christmas Carol
  • Head Over Heels
  • Noises Off
  • Roe
  • Cinderella

2021-2022 Season

2020-2021 Season

  • Songs Under the Stars: A Socially-distanced Outdoor Concert Series
    • Disney Through the Decades
    • Rockabilly Kings
    • 70s Female Rockstars
    • Tameca Jones in Concert
    • Beatles Redux
    • Gospel Down by the Riverside
    • 80's Dance Party

2019-2020 Season

  • A Night with Janis Joplin
  • Every Brilliant Thing
  • Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch (Theatre for Families)
  • Songs Under the Stars: A Socially-distanced Outdoor Concert Series
    • On Broadway
    • 70s Female Rockstars
    • Motown Grooves
    • Superstar CHANEL
    • A Rockin' Holiday Concert

2018-2019 Season

  • Once
  • A Rockin Christmas Carol
  • The Santaland Diaries
  • Hedwig and the Angry Inch
  • Notes from the Field
  • Matilda The Musical
  • The Ballad of Klook and Vinette*
  • Fire and Air
  • Tortoise & the Hare (Theatre for Families)
  • Holiday Heroes (TFF)
  • Wake Up, Brother Bear (TFF)

2017-2018 Season

  • Singin’ in the Rain
  • A Tuna Christmas
  • A Rockin Christmas Carol
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
  • Sunday in the Park with George
  • Heisenberg
  • Disney's Beauty and the Beast
  • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Theatre for Families)
  • Holiday Heroes (TFF)
  • Las Aventuras de Enoughie (TFF)
  • Goodnight Moon (TFF)

2016-2017 Season

  • Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
  • A Rockin Christmas Carol
  • The Santaland Diaries
  • The Great Society
  • Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill
  • In the Heights
  • Million Dollar Quartet
  • Elephant and Piggie: We are in a Play! (Theatre For Families)
  • Charlotte's Web (TFF)
  • jj's arcade (TFF)

2015- 2016 Season

  • Evita
  • A Rockin Christmas Carol
  • The Santaland Diaries
  • Tribes
  • ANN
  • One Man, Two Guvnors
  • Buyer & Cellar
  • Mary Poppins
  • James in the Giant Peach (Theatre For Families)
  • Winnie the Pooh (TFF)
  • Alice in Wonderland (TFF)
  • Tomas and the Library Lady (TFF)

2014-2015 Season

  • The King and I
  • A Rockin Christmas Carol
  • This Wonderful Life
  • Peter and the Starcatcher
  • All the Way
  • Mothers and Sons
  • Sophisticated Ladies
  • Maid Marian in a Stolen Car*

2013-2014 Season

  • Les Miserables by Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer   Topfer Theatre
  • A Christmas Story by Joseph Robinette, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul   Topfer Theatre
  • This Wonderful Life by Steve Murray   Whisenhunt Stage
  • In the Next Room or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl   Topfer Theatre
  • The Gospel at Colonus by Lee Breuer, Bob Telson   Topfer Theatre
  • Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang   Topfer Theatre
  • Maid Marian in a Stolen Car by Jaston Williams   Whisenhunt Stage
  • The Who's Tommy by Pete Townshend, Des McAnuff   Topfer Theatre

2012—2013 Season

Production history 1995—2012

2011-2012 Season

2010-2011 Season

  • Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins by Allison Engel & Margaret Engel   08/06/11—11/13/11   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Hairspray by Mark O'Donnell, Thomas Meehan, Scott Whittman & Marc Shaiman, adapted from the 1988 John Waters film   06/25/11—08/28/11   Kleberg Stage
  • The Book of Grace by Suzan-Lori Parks   06/04/11—07/24/11   Whisenhunt Stage
  • August: Osage County by Tracy Letts   04/02/11—05/22/11   Kleberg Stage
  • Fiction by Steven Dietz   02/12/11—04/10/11   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Red Hot Patriot: The Kick Ass Wit of Molly Ivins by Margaret and Allison Engel   01/29/11—03/13/11   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Rockin' Christmas Party by Dave Steakley   12/11/10—12/26/10   Kleberg Stage
  • The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello   11/27/10—01/02/11   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Rent by Jonathan Larson   09/11/10—11/28/10   Kleberg Stage

