ARCADIA TO TAKE REINS FROM ACT1 AS ALPHARETTA’S HOME FOR COMMUNITY THEATER

Alpharetta, GA – Arcadia Theater, Inc., a newly-formed nonprofit corporation, will take over the public-facing community theater shows formerly produced by ACT1 theater, a 30-year-old community theater that has operated as a ministry, outreach and fellowship activity within Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.

Arcadia will produce six shows in its inaugural, 2025-2026 season, which will be sponsored by Awesome Alpharetta, the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“We expect that our patrons will experience the shift from ACT1 to Arcadia as a simple rebrand,” said Randy Bampfield, currently Managing Director of both ACT1 and Arcadia. “This shift, however, is foundational in that it allows us to access larger donors and arts grants, as well as to have greater flexibility in what we can do in the future.”

In the last few years, ACT1 has grown, both in the number of shows it produces each year and in ticket sales. Most of these ticket sales have been to members of the community not otherwise affiliated with Alpharetta Presbyterian. Additionally, since 2017, ACT1 has partnered with the City of Alpharetta Division of Recreation, Parks and Culture, producing a play each year in the Black Box Theater in the Alpharetta Arts Center and an annual outdoor Shakespeare production in one of Alpharetta’s parks.  ACT1 leadership, acknowledging future growth opportunities were limited as a ministry and outreach of Alpharetta Presbyterian, recognized the need for the theater to operate as a stand-alone nonprofit corporation.

Arcadia’s 2025-2026 season will consist of four shows in the Alpharetta Presbyterian theater, a Shakespeare production in Brook St. Park and a show at the Alpharetta Arts Center. It plans to announce the season’s shows in April. Arcadia is also planning a youth summer camp and fall youth theater classes, which will be at The Spotlight, the city of Alpharetta’s new performing arts space located in North Point Mall.  

After closing Tuck Everlasting, the final show in its 2024-2025 Season, ACT1 will return to its roots as an internal-facing drama ministry of Alpharetta Presbyterian.

 “We are grateful for the love and support that Alpharetta Presbyterian has shown to ACT1 for all these years and we are grateful for the continuing partnership and support of Alpharetta Presbyterian as Arcadia moves forward,” said Bampfield.

Jessica Williams, the current Artistic Director of ACT1, is also the Artistic Director of Arcadia.