Collegiate Times

Southwest Virginia may be a far cry from Broadway and the rest of the theater world, but the artists and volunteers at Studio Roanoke have created a beating heart for drama in the Star City.

Playwright Kenley Smith founded Studio Roanoke in 2008 as an outlet for the production of new plays and other dramatic works.

“We wanted to provide a space where the primary mission was the development, production and presentation of new plays,” said Todd Ristau, artistic director for the theater. “So that’s what we do. Just new performances of things that are unpublished.”

Studio Roanoke is a black box theater, meaning it is a simple room with a large floor that will become the stage and setting for every production. The walls and ceiling are black, and the small room seats about 60 audience members.

The choice of creating a black box was inspired by the off-Broadway theaters of New York City that focused on creating new productions, Ristau said.

Studio Roanoke has quickly become an appealing venue for the local dramatic community.

“One thing Studio Roanoke is really uniquely poised to do,” Ristau said, “is to get these local and university playwrights connected with guest professionals and theater artists.”

The collaboration between Studio Roanoke, the community and guest artists is creating a network of talent in the Roanoke region, Ristau said.

Ristau, who is also the director of the graduate playwriting program at Hollins University, has worked in contemporary theater in Chicago and New York.

In 1986, he created “No Shame Theater,” an event where anyone can perform a short, new work in an actual theater with no pressure.

“No Shame Theater” used to take place at Mill Mountain Theatre and has since relocated to Studio Roanoke, where it is welcome among the slate of never-produced shows.

“In a lot of ways,” Ristau said, “some of the things that would have been too risky but (are) still very interesting to Mill Mountain are things that we’re dedicated to doing.”

Mill Mountain Theatre closed its doors earlier this year because of the slump in the economy and left the fledgling Studio Roanoke as the city’s primary theater.

Studio Roanoke is still a small organization, and much of it is run by Ristau and general manager Steven Rice.

Ristau is in charge of the creative aspects of the studio while Rice handles business decisions. The men are currently the only two full-time staff members at the theater, Rice said.

Assisting Ristau and Rice with the production of shows is an army of community members and theater lovers.

“We have many local volunteers come help out,” Rice said. “Actually, right now we have 20 or 30 volunteers who come and work with us.”

Volunteers at the Studio Roanoke help to create sets and costumes. Other duties include hanging lights and working with the technical side of the theater.

Local support has kept Studio Roanoke alive. As a non-profit organization, the theater is largely kept in business by contributions from community members and sponsors.

“I haven’t seen a patron walk in our doors for a show who hasn’t been in for another one,” Rice said. “Even the ones who just come in for information come back to see a show and help us out with everything we are doing here.”