2009-2010 Season

2008-2009 Season

  • Love, Janis by Randal Myler, adapted from Love, Janis by Laura Joplin   05/28/09—08/30/09   Kleberg Stage
  • The Grapes of Wrath by Frank Galati, adapted from the novel by John Steinbeck   03/12/09—05/10/09   Kleberg Stage
  • Shooting Star by Steven Dietz   02/12/09—04/05/09   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Let Me Down Easy by Anna Deavere Smith   01/22/09—02/15/09   Kleberg Stage
  • Rockin' Christmas Party by Dave Steakley   11/28/08—01/04/09   Kleberg Stage
  • The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello   11/28/08—01/11/09   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Caroline, or Change by Jeanine Tesori, adapted from Caroline, or Change by Tony Kushner   09/18/08—11/09/08   Kleberg Stage

2007-2008 Season

2006-2007 Season

2005-2006 Season

2004-2005 Season

  • Keepin' It Weird by Dave Steakley   07/07/05—08/28/05   Kleberg Stage
  • Hank Williams: Lost Highway by Mark Harelik & Randal Myler   04/21/05—06/19/05   Kleberg Stage
  • Z Cabarets   03/26/05—06/05/05   Whisenhunt Stage
  • The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler   03/24/05—05/08/05   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Aida by Elton John & Tim Rice   01/27/05—04/03/05   Kleberg Stage
  • Blown Sideways Through Life by Claudia Shear   01/13/05—03/06/05   Whisenhunt Stage
  • The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello   11/26/04—01/02/05
  • Crowns by Regina Taylor, adapted from Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry   09/30/04—11/14/04   Kleberg Stage
  • Omnium Gatherum by Alexandra Gerston-Vassilaros & Theresa Rebeck   09/16/04—10/24/04   Whisenhunt Stage

2003-2004 Season

  • House Arrest by Anna Deavere Smith   08/05/04—09/12/04   Kleberg Stage
  • Cabaret by Joe Masteroff, Fred Ebb & John Kander   05/29/04—07/18/04   Kleberg Stage
  • Antigone: Looking into the Sun by Ann Ciccolella   04/18/04—05/05/04   Kleberg Stage
  • It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues by Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler, Ron Taylor & Dan Wheetman, music by Allen Robertson   01/22/04—02/29/04   Kleberg Stage
  • Always...Patsy Cline by Ted Swindly, music by Allen Robertson   01/15/04—07/25/04   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Rockin' Christmas Party by Dave Steakley   12/10/03—12/21/03   The Paramount Theatre
  • The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello   11/28/03—01/04/03 '   Whisenhunt Stage
  • The Flaming Idiots by Kevin Hunt, Jon O'Connor & Rob Williams   11/15/03—01/04/04   Kleberg Stage
  • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee   09/25/03—11/09/03   Whisenhunt Stage

2002-2003 Season

  • Beehive by Larry Gallagher   07/10/03—10/26/03   Kleberg Stage
  • Fully Committed by Becky Mode   06/05/03—07/27/03   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Side Man by Warren Leight   05/17/03—06/22/03   Kleberg Stage
  • Love! Valour! Compassion! by Terrence McNally   03/20/03—04/27/03   Kleberg Stage
  • Limonade Tours de Jours by Charles L. Mee, music by Allen Robertson   01/23/03—03/02/03   Kleberg Stage
  • Rockin' Christmas Party by Dave Steakley   12/11/02—12/22/02   The Paramount Theatre
  • The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello   11/29/02—01/05/03   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Smokey Joe's Café Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller   10/17/02—01/05/03   Kleberg Stage
  • Dirty Blonde by Claudia Shear, based on a concept by Claudia Shear and James Lapine   09/19/02—11/10/02   Whisenhunt Stage

