Hanover Theatre expansion seeks to anchor Theatre District
Photo/Caitlin ReidyPHOTO/BRAD KANE
Troy Siebels, Hanover Theatre president and CEO, stands in front of the main entrance to his facility, which is adjacent to the expansion.
Hanover Theatre's new $6.5-million expansion is aiming to enliven Worcester's Theatre District by attracting rich economic development.
The historic theater located at 2 Southbridge St. was reestablished and renovated in 2008 and is now connected to a 24,000-square-foot adjacent building that will be used to utilize the new features, including a restaurant and a conservatory, that the historic site has to offer.
“There's nothing like this in Worcester,” said Troy Siebels, Hanover Theatre president and CEO. “This expansion will make Worcester comparable with Boston's Theatre District, only with better parking.”
The ribbon connecting the Hanover Theatre and its new expansion was cut on June 2, commemorating the introduction of the new advancement, which began to develop in 2014 after the purchase of the building. The addition is named in honor of Frederick Eppinger, president and CEO of Worcester's Hanover Insurance and theater contributor. The structure is joined to the main building at all three levels.
Siebels said the purpose of this extension is to extend function space for the theater, enhance the district's appeal and to promote the new conservatory. The expansion will feature a theater and dance education room on the lower level for students ranging from preschool through high school, more business function rooms for pre- and post-events, and a restaurant partnership that has yet to be established.
The new Hanover expansion is expected to bring robust economic development to Worcester by giving visitors a reason to stay in the city and take advantage of the shopping, culture and nightlife that the city has to offer, said Christina Andreoli, vice president of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce
The expansion will help to market and promote Worcester to outsiders, which will attract consumers to the thriving Theatre District, Andreoli said.
The original structure for the building was built in 1904 and was known as the Franklin Square Theatre, according to the theater's website.
The building is referred to as an example of early 20th century theater architecture, which makes renovating the historic theater a difficult project to produce due to the significant contribution the landmark has had on Worcester, said Siebels.
It is important to expand the theater to bring in more people to the city without changing what originally made the historic organization captivating in the first place, Siebels said.
When the Hanover Theatre was initially renovated in 2008, there were about 25 concert and comedy shows per year, which performed about two showings for each ensemble.
Now, there are approximately twice the number of the original productions per year and performance groups typically present six showings or more, bringing in more consumers to the theater, said Siebels.
“Eighty percent of the shows' audience comes from outside of Worcester,” Siebels said. “With this new expansion, we hope to draw an even larger audience from a broader circle.”
The closing of performing arts schools in the area makes the expansion more significant than ever because the conservatory is in high demand for students who want to learn the art of theater, dance and Broadway, Siebels said.
The conservatory will not only feature summer youth programs for students but will offer master classes and education programs with Broadway and touring companies.
This will potentially attract a younger market of consumers to Worcester's Theatre District and enhance economic and educational growth in the community.
The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts is an anchor in the city's Theatre District, which also includes Mechanics Hall, the DCU Center and the Palladium.
The Hanover's expansion can only enhance downtown Worcester and the Theatre District by creating greater vibrancy and giving more visitors the opportunity to take advantage of what the city has to offer, Andreoli said.
What was once a boarded-up building has been constructed into a “vital part of the district” by creating a place where businesses and performance groups have the opportunity to impact Worcester, Siebels said.
More theater expansions may come in the future, but there are no immediate plans, Siebels said.
“We believe there's a huge need in a few places that are underserved in arts education,” Siebels said.
Siebels said though there are no immediate plans, proposals to expand the theatre further in the future would bring a more broad group of people to Worcester who hadn't considered what the city had to offer due to a previous lack in arts education. n
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