Zach Theater (the Zachary Scott Theatre Center) is a professional theatre company located in Austin, Texas, as well as its associated complex of theatre facilities. The company is the oldest continuously active theatre company in Texas, and one of the ten oldest in the country.
Offerings and facilities The theatre operates year-round, serving more than 100,000 patrons annually, with more than 500 performances including plays, musicals, original works, and theatre for youth. ZACH also provides education programs that are utilized by thousands of children throughout central Texas.
The theatre complex, located on the south shore of Lady Bird Lake, includes three stages, several event spaces, and numerous classrooms and offices. Some of the theatre's facilities are made available for private rental, including the three stages. Costumes and props are also available for rental.
History The theatre originally opened in 1932 as the Austin Little Theater. Sometime later, it became known as the "Austin Civic Theater". The company's name was changed to the Zachary Scott Theatre Center in 1968 to honor Austin native and film star Zachary Scott. Since then, it has been rebranded to be titled ZACH Theatre.
In 1972, the 230-seat Kleberg Theatre was built, and in 1990 a 135-seat theatre-in-the-round called the Whisenhunt Theatre was added. In 2006, the city of Austin passed a bond issue which included $10 million to fund a new theatre for ZACH, resulting in the construction of the 420-seat Topfer Theatre in 2011.
Production history A complete list of ZACH Theatre productions beginning in 1995 is shown below.
2023–2024 Season
Beautiful: The Carol King Musical The Lehman Trilogy Prom Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 The Thin Place George Gershwin Alone
2022–2023 Season
A Christmas Carol Head Over Heels Noises Off Roe Cinderella
2021–2022 Season
Into the Woods A Rockin Christmas Carol Cat in the Hat (Theatre for Families) The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch (Theatre for Families) Rocky Horror Picture Show The Sound of Music The Inheritance Part 1
2020–2021 Season
Songs Under the Stars: A Socially-distanced Outdoor Concert Series Disney Through the Decades Rockabilly Kings 70s Female Rockstars Tameca Jones in Concert Beatles Redux Gospel Down by the Riverside 80's Dance Party
2019–2020 Season
A Night with Janis Joplin Every Brilliant Thing Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch (Theatre for Families) Songs Under the Stars: A Socially-distanced Outdoor Concert Series On Broadway 70s Female Rockstars Motown Grooves Superstar CHANEL A Rockin' Holiday Concert
2018–2019 Season
Once A Rockin Christmas Carol The Santaland Diaries Hedwig and the Angry Inch Notes from the Field Matilda The Musical The Ballad of Klook and Vinette* Fire and Air Tortoise & the Hare (Theatre for Families) Holiday Heroes (TFF) Wake Up, Brother Bear (TFF)
2017–2018 Season
Singin' in the Rain A Tuna Christmas A Rockin Christmas Carol The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Sunday in the Park with George Heisenberg Disney's Beauty and the Beast The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Theatre for Families) Holiday Heroes (TFF) Las Aventuras de Enoughie (TFF) Goodnight Moon (TFF)
2016–2017 Season
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert A Rockin Christmas Carol The Santaland Diaries The Great Society Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill In the Heights Million Dollar Quartet Elephant and Piggie: We are in a Play! (Theatre For Families) Charlotte's Web (TFF) jj's arcade (TFF)
2015– 2016 Season
Evita A Rockin Christmas Carol The Santaland Diaries Tribes ANN One Man, Two Guvnors Buyer & Cellar Mary Poppins James in the Giant Peach (Theatre For Families) Winnie the Pooh (TFF) Alice in Wonderland (TFF) Tomas and the Library Lady (TFF)
2014–2015 Season
The King and I A Rockin Christmas Carol This Wonderful Life Peter and the Starcatcher All the Way Mothers and Sons Sophisticated Ladies Maid Marian in a Stolen Car*
2013–2014 Season Les Miserables by Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer Topfer Theatre A Christmas Story by Joseph Robinette, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Topfer Theatre This Wonderful Life by Steve Murray Whisenhunt Stage In the Next Room or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl Topfer Theatre The Gospel at Colonus by Lee Breuer, Bob Telson Topfer Theatre Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang Topfer Theatre Maid Marian in a Stolen Car by Jaston Williams Whisenhunt Stage The Who's Tommy by Pete Townshend, Des McAnuff Topfer Theatre
2012—2013 Season Harvey by Mary Chase 05/23/13—06/16/13 Karen Kuykendall Stage Mad Beat Hip & Gone by Steven Dietz 04/11/13—04/28/13 Karen Kuykendall Stage 33 Variations by Moisés Kaufman 01/31/13—02/17/13 Karen Kuykendall Stage Tru by Jay Presson Allen 01/17/13—03/10/13 Whisenhunt Stage White Christmas by Paul Blake, David Ives & Irving Berlin 12/13/12—12/30/12 Karen Kuykendall Stage The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello 11/24/12—12/23/12 Whisenhunt Stage Ragtime by Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, adapted from the novel by E. L. Doctorow 10/25/12—11/18/12 Karen Kuykendall Stage Xanadu by Douglas Carter Beane, John Farrar & Jeff Lynne, adapted from the Universal Pictures film 09/01/12—11/11/12 Kleberg Stage Fully Committed by Becky Mode 09/01/12—09/30/12 Whisenhunt Stage
Awards In 2012, ZACH got a $70,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to produce the Terrence McNally musical Ragtime.
Each year The Austin Chronicle presents its 'Best of Austin' awards. Awards given to ZACH beginning in 1993 are shown below.
References