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Centerstage Theatre, the rising star of the South Sound theater world, has proposed to the Federal Way Arts Commission that the Federal Way-based  nonprofit theatre company take over the management of the city-owned Knutzen Family Theatre. The theatre is where Centerstage performs its shows as the anchor tenant of the facility that also offers other arts classes and programs.

In his proposal, Centerstage Artistic Director Alan Bryce suggested that such an arrangement could benefit both Centerstage and the City of Federal Way. Centerstage has proposed that the city pay a management fee of $75,000 to operate the building, saving the taxpayer $50,000. In turn, Centerstage would save the $40,000 rental and labor costs at the Knutzen plus the $8,000 rental on its current office space, plus whatever revenues it could generate through rentals and other presentations. 

“This financial cushion is also beneficial to other performing arts organizations and to the taxpayer, because, if Centerstage continues to operate as frugally as it has in the past four years, there will be no need to go back to the arts commission, or to the city manager and ask for supplemental funding,” said Centerstage Artistic Director Alan Bryce.