Gggghhhh.

This is a big deal: Belmont's long-running Theater! Theatre! is shutting its doors at the end of the 2012/2013 theater season. There are two theater spaces in the Theater! Theatre! building (it's across from the Avalon, next to Tao of Tea), and just about every company in town has rotated through the venue at some point. It's currently home to both Theatre Vertigo and Profile Theatre.

Per a press release from Theater Vertigo, "The Landlord notified the company recently that he would not be renewing their lease and that both theaters in the building will be closed at the end of the 2012-2013 theater season."

Vertigo's press release is definitely trying to make lemonade ("we look forward to the opportunities that this challenge presents") but this is a blow in a community with too-few decent theater venues.

From Vertigo's release, here's a list of company's that've produced shows in the building:


24 Hour Plays, Action/Adventure, Theatre, Beat BangerZ, Black Tie Comedy Troupe, Classic Greek Theatre, CoToP Theatre, Curious Comedy, Dance Naked Productions, Fantastic Umbrella Factory, Fuse Theatre Ensemble, Hoofers & Co., JANE a theater company, Jewish Theatre Collaborative, La Bodega Productions, Lights Up! Productions, Miss Bee Haven, Inc., Nomadic Theatre Co., Northwest Classical Theatre Co., Playback Theater, Portland Theatre Works, PSU TASO, Public Playhouse, Pyrogen Productions, Renob Control, Sowelu, Staged!, Stumptown Stages, The Phoenix Theatre Co., Theatre Vertigo, Traveling Lantern, Twilight Repertory Theatre, PlayWrite, Inc., The Attic Institute, US Jesco, and over two dozen teachers and individual artists.

I've got a call in to the landlord for more info; I'll update when I hear back.

This is a major loss. Portland doesn't have many mid-sized theater spaces to begin with. I can't even think what comparably sized venues this leaves... IFCC? The Miracle? The Headwaters?