WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt. (WCAX) – Northern Stage in the Upper Valley is preparing to break ground on a large housing complex.
The organization is contractually obligated to provide housing for its traveling actors, who sometimes live in White River Junction for months at a time when they are putting on shows.
The new 18-unit complex will be built right down the street from the theater.
Once completed, it will free up leased apartments downtown which will then be available for new tenants. Northern Stage spends roughly $400,000 a year on housing actors.
“Housing is crucial to the operation of a regional theatre. We could not exist without being able to provide housing for our actors, our visiting designers, and our staff for whom we subsidize housing as well. Living in the Upper Valley teaches all of us that it is expensive to do what we do,” said Jason Smoller from Northern Stage.
The organization has already raised $6.2 million toward the $8.1 million goal. They are expecting to break ground next month with tenants moving in about a year from now.