Boston Arts Groups Unite to Keep Huntington Theatre Company in Its Home
(© courtesy of Huntington Theatre Company)
Due to Boston University's October 2015 decision to sell its Huntington Avenue properties, the Huntington Theatre Company, which is housed rent-free in the BU Theatre, may soon be left homeless. An investment group had emerged earlier this month as a front-runner to buy the theater. Due to a stipulation put in place by Boston University, any buyer would have to guarantee the Huntington's use of the Huntington Avenue space through June 2017.
In response to this impending hit to Boston's Arts Community, the administration of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, officials from Boston University, representatives of the Huntington Theatre Company, and an investment group led by Boston-area developer John Matteson have announced that they are engaged in finding a solution to keep the Huntington Theatre Company in its Huntington Avenue home. In addition, the arts organizations ArtsBoston, StageSource, The Fenway Alliance, and MASSCreative have jointly launched the #HuntingtonOnHuntington campaign, which supports keeping the theater company in its current home.
Those wishing to support the #HuntingtonOnHuntington campaign can sign an online petition (available here) as well as share their thoughts about the importance of the Huntington to the Boston arts community using the #HuntingtonOnHuntington hashtag.
Huntington Theatre Company was founded in 1982 by Boston University before being separately incorporated as an independent nonprofit in 1986. In the past 31 years, the Huntington has played to an audience of 3.5 million, presented over 192 plays (16 of which went to Broadway or off Broadway), and, in 2013, won both the Regional Theatre Tony Award and Boston magazine's 2013 Best of Boston award.
The company's currently running 2015-2016 season has featured A Little Night Music, Choice, and the possibly Broadway-bound A Confederacy of Dunces, starring Nick Offerman. August Wilson's How I Learned What I Learned is currently running, with Milk Like Sugar, Disgraced, Can You Forgive Her?, and I Was Most Alive With You upcoming.
