In 2000, WHRO’s Art Beat turned its cameras on Virginia Stage Company, which was celebrating its 20th anniversary. The episode also spotlighted the historic Wells Theatre, VSC’s longtime home. Watching it now feels less like nostalgia and more like a reminder of how unlikely this whole thing once was.
At the time, Art Beat host Jeff Lindquist spoke with then-artistic director Charlie Hensley and founding board president Bob Brown about VSC’s early days. What comes through clearly is that Virginia Stage Company was never just about putting on plays. It was about proving that professional theatre could survive and matter in Hampton Roads.
A Risky Home with Big Potential
One of the most striking parts of the episode is the story of how VSC chose the Wells Theatre. When the company took over the building in 1979, it was far from the landmark audiences know today. The Wells had been neglected for years and was better known for its decline than its elegance.
Still, its bones told a different story. Built in 1913, the Wells offered scale, beauty, and possibility. Opening night of VSC’s first season came with fresh paint, last-minute chaos, and even a snowstorm. Hardly ideal conditions. But once the doors opened, it was clear the gamble had been worth it.
Theatre as a Downtown Catalyst
The Art Beat segment also makes a point that can be easy to forget now: for a long time, Virginia Stage Company was one of the few reasons people came downtown at night. In the early years, the Wells wasn’t surrounded by bustling restaurants or nightlife. In many ways, VSC helped create the audience that made downtown revitalization possible.
That idea may sound self-congratulatory on the surface, but the timeline backs it up. The company didn’t just benefit from Norfolk’s revival. It was part of the reason that revival gained momentum.
Looking Beyond the Stage
Even by 2000, education and outreach were central to VSC’s mission. The episode highlights touring productions and youth programming designed to introduce theatre to students across Hampton Roads. The thinking was practical and long-term: if you want theatre to last, you have to invite new audiences in early.
That philosophy still shapes the company today through student matinees, workshops, and community programs that reach thousands each year.
Why This Still Matters
What makes this Art Beat episode worth revisiting isn’t sentimentality. It’s the reminder that Virginia Stage Company was never a guaranteed success. It survived because people believed this region deserved professional theatre and were willing to take real risks to make it happen.
More than forty years after its founding, that spirit still matters. The Wells Theatre is no longer a gamble, and VSC is no longer an experiment. But the belief that theatre builds community remains the through-line connecting then and now.