Taunton Bringing New Life Downtown With Performing Arts Center

TAUNTON (WBSM) — The theater scene is coming alive in Taunton as Mayor Shaunna O'Connell has announced that a newly-formed performing arts center will soon be downtown.

Located at 21 Main Street, the Taunton Performing Arts Center (TPAC) is a new addition to the city, hoping to give residents more opportunities to engage in performing arts.

Mayor O'Connell said the center represents a unique collaboration between Applause Academy owner Tim Knief and Middleboro Nemasket River Productions owner Natalie Cabral.

O'Connell issued a $40,000 grant from ARPA funds to support the new performing arts company, which will help construct new changing rooms, staging and renovate rehearsal spaces.

Courtesy of the City of Taunton

"This partnership will enhance our cultural landscape and provide new opportunities for our community to engage with the performing arts," O'Connell said. "We are committed to supporting the growth of the arts and ensuring that Taunton remains a vibrant, creative city."

As a nonprofit theater organization, TPAC is dedicated to educating, inspiring, and igniting passion for theater among community members.

"By combining our resources, talent, and expertise, we will offer even more performances, workshops, and programs while still upholding our high-quality production value," Knief and Cabral said. "TPAC is a celebration of our shared commitment to the arts and our dedication to fostering a thriving cultural environment. We are confident that this union will bring about a new era of creativity, collaboration, and community spirit."

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TPAC is set to begin its inaugural season in October with the production of Rocky Horror Picture Show: The Musical, which will begin on Friday, October 25.

TPAC plans to stage six yearly productions, including three traditional plays and three musicals.

Upcoming performances include Talk Radio, Into the Woods and Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor.

Performances will be held on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets will be available for $25 each.

Registration is now open at thetpac.org, where you can check out the full schedule and grab your spot today.

Inside New Bedford's Capitol Theater

New Bedford's long-dormant Capitol Theater is set to undergo a $6 million restoration project that will convert the former movie house into a mixed-use facility. Here's how it looks today.

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.

Gallery Credit: Barry Richard

A Behind-the-Scenes Tour of New Bedford's Zeiterion Theater

The historic Zeiterion Theater in New Bedford recently held some free behind-the-scenes tours before the non-profit performing arts center embarks on a $32 million restoration project to redo the interiors of the building and add a new marquee.

Gallery Credit: Tim Weisberg/Townsquare Media

Source: Taunton Bringing New Life Downtown With Performing Arts Center