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Dragon Productions Theatre Company will vacate its downtown Redwood City space by the end of summer, the organization announced June 25.
“The pandemic and social justice movements of this last year have forced many of us to step back and reevaluate what we hold dear in this world,” according to a statement sent via mailing list and posted on social media.
“For us at the Dragon, it is our people that matter above all: our artists, our audiences, our students, and our staff. The Dragon is irrelevant without its community, and it is because of the commitment we’ve made to this community that we are exploring new working models, and we have decided to leave our space at 2120 Broadway by the end of the summer.”
The 21-year-old company had its first Peninsula home in Palo Alto, then moved to the Redwood City address, launching there in 2013.
Under the leadership of co-artistic directors Bora “Max” Koknar and Alika U. Spencer-Koknar, the organization has expanded beyond traditional theater offerings, branching out with an educational wing; performances in music, comedy, circus arts, podcasting and more; partnerships with likeminded organizations; and experimentations with new technology and platforms. A new mission statement puts an emphasis on inclusivity and innovation.
While thanking their “extremely supportive and exceptionally generous landlords,” the Dragon team acknowledged that “the monthly burden of continuing to rent space in downtown will greatly impact our ability to survive and thrive into the future.”
The venue has been closed to performances and rentals since the onset of the pandemic. Dragon has recently focused on a diverse lineup of virtual offerings, and an in-person drive-in series at the Port of Redwood City.
The company will announce its plans for the autumn and beyond soon.
“As we head into the future, we will be able to find the venue best suited for each project, rather than find projects that fit within a venue,” the statement says.
More information will be available at dragonproductions.net.
