Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe celebrates opening of new building

The West Coast Black Theatre Troupe welcomed the public to its newest building during a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 26. Visitors toured the new facility located next to the theater building and enjoyed a celebration from the rooftop event space.

The historic Binz Building on 10th Street and Orange Avenue will be home to the troupe’s rehearsal studios, administration offices and box office.

The completion of the theater’s community outreach building marks the culmination of the first phase of a $6 million dollar renovation project. Westcoast founder and artistic director Nate Jacobs said renovations to the theater building will begin next summer. The project has been made possible through the troupe’s Heart and Soul Campaign, which has raised $5.4 million dollars to date.

“It's just a wonderful time to grow our legs, as well as institutionalize our programs and the vision of West Coast,” Jacobs said. “It's amazing a what community can do when it comes together. We've been coined ‘The Miracle Theater’ because it's unheard of for a predominantly white community to support a black theater institution. We are a marvel around the nation and we are blessed.”