Winnipesaukee Playhouse - Future Plans

Future Plans

The access to the Annalee Dolls campus allows the Winnipesaukee Playhouse to greatly expand and create the first performing arts complex in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. The campus contains over 14 acres (5.7 ha) of land dotted with seven buildings containing 34,000 square feet (3,200 m2) of space. While there is an abundance of land, only roughly two or three acres are developable due to terrain constraints. The entire project to create a performing arts campus is projected to cost roughly four million dollars. The new theater, with 182 seats, will more than double the audience space that the current theater holds (84 seats).

The move to the former Annalee Dolls factory consists of three phases. The first phase, expected to be completed before the summer of 2010, will include the creation of an outdoor amphitheater at the complex as well as upgrading utilities such as water and sewer and other infrastructure improvements. This phase also contains the creation of new housing for the Playhouse's summer company.

The second phase of construction, which is not expected to begin until 2012 at the earliest, consists of transforming the former Annalee Dolls Gift Shop into the Winnipesaukee Playhouse's new main stage theater. This theater is expected to have 182 seats as well as support spaces such as offices, dressing rooms, and a lobby, which the current theater in Weirs Beach does not have. The Playhouse will continue to perform plays at their Weirs Beach theater until this phase is complete. Once this phase is built, all operations of the Winni Playhouse will be located at the former Annalee Doll complex including the Playhouse's performances, camps, workshops, and classes. This phase is expected to cost roughly 3 million dollars.

Phase three, estimated at 500,000 dollars, is currently not funded, so it does not have an expected completion date. This phase will include transforming the former Annalee Doll Museum building into a black box theater, similar in style and size to the Winni Playhouse's current theater. This stage will be used to house summer theater for children as well as outside performers such as cabaret singers. It is still unclear if outside theater troupes will be allowed to use or rent this space.