We did! The interior renovation of the theatre auditorium – Act 1 – began in 2020 and re-opened to the public with performances of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in 2021. This $1MM comprehensive renovation installed new, custom theatre seats (with cupholders!), increased aisle depth, enhanced accessibility, brought in fresh air HVAC, and installed a new sound system designed by TONY Award winning sound designer Rob Kaplowitz. Act 1 is fully paid for and will remain unchanged during Act 2. Our design and construction teams have taken significant steps to design both phases in tandem so that they fit seamlessly together and ensure that no redundant work takes place. 

Act 2 is a comprehensive remodel of the rest of CFRT (the area in green above). Once complete, CFRT will have nearly double the square footage and we will have added two classrooms, more event space including a rooftop for live music and craft cocktails, a grand lobby with coffee service, and numerous other improvements for both audiences as well as staff and guest artists! 

CFRT’s facilities were last renovated in 1988 and our thriving productions and programs have outgrown the existing building! In Summer 2024, more than 100 kids were on the waitlist for CFRT’s summer camps, and the 24-25 season sold at 90% capacity! The demand in the community is high for CFRT’s offerings, and a new facility was imperative to sustain our existing growth and also set the stage for the next 50 years! 

This project really began back in 2020, where, in