Stage Write

It's no secret that the Phoenix Theatre, which has called Mass Ave home for the past 30 years, is moving into a new space this month. The gorgeous new facility is located at the corner of Illinois and Walnut, right on the Cultural Trail. The building that formerly occupied that space was demolished and the 21,000-square-foot new Phoenix literally rose from its ashes over the past few months. The design of the entire building has been done with the utmost thoughtfulness. The main theatre has maple siding designed by acoustics expert Gavin Haverstick. The gender-neutral bathrooms have two entrances to keep things moving quickly at intermissions. The bar and other areas of the theatre are painted in a brilliant red, perfect for the vibrant atmosphere.  Despite the fancy new digs, not everything is changing for the theatre. It will still focus on cutting edge productions that deal with important issues. The two stages are both intimate settings, so that there is no pressure