Dear Friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing the closing of Studio Roanoke. Since its opening, it has brought over 30 new plays to Roanoke, showcasing some of the most exciting new writers from around the country and here in our own town. It has filled a much needed niche not just in Roanoke, but in the Commonwealth of Virginia. And it is because of this that it truly breaks my heart to see it come to an end. Unfortunately, a number of reasons have coalesced to make this decision a reality. It is not unknown that the small size of our venue made it very difficult to financially sustain ourselves on ticket sales alone and we have been greatly dependent on grants and donations to keep our doors open. While the 2012/2013 season was looking more promising, (the largest amount of grant money awarded to the theatre to date) our private donations had tapered off to an all-time low and other circumstances beyond our control, (the selling of the building we currently are housed in) have made moving into this next season financially impossible.

On a personal note, my time with Studio Roanoke has brought so many talented, extraordinary people into my life that I will hold them dear to me forever. And I hope that someone will be able to pick up where Studio Roanoke left off letting the Phoenix of new play production rise from the ashes.

-Melora Kordos, Artistic Director