2001-2002 Season

  • Bee-Luther-Hatchee by Thomas Gibbons   07/25/02—09/01/02   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Hair by Galt MacDermot, James Rado & Gerome Ragni, music by Allen Robertson   07/11/02—09/29/02   Kleberg Stage
  • The Flaming Idiots by Kevin Hunt, Jon O'Connor & Rob Williams, music by Allen Robertson   05/02/02—06/23/02   Kleberg Stage
  • The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman, music by Allen Robertson   02/21/02—04/07/02   Kleberg Stage
  • Hedwig and the Angry Inch by John Cameron Mitchell   01/24/02—03/17/02   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Slut for Art by Ping Chong & Muna Tseng   01/17/02—01/27/02   Kleberg Stage -
  • Rockin' Christmas Party by Dave Steakley & Michael Raiford   12/19/01—12/29/01   The Paramount Theatre
  • Lypsinka! The Boxed Set by John Epperson   11/30/01—12/31/01   Whisenhunt Stage
  • The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello   11/29/01—01/05/01   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Misery by Simon Moore & Stephen King, adapted from the novel by Stephen King   10/18/01—11/25/01   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Little Shop of Horrors by Howard Ashman, adapted by Charles Griffith   09/20/01—11/04/02   Kleberg Stage

2000-2001 Season

  • And the World Goes 'Round by Scott Ellis, Susan Stroman, David Thompson, Fred Ebb & John Kander   07/26/01—08/19/01   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Jelly's Last Jam by George C. Wolfe & Jelly Roll Morton, adapted by Luther Henderson   06/28/01—08/19/01   Kleberg Stage
  • .Com by Acia Gray   05/31/01—06/10/01   Kleberg Stage
  • Master Class by Terrence McNally   05/24/01—07/08/01   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Circumference of a Squirrel by John Walch   04/12/01—05/06/01
  • Jouét by Allen Robertson   04/05/01—05/13/01   Kleberg Stage
  • A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams   02/01/01—03/11/01   Kleberg Stage
  • 'Art' by Yasmina Reza   01/18/01—02/18/01   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Rockin' Christmas Party by Dave Steakley   12/13/00—12/24/00   The Paramount Theatre
  • The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello   11/24/00—01/07/01   Whisenhunt Stage
  • The Flaming Idiots, Kevin Hunt, Jon O'Connor   11/24/00—01/13/01   Kleberg Stage
  • Evita by Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber   09/14/00—11/12/00   Kleberg Stage
  • Tru by Jay Presson Allen   09/07/00—10/29/00   Whisenhunt Stage
  • 1999-2000 Season
  • Closer by Patrick Marber   07/20/00—08/13/00   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Tapestry: The Music of Carole King, adapted by Rowan Joseph, John Kroner & Jeffrey Martin   06/22/00—08/13/00   Kleberg Stage
  • Abundance by Beth Henley   06/09/00—07/02/00   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Pride's Crossing by Tina Howe   04/27/00—06/04/00   Kleberg Stage
  • Bucky: The Life and Work of Buckminster Fuller by Alice Wilson   03/31/00—04/22/00   Whisenhunt Stage
  • The America Play by Suzan-Lori Parks   02/10/00—03/19/00   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Rockin' Christmas Party by Dave Steakley, music by Allen Robertson   12/16/99—12/30/99   The Paramount Theatre
  • The Flaming Idiots, Kevin Hunt, Jon O'Connor & Rob Williams, music by Allen Robertson   12/08/99—01/16/00   Kleberg Stage
  • The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello   11/19/99—01/09/00   Whisenhunt Stage
  • The Rocky Horror Show by Richard O'Brien, music by Allen Robertson   09/30/99—11/07/99   Kleberg Stage
  • Shakespeare's R&J by Joe Calarco, adapted from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare   09/16/99—10/10/99   Whisenhunt Stage

1998-1999 Season

1997-1998 Season

  • The Who's Tommy by Des McAnuff & Pete Townshend, additional music by Allen Robertson   06/20/98—07/28/98   Kleberg Stage
  • Angels in America part 1: Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner, music by Allen Robertson   04/11/98—05/11/98   Kleberg Stage
  • Rockin' Christmas Party by Dave Steakley   12/10/97—12/24/97   The Paramount Theatre
  • The Taffetas by Rick Lewis   11/08/97—12/31/97   Whisenhunt Stage
  • The Piano Lesson by August Wilson   09/20/97—10/26/97   Kleberg Stage

1996-1997 Season

  • Dreamgirls by Tom Eyen & Henry Krieger   08/01/97—08/17/97   The Paramount Theatre
  • Love, Janis by Randal Myler, adapted from Love, Janis by Laura Joplin   06/13/97—07/22/97   Kleberg Stage
  • Jack and Jill by Jane Martin   04/26/97—06/06/97   Kleberg Stage
  • Ruthless! The Musical by Joel Paley & Marvin Laird   01/18/97—02/23/97   Kleberg Stage
  • Rockin' Christmas Party by Dave Steakley   12/13/96—12/29/96   The Paramount Theatre
  • A Christmas Carol by Adrian Hall & Richard Cumming, adapted from the novel by Charles Dickens   11/29/96—12/22/96   Kleberg Stage
  • The Gospel at Colonus by Lee Breur & Bob Telson   10/05/96—11/10/96   Kleberg Stage
  • Sylvia by A. R. Gurney   09/14/96—11/30/96   Whisenhunt Stage

1995-1996 Season

  • All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Ernest Zulia & David Caldwell   06/01/96—07/08/96   Kleberg Stage
  • Das Barbecu by Jim Luigs & Scott Warrender   05/18/96—06/23/96   Kleberg Stage
  • Born Yesterday by Garson Kanin   04/06/96—05/12/96   Kleberg Stage
  • Soul Sisters by Dave Steakley, music by Allen Robertson   02/03/96—04/14/96   Kleberg Stage
  • Rockin' Christmas Party by Dave Steakley   12/11/95—12/22/95   The Paramount Theatre
  • Shear Madness by Marilyn Abrams & Bruce Jordan   10/06/95—01/28/96   Whisenhunt Stage
  • Avenue X by John Jiler, Christina J. Moore & Ray Leslee   09/23/95—10/29/95   Kleberg Stage

Awards

In 2012, ZACH got a $70,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to produce the Terrence McNally musical Ragtime.[5]

Each year The Austin Chronicle presents its 'Best of Austin' awards. Awards given to ZACH beginning in 1993 are shown below.[6]

Best of Austin awards
  • 2011: Readers Best Theatre Director
  • 2010: Readers Best Actor/Actress
  • 2007: Readers Best Theatre Performance Space
  • 2006: Readers Theatre Performance Space
  • 2006: Readers Theatre Director
  • 2005: Critics Most Entertaining Nonprofit
  • 2004: Readers Best Live Theatre
  • 2000: Critics Place For Class Clowns
  • 1999: Readers Theatre Company
  • 1998: Readers Theatre Company
  • 1997: Readers Theatre Company
  • 1996: Readers Theatre Space
  • 1996: Critics Razzle Dazzle
  • 1996: Critics Kids Acting Program
  • 1995: Readers Theatre Space
  • 1994: Readers Theatre Space
  • 1993: Readers Theatre Space

References

  1. ^ "Zachary Scott Theatre Center". VolunteerMatch. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  2. ^ "ZACH Facility Rentals". ZACH Theatre. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  3. ^ Faires, Robert (2 February 2007). "Zachary Scott Theatre Center: Ciccolella's curtain call". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  4. ^ Theatre Communications Group, Theatre Profiles: ZACH Theatre
  5. ^ van Ryzin, Jeanne Claire (27 October 2012). "Seeing Things: With new Topfer Theatre". Austin360. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  6. ^ Austin Chronicle: Zach Theatre

30°15′50.4″N 97°45′32.4″W / 30.264000°N 97.759000°W / 30.264000; -97.759000