Contact: Shirley Howard-Johnson
Shirley@lhtsf.org / 415 345-3980
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
returns to Union Square Theatre District:
announces new location at 450 Post Street
June 28, 2011; San Francisco, CA — The Board of Directors and staff of Lorraine Hansberry Theatre (LHT) are very pleased to announce that the theatre has a new home, at 450 Post Street, between Powell and Mason Streets, just one-half block from Union Square, in the heart of San Francisco’s Theatre District.
The former home of Theatre on the Square and The Post Street Theatre, the space is located in an Elks Lodge meeting hall that was converted to accommodate live theatre in 1982. Noted local theatre architect, Eugene Angell, redesigned the second-story Lodge Hall and the flat-floored assembly hall was transformed into a state-of-the-art theatre. Built in 1924 by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Spanish-Gothic structure houses the Kensington Park Hotel, Farallon Restaurant, the theatre and various shops.
Artistic Director, Steven Anthony Jones, and General Manager, Shirley Howard-Johnson are happy to announce that the entire 2011-2012 season will be presented at 450 Post Street. The season begins in October with a special program of two one-act plays, Almost Nothing by Marcos Barbosa and Day of Absence by Douglas Turner Ward. In December, LHT will unveil their new holiday musical, Rejoice! Then in February they will bring to the stage Joe Penhall’s Blue/Orange. The company will close out the season in May with Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky.
Lorraine Hansberry Theatre (LHT) was founded to present high-quality, professionally directed plays by America's foremost African-American playwrights; provide employment and career-building oppor-tunities for local actors, directors, designers, and technicians of color; and foster youth development and cultural enrichment through instructional workshops and special outreach programs.
Steven Anthony Jones stated, “I’m happy to say that we will open our 31st season right where LHT belongs, in the Union Square Theatre District, in a classic theatre that is easily accessible by public transit.”
“The timing was right,” adds Shirley Howard-Johnson, “and Stanley and Quentin already did much of the legwork when they tried to move into this space a year ago, so it’s also a testimony to them that we are moving into this wonderful venue.”
Of the move, Kary Schulman, Director of the San Francisco Grants for the Arts program, stated, “Lorraine Hansberry Theatre might be the most tenacious arts organization in San Francisco. They have persevered for decades, creating memorable theatre despite great challenges including loss of venues, loss of the directors, and the City's changed demographics. We're so glad to be able to invest in their move to the venerable Post Street Theatre, which will return them to where they belong: the downtown theatre district.”
For more information about Lorraine Hansberry Theatre and its programs, or to subscribe to the 2011-2012 season, visit www.lhtsf.org or call 415 345-3980.
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