Why Theater Still Matters: A Local Perspective on a National Conversation
- Anika Horn
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Across the country, theater organizations are navigating a difficult moment. Arts funding is shrinking. Production costs are rising. Audience habits are shifting. Many companies are still recovering from the pandemic's long tail while being asked to do more with less.
These conversations often stay at a national level. What’s harder to see is how those trends show up in real places, in rehearsal rooms, classrooms, and small towns like Staunton.
And yet, Staunton offers a powerful case for why theater still matters.
What Live Theater Makes Possible
Theater remains one of the few spaces where people gather in real time to experience something together. No screens. No algorithms. Just shared attention and shared emotion.
For Davey White, artistic director at the Off Center, that power became clear early on.
“I saw a play called Amber Waves at Indiana Repertory Theatre. I’d grown up on a small farm, and my family had recently gone through some very scary struggles to keep it. That turned out to be the subject of the play. I saw conversations on the stage that had only existed in my fearful imagination. It helped me understand my own personal narrative.”
Theater can help people make sense of their own lives. It can also push them to better understand the lives of others.
White recalls being cast at twenty-one in Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde.
“That play ignited my very appropriate and necessary rage at persecution. Sometimes plays piss us off in ways that society needs us to be.”
Mike Conner, board chair at ShenanArts, sees that transformation unfold night after night.
“People walk in from every walk of life, but once they’re inside, they share a common experience. For two hours, they sit together, breathe together, and share the joy of live theater.”
Conner describes similar moments of collective reckoning happening in real time.
“In one show, every night, at the same moment, the audience reacted out loud. When empathy disappeared onstage, the audience shouted ‘NO!’ They recognized the injustice immediately. That’s transformation happening in real time.”
When National Trends Hit Local Stages
National challenges affect local theaters in very different ways.
The Off Center occupies a deliberately scrappy position. White explains that while larger institutions increasingly rely on private donors, smaller companies often feel the squeeze.
“When the election happened, we decided it wouldn’t be wise to pursue nonprofit status right now. Bigger institutions rely more heavily on private donations, and that leaves less to go around.”
There is a tradeoff.
“We’re able to respond quickly. Most of our scripts are written months or sometimes weeks before performance. In this climate, we feel called to make work that helps our community examine what’s happening right now.”
ShenanArts, by contrast, has been sustained by strong local support.
“Attendance has grown, donations have increased, and support from patrons, local businesses, and local government has been strong. That community investment has given us stability.”
Together, these experiences reflect a larger truth. National trends shape local theater, but community engagement often determines whether organizations contract, adapt, or grow.
Beyond the Productions
The impact of local theater extends well beyond the stage.
The Off Center regularly partners with arts and community organizations, generates downtown economic activity, and creates work that sparks conversation. White says,
“Our primary community impact is the work we provide on the stage. It supports restaurants and hotels, provides value to partners, and creates community dialogue.”
ShenanArts’ offstage impact often shows up through education and access. One of their most meaningful partnerships is with Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School, providing students the chance to perform on a professional stage. They also work with National Honor Societies, bringing in students who might never have attended live theater before.
Conner recalls one such moment.
“I asked a student, an athlete who said theater wasn’t really his thing, what he thought after the show. He looked at me and said, ‘I cried.’ I think he got it.”
Why this moment matters
The question facing theater today isn’t only about survival. It’s about value. What does a community choose to invest in when resources are limited?
Staunton’s theater scene, including the Off Center, ShenanArts, Silver Line Theatre Exchange, and the American Shakespeare Centre, demonstrates what’s possible when creative work is treated as essential civic infrastructure.
That’s why we’re hosting Staunton Backstage on January 20 at Staunton Books & Tea. Representatives from all four companies will come together for an open conversation about why theater matters here, how national challenges show up locally, and what it takes to keep these stages alive.
If you’ve ever wondered what happens beyond the curtain, this is a chance to hear directly from the people doing the work.
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