Among Dallas residents, Undermain Theatre is known as an extremely cozy and interesting place. This regional theater has captured the hearts of the city’s residents with its compact size and unique atmosphere. This feature is connected with the location of the Undermain Theatre, which is the source of its symbolic name, the basement under Main Street. Next on the dallas-trend.
History of Undermain Theatre
Undermain Theatre was founded in 1984 by a pair of enterprising artists, Katherine Owens and Raphael Parry. They managed to transform an ordinary basement on Main Street, which was used as a customs warehouse, into a modern theater. In the early 1980s, the building was owned by philanthropists Jim and Michelle Herling. They rented out the entire basement at a very low price. The building itself was built in 1913. It is made in the Chicago style and is considered to be absolutely fireproof, as it is finished with special red brick and concrete.
In 1990, when the Kalita Humphreys Theater was undergoing a renovation, 90 restored chairs were purchased for the Undermain Theatre. It is known that they were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Since then, these chairs have remained the main decoration of the rather simple room. Given that the theater attracts attention not because of its unusual interior, it becomes clear that it surprises its audience with performances.
The following productions were the first to be shown at the Undermain Theatre in the spring of 1984: Excavations: Killer’s Head, Twirler, Waking Up. Interestingly, during the very first performance, there were no seats in the theater. Thus, all the guests compared the event to a promenade, during which they had to walk around constantly.
Theater staff
The Undermain Theatre troupe has remained unchanged for many years. It consists of 17 talented artists. Among them are those directors, actors and designers who have forever imprinted their figures in the history of theater. Since 2007, well-known American artists have been actively involved in the development of Undermain Theatre: Tony Award-winning scenic designer John Arnone and Obie Award-winning playwright Len Jenkin.
Until 2019, the theater was headed by K. Owens. She treated each actor with understanding and love. Almost all of the theater’s achievements are attributed to her hard work. However, few people know that the woman formed her vision of art under the influence of her husband, who was also her business partner, Bruce DuBose. Unfortunately, when K. Owens died after a five-month illness, she took with her a piece of the happiness that reigned in the theater’s staff.
Awards and achievements of Undermain Theatre
Under the leadership of K. Owens and B. DuBose, Undermain Theatre’s reputation has grown not only in Dallas but also far beyond. The San Diego Union-Tribune called it “One of the best small theaters in America.” Undermain Theatre continued to receive high praise in 2015. DMagazine, Dallas Observer and others wrote about it as the best theater.
Since the theater’s launch, the once nondescript basement on Main Street has been sparkling with new colors. The Undermain Theatre venue has been designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. It is also a member of the National Register of Historic Places.
Overall, Undermain Theatre plays an important role in the revitalization of the Deep Ellum neighborhood, as it is the only nonprofit arts organization in the area.
On average, over 5,000 people visit the Undermain Theatre per season. All of them are impressed by the performances of contemporary directors and productions that give new life to old works.
