Theater Uprooted

Zoning moves the New Theatre Project

by Davi Napoleon

posted 8/1/2011

Shortly after the New Theatre Project spent $3,500 to remodel a space on Felch Street, the City of Ann Arbor discovered their performances were occurring in a building zoned as "light industrial" and sent TNTP packing. This came as a shock to artistic director Keith Paul Medelis, who'd been putting on shows in Pot & Box in the same building for a year before creating a dedicated performance space. TNTP could have applied for a zoning exception, but the city wanted $1,000 just to evaluate its petition, and the group was out of money.

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