Home Home to education: The Wayne Theatre celebrates studio space in Downtown Waynesboro
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Home to education: The Wayne Theatre celebrates studio space in Downtown Waynesboro

Rebecca Barnabi
Studio Wayne is at 535 W. Main Street in downtown Waynesboro. Photo by Rebecca J. Barnabi.

The Greater Augusta Regional Chamber Commerce and members of the community gathered at 535 W. Main Street in Downtown Waynesboro this afternoon to celebrate a new addition.

“We’re super excited to be here today to celebrate this ribbon cutting with the Wayne Theatre and Studio Wayne,” GARCC President/CEO Courtney Thompson said. “This is such a cool location.”

Tracy Straight is The Wayne’s executive director.

“This is a home for you all, and to be able to have a space to call home we are very excited about,” Straight said.

Studio Wayne will allow education opportunities at The Wayne Theatre to grow.

Waynesboro Vice Mayor Jim Wood, a former touring musician, said that federal and state funding for the arts has been cut in public schools in recent years.

“So, having a place like this here in Waynesboro is just a breath of fresh air,” Wood said.

According to Straight, the studio will provide rehearsal, stage combat and dance space for Wayne Theatre actors. The space will also function as a black box theater and a space for small performances of visual arts, comedy improv, dance, music, open mic nights and teen improv comedy. As a home for education, classes for children and adults will be taught in the studio.

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi is the national editor of Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools. Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.