History
The Phoenix Little Theatre was founded by Harry Behn and Male Bartlett Heard in 1922. In 1924, the theatre was located in the Heard Stable at Central and McDowell Roads in downtown Phoenix. In 1928, the theatre applied for its articles of incorporation and by its 8th season boasted 424 members. By 1940, the theatre had close to 1,000 members and remained operational throughout the Second World War. The theatre moved into its current home, within the same complex as the Phoenix Art Museum. In 1954, the theatre began its Children's Theatre. In 1985, the 'Little' was dropped from the name, leaving it simply the Phoenix Theatre.
Phoenix Theatre is home to a youth-geared company as well as education and outreach programs that include summer camps, the Young Theatregoers program, workshops, seminars, and collaborations with other well-known theater companies. It also provides professional theatre artists as instructors for Arizona State University. Phoenix Theatre hosts a 2nd Draft Series each season to allow for playwrights to host a reading of their new work to be discussed by audiences, a New Works Festival each summer, as well as renting its spaces to various resident dance and performance troupes and out of town companies.
In its 93-year history, Phoenix Theatre has launched stars in the industry, developed young audiences, introduced emerging playwrights and composers, created a space for alternative and experimental theatre, hosted world premieres, sustained a ballet company, produced a collaborative repertory Shakespeare festival, expanded education and outreach, and offered local Equity Actors an opportunity to work in their hometown.
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