BENNINGTON, NE. — The Bennington Community Theatre is moving into a permanent performance space on the second floor of Nate's Stumble Inn, a downtown Bennington restaurant and bar.
Blake Thompson, co-founder and president of the Bennington Community Theatre, said the group has been performing at several locations across town for months, without a permanent home.
"We kind of are a vagabond theatre right now. We've performed at churches (and) schools," Thompson said.
When the theatre moved into a dedicated rehearsal space earlier this year, Thompson said it felt like a milestone — but the group knew it still needed more.
Chantel Wanek, a performer and board member with the Bennington Community Theatre, shared the group's long-held goal for a permanent stage.
"Eventually we would love to have a stage and a theatre so that we could really bring amazing productions to the community," Wanek told KMTV in April.
Thompson said the theatre has also faced a common question from the community.
"Everybody asks all the time, 'Where do you perform?' or 'Hey, where are you at?'" Thompson said.
According to Thompson, the first step to moving into the new space is a quick fix-up.
"It'll be exclusively our space. So, the separate entrance is already created and done. We will have signage on that, and then we will do some makeshift remodeling for now," Thompson said.
Once the theatre moves, it will leave behind its current rehearsal space.
Thompson said having a permanent location will give the group an identity and allow it to continue serving the community.
"The goal is to do most of our programming and rehearsing at the space, and it just gives us an identity, and it helps us continue to do more for the community," Thompson said.
The theatre plans to move into the new space in January.
