Draft:New Village Arts
| Abbreviation | NVA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2001 |
| Founders |
|
| Type | Theater company |
| Headquarters | Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center |
| Location | Carlsbad, California, U.S. |
Executive artistic director | Kristianne Kurner |
New Village Arts (NVA) is an American theater company based in Carlsbad, California. It was founded in 2001 by actors Kristianne Kurner and Francis Gercke and debuted that year with a production of Cindy Lou Johnson's Brilliant Traces at the Granary in Carlsbad's Magee Park.[1][2] After producing in several venues in northern San Diego County, the company established a permanent theater in a former lumber warehouse in downtown Carlsbad in 2007.[2] The venue was redeveloped in 2022–2023 as the Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center, a performing and visual arts complex named for San Diego arts advocate and playwright Dea Hurston.[3][4]
History
[edit]Founding and early years
[edit]New Village Arts was founded in 2001 by married actors Francis "Fran" Gercke and Kristianne Kurner. The two had trained at the Actors Studio Drama School in New York before moving to northern San Diego County.[1] According to contemporaneous coverage in The Californian, the company initially operated on a limited budget and sought to establish a donor base, recruit volunteers and develop an annual subscription season.[1]
Its first fully staged production was Cindy Lou Johnson's two-character play Brilliant Traces, presented in late 2001 at the Granary, a converted barn in Magee Park. The company intended to focus on acting and directing and planned to present nonmusical American and Shakespearean classics alongside works by American playwrights.[1]
New Village Arts subsequently produced plays in several locations in Carlsbad. For a period, the company operated from the headquarters of Jazzercise near McClellan–Palomar Airport.[5] In 2007, it established a permanent home in the former Bauer Lumber Company building near the Carlsbad Village train station, converting the building into a 99-seat theater.[2]
Gercke later left the organization, and Kurner, who had served as managing director, became its executive artistic director. Under Kurner, the company placed increased emphasis on an ensemble-based model in which a recurring group of artists participated in its productions.[2]
Tenth anniversary and Ensemble Project
[edit]In 2011, the San Diego Union-Tribune profiled New Village Arts as part of a series on San Diego-area theater companies. At the time, the organization reported an annual budget of approximately $600,000 and also operated the Foundry, a group of art studios adjacent to its theater, as well as a music series.[2]
For its tenth anniversary, New Village Arts developed the Ensemble Project, in which the same resident ensemble of actors and designers worked on productions throughout a season. The project was planned to culminate in a world-premiere play by Suzanne Bachner based on interviews with members of the ensemble.[2]
Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center
[edit]New Village Arts began a major redevelopment of its Carlsbad facility in 2022. The project was initially reported as a $2.5 million renovation intended to transform the theater into a broader community arts center offering theater productions as well as lectures, workshops, art classes and exhibitions.[3]
At the beginning of construction in July 2022, the organization announced that the facility would be renamed the Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center in honor of San Diego playwright and arts advocate Dea Hurston.[3] Hurston had been active in the San Diego arts community as an underwriter, arts commissioner, board member and advocate for opportunities for artists of color.[3] KPBS also reported on the renaming and the organization's plans to expand the building's use beyond theatrical performances.[6]
The renovation ultimately cost approximately $2.8 million.[4] The redesigned complex included a 100-seat main theater, a 60-seat cabaret and spaces intended for visual arts and community programming.[4][5] New Village Arts reopened the facility in 2023 following the renovation.[4]
The theater building is owned by the City of Carlsbad. In 2021, the city renewed New Village Arts' lease for ten years, with two optional five-year extensions.[5]
Facilities and programming
[edit]New Village Arts' main facility is the Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center in Carlsbad Village. In addition to theatrical performances, the redeveloped center was designed to accommodate art exhibitions, workshops, lectures, classes and other community programming.[3][4]
The organization has also operated visual-arts programming. By 2011 it operated the Foundry, a collection of artists' studios adjoining the theater, and presented a regular music series.[2]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 Kragen, Pam (2001-11-29). "'Brilliant Traces' New Village Arts debuts with unique performance". The Californian. p. 62. Retrieved 2023-10-14 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hebert, James (June 22, 2011). "New Village Arts' bold move as it turns 10". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 2023-10-19. Retrieved October 5, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Kragen, Pam (July 7, 2022). "Carlsbad theater and arts complex rededicated in name of local Black arts leader Dea Hurston". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 2022-07-18. Retrieved October 5, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Puterski, Steve (2023-02-01). "New Village Arts reopens after $2.8M renovation". The Coast News. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
- 1 2 3 Diehl, Phil (2023-07-10). "Local filmmaker leads effort to save a vacant Carlsbad Village theater". The Los Angeles Times. pp. B5. Retrieved 2023-10-14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Thorne, Tania (July 7, 2022). "New Village Arts Center in Carlsbad gets new name". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved October 5, 2026.
Category:Theatre companies in California Category:Arts organizations based in California Category:Culture of San Diego Category:Carlsbad, California Category:Arts organizations established in 2001 Category:2001 establishments in California