Local Theater Company Looks to Broaden its Horizons

Arts are often the cornerstone of community revitalization. Nearby communities like Phoenixville and Pottstown have seen a rebirth with the help of arts organizations and festivals, and Norristown is jumping on the bandwagon.

With the creation of the , the municipality is hoping to attract performing arts organizations, fine arts galleries, restaurants and other businesses to move in to the .

One organization in particular is blazing the trail for others to follow: Theatre Horizon.

Created in 2000 by founders Erin Reilly and Matthew Decker as a theatrical outlet for young adults, Theatre Horizon has evolved into a professional theater company over the years, providing a supportive environment for directors, actors and designers to hone their skills.

In its early days, Theatre Horizon performed outdoors, in bars and in schools before settling in at the in December 2008. There, the organization built its audience with a subscription series of three annual productions.

But Theatre Horizon's educational programs are scattered around the county, and the organization is now looking forward to bringing all of its programs under one roof.

Just up the hill from the Cultural Center is the newly renovated 401 DeKalb Building that once housed the Bell Telephone Company, but has sat vacant for nearly 25 years. The group plans to transform the empty first floor into a 120-seat theater.

The $400,000 project also includes space to house administrative offices and a lobby that will double as a classroom.

The theater company has raised half of the funds needed with the help of the William Penn Foundation, 401 DeKalb Associates and donors, and the municipality of Norristown is working with the group to secure a revitalization grant from the county for the other half of the funding.

This new space would allow Theatre Horizon to increase access to its performance programs with longer production runs and a greater variety of shows, including cabarets, coffee house events and film screenings in partnership with Project Twenty1.

The flexible space also brings the benefits of Theatre Horizon's educational programs to the children of Norristown—a goal the organization has had for some time.

Theatre Horizon currently serves over 500 youth throughout the county with after-school programs and weeklong camps. The organization has also developed a unique program using dramatic and therapeutic exercises with autistic children to inspire imagination and flexible thinking while building social skills in a positive way.

Beyond being a destination spot for theater enthusiasts and students, Theatre Horizon hopes to lend its space to community events and other arts performances as it works with the community toward revitalization.

Theatre Horizon’s spring production, "The Credeaux Canvas," about struggling artists who swindle an art collector, opens Saturday, April 7, at the Montgomery County Cultural Center. And the art being swindled? For this production, it’s all being provided by the .

For more information on Theatre Horizon, visit its website.