This summer, the curtains are opening for a brand-new community theater in downtown Roanoke — Exit, Pursued by a Bear.
The theater’s name is a nod to a stage direction made by William Shakespeare, but on social media, you can find them by using the names “Roanoke bear theatre” or “bear theatre.”
In just a couple weeks, the Roanoke bear theatre will have auditions for their first show, called Crimes of the Heart which will open on July 19.
“Downtown is just a thriving cultural place. So, the fact that Roanoke downtown doesn’t have that, I think it’s going to be huge. You see the ticket sales at Mill Mountain, people are hungry for theater. They are hungry to connect to stories. So, we want to bring those to them,” said Angela McNeil, president of the board of directors for Exit, Pursued by a Bear.
The new downtown theatre is a non-profit, volunteer-based theatre and is partnering with Community High School to use its stage for rehearsals and performances.