Tacoma TACOMA ARTS LIVE NONPROFIT SUPPORTS TACOMA RESIDENT ARTS By Rachel Kelly | Photos Courtesy of Tacoma Arts Live
W
alking into the Pantages Theater is like walking into a story that’s yet to be told. And we listen with bated breath.
And no wonder! Newly restored to its original turn-of-thecentury splendor, Pantages Theater breathes the art of Tacoma’s history. Also, thanks to event renovation, it seats over 700 people and is capable of supporting a cast of 100 in its backstage. Tacoma Arts Live (a nonprofit) is largely responsible for the restoration of the Pantages to its original glory. Inviting a restorer to analyze the original paint buried beneath 22 top coats, filling framed walls with vintage wallpaper and matching the paint with the breathtaking array of colors seen in the canopy of stained glass on the ceiling were just a few of the labors of love that Tacoma Arts Live has poured into its larger performance hall. The Pantages Theater is not the only art venue that Tacoma Arts Live has taken under its wing. The nonprofit also manages the 102-year-old Rialto Theater, Theater on the Square and the Historic Armory. While the Pantages Theater is a hall that highlights a menagerie of performances from opera to standup comedy, the Rialto focuses mainly on concert performances. In contrast, Theater on the Square seats half that of the Rialto, making a more intimate setting that’s perfect for the experience that is live theater. However, Tacoma Arts Live is more than just a manager of performance arenas; they are a living pulse with their ear to the ground of Tacoma’s expression. This is made possible through partnerships. Tacoma Arts Live has fostered relationships with nine separate art organizations. Examples include Tacoma City Ballet, Tacoma Symphony and Tacoma School of the Arts. All nine nonprofits are given a discount on stage labor, rent,
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