At a May 5 unveiling ceremony, staff from Building Bridges Across the River, WC Smith and THEARC partners gathered to officially christen the WC Smith Theater at THEARC, unveiling new signage that sits above the outside entrance to the theater lobby in the East Building.
The 365-seat proscenium theater has welcomed performances like the Washington Ballet’s Nutcracker, hosted the launch of Michelle Obama’s Healthy Foods Initiative, and served as the backdrop for graduations, spelling bees, performances, celebrations, and community gatherings.
WC Smith Chairman Chris Smith and Skip McMahon founded Building Bridges and THEARC, which opened in 2005.
Since then, WC Smith and its staff have provided more than $15 million worth of financial and personal support to THEARC, including countless hours of volunteering at Community Service Days, community events and programming.
In his remarks, Smith noted that at the time, there were no movie theaters and few performance venues east of the Anacostia River. “Skip and I knew that THEARC would attract schools and performing arts organizations. Indeed, the Washington Ballet, the Washington School for Girls and Levine Music were among our original resident partners,” he said.
“Moreover,” he continued, “our neighbors needed a venue where they and their groups could take to the stage and have their voices heard. We purposely did not bring in a partner to operate the theater. By keeping the theater under the auspices of Building Bridges, we ensured that it would remain open and available to partners, students and the community.”
Attendees of the unveiling enjoyed performances from students at the Bishop Walker School for Boys and a dancer from The Washington Ballet.
In their remarks, both current Building Bridges President and CEO Scott Kratz and his predecessor Rahsaan Bernard commented on how the theater is the heart of THEARC campus.
“This theater is more than just bricks and seats and a stage,” Kratz said. “It is the heart and soul of this campus. It’s where stories are told, voices are lifted, and a community comes together—across differences, across generations, across experiences—to see one another more clearly.”
Bernard, who is now WC Smith’s chief operating officer, discussed how the theater “destroyed anonymity”: anonymity that the community had endured, anonymity of the place and anonymity that is now reclaimed by its name.
“Today, we give this theater a name that carries weight, gravitas, moxie and praise,” he said. “Today, we honor the Co-Founders, WC Smith Family, and the WC Smith Team who stepped up for an entire community.
Their leadership, their belief, their courage, and their unwavering commitment helped build not just a theater, but a platform. A platform for voice. For visibility. For excellence. For transformation. They saw what could be when others could not.”
