Arts & Culture
Welcome to the all new Fulton Theatre!
The Fulton team is thrilled to announce that after an 18-month intermission, they will Return to Live on September 7 with a production of FUN HOME. With a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to serve the community, the staff cannot wait to welcome you home. We invite you to take a journey with us as we share with you, our community and stalwart supporters, the new building, how they have continued to create during the pandemic, and how they are opening our doors once again.
The Fulton team is thrilled to announce that after an 18-month intermission, they will Return to Live on September 7 with a production of FUN HOME. With a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to serve the community, the staff cannot wait to welcome you home. We invite you to take a journey with us as we share with you, our community and stalwart supporters, the new building, how they have continued to create during the pandemic, and how they are opening our doors once again.
WHAT HAPPENED WHILE THEY WERE AWAY
The Fulton staff continued to engage the community with the creation of Fulton HD which featured concerts, behind the scenes interviews, and videos. The Fulton family enjoyed Joey’s Java Talk, an online series featuring Joey Abramowicz, the Fulton Theatre’s Casting Associate, as he interviewed a variety of onstage and offstage talent. The Outreach and Education Department partnered with the School District of Lancaster to provide virtual arts curriculum throughout the school year. The production team worked with Operation Emerald to make masks, face shields, and gowns for the medical community. In July of 2020, the Fulton and WGAL joined forces to produce their first ever live telethon. The Lancaster community banded together to keep the lights of the Fulton burning bright. With outdoor concerts for the retirement communities, social media quizzes and interviews, and all of the partnerships described above, the Fulton team is so happy to have continued creating art for the community we all call home.
THE CAMPAIGN
The Breakout Performance Campaign continued construction during intermission. With the support of the community and the incredible teamwork of Warfel Construction Co., Tippetts/Weaver Architects, and all of the local subcontractors and suppliers, full occupancy of the new building was received in May. They can’t wait to welcome audiences to the new lobby, 27 new restrooms, and expanded gathering spaces. Get a sneak peek below!
INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, ACCESSIBILITY (IDEA)
The Fulton Theatre continues to be committed to representing the community through the stories they tell on stage by creating conversations, promoting diversity through their staffing and programming, and making a promise to amplify the voices of people of color in the community and beyond.
Featured are the casts, playwrights, and directors of the inaugural Stories of Diversity Playwriting Festival. Open to local and national playwrights, the Festival invited writers to submit new plays or musicals celebrating perspectives from the spectrum of diversity.
Three plays were presented to the community in July 2021.
For Colored Boyz On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown/When Freedom Aint Enuff— by Bryan-Keyth Wilson
Lev Of Leningrad—by Noah Schoenberg
L’Hôtel—by Marisol Medina
FULTON ACADEMY
Throughout the intermission, Fulton Academy continued to serve local children with virtual camps and classes. The Academy partnered with School District of Lancaster to create virtual arts content during the school year. The Academy also participated in the Stories of Diversity Playwriting Festival through a partnership with Lancaster City’s J.P. McCaskey High School. In addition, Fulton Theatre Teaching Artists conducted an eight-week residency—collaborating with a diverse group of teens. The festival featured students who created a showcase of their own with original stories, dance, poetry, and music.
INTRODUCING THE NEW FULTON SPACES
PRESENTING THE ED AND JEANNIE ARNOLD CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
With the generosity and vision of Ed and Jeannie Arnold, the Fulton has expanded its downtown footprint to the entire city block of West King, North Prince, West Grant, and North Water streets. Multiple spaces have been created to showcase all that Fulton Theatre has to offer, create a home for visiting arts organizations, and offer new and expanded areas for the community to gather.
A primary goal of the expansion project was to increase our ability to gather our community. We are excited to serve our patrons, local nonprofits, industry partners, businesses, and friends with community events, rentals of our new spaces, and, of course, as audience members as we “Return to Live!” —Marc Robin, Executive Artistic Producer
CULLITON TOWER
The Gunterberg Charitable Foundation, helmed by philanthropist Carol Rae Culliton, generously supported the new Culliton Tower which bridges the Brossman Lobby and the former Academy building on the corner of North Prince Street and West Grant Street. The Tower will be the new entrance to the theatre and leads directly into the new lobby space. Architecturally, it is meant to bridge the Victorian and the modern and to compliment the architecture of neighboring buildings.
JAMES HAGELGANS + GALE ZORIAN LOBBY
Through the generosity of Jim Hagelgans and Gale Zorian, this modern lobby space serves up to 1,000 patrons. Featuring a brand new bar, 27 restrooms, and a dedicated cabaret space, the new lobby will gather and serve Fulton patrons and guests for years to come.
CASTAGNA HALL
Named for Patrick and Linda Castagna, the Hall is a performance, event, and rehearsal space to be used by the Fulton and the community. With two walls of glass and steel, the view of Downtown Lancaster is a sight to behold. The Hall will allow Fulton artists to rehearse in comfort, allow visiting arts organizations a new performance space, and local businesses and groups a new event venue.
RODGERS & ASSOCIATES PRODUCERS CIRCLE LOUNGE
Rodgers & Associates, led by Rick and Jessica Rodgers, is well-known in Lancaster as a community advocate. With their support, the Producers Circle Lounge has been created. It is a private room dedicated to the Fulton’s Producers Circle Members—those who give annually at a certain level to support the organization. The Lounge provides a place to relax before a production, during intermission, and post show. The majority of furniture used to decorate the space has been seen on the Fulton stage in a variety of Agatha Christie plays.
TELL STUDIO THEATRE AND LOBBY
The Fulton Theatre Production Team used the intermission to design, create, build, and install a new lobby space on the fourth floor that serves the Tell Studio Theatre. The Tell Studio Theatre produces the Groff Studio Series—a series that offers four productions each season, focusing on challenging subject matter. With this new lobby space, bar, and seating, the fourth floor offers art, an elegant gathering area, and a view of the rooftops.
The mission of the Fulton is to create and produce exceptional theatre that moves the collective soul of our community and honors our national historic landmark.
Thank you to the following sponsors who supported the Fig Special Section on the Fulton Theatre in the Fig fall issue.
Clark Food Service Equipment, a division of Clark Associates, is the nation’s largest distributor of food service equipment and supplies.
Garden Spot Village believes in living life to the fullest. They support the Fulton Theatre and the many cultural opportunities in Lancaster City.
High Foundation has been championing projects which enable inclusion of all people and create a vibrant, thriving city.
Jackson’s Window Shoppe has 60 years in the business. They specialize in commercial and wholesale window treatments.
Ville Painters provides professional painting services for residential and commercial projects and is thrilled to bring color to the Fulton Theatre.
Warfel Construction is a proud supporter of the arts and is invested in the sustainable growth of Lancaster City.
FROM THE FULTON STAFF: THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
It is with heartfelt gratitude that we acknowledge that without the support of our community, board of trustees, sponsors, donors, and partners, we would not be open today. THANK YOU for supporting live theatre, continuing to believe in the value of the arts, and allowing us to create a space that will serve generations to come. Over 1,000 individuals and local businesses have joined together to support the Breakout Performance Campaign, the largest Campaign in the Fulton’s history.
To see a full list of the supporters of this project, please visit fultonbreakout.org.
Thank you for everything,
MARC ROBIN, Executive Artistic Producer & NICOLE HACKMANN, Director, Breakout Performance Campaign