Build or Bust: Commonalities and Contributing Factors in Washington, D.C. Institutional Theatre Capital Campaigns

From 1998 to 2008, seven Washington, D.C. theatre companies conducted capital campaigns raising nearly a quarter of a billion dollars. These campaigns primarily raised funds to build large state-of-the-art performance venues. By 2010, these seven companies will have added a net 2,780 new seats primarily dedicated to live theatre, all within four miles of each other. Incorporating interviews, news sources, and analysis, this essay examines common goals, contributing factors, and immediate consequences of this unique theatrical expansion within the District of Columbia, and reveals how the cultural policy of the local government played a major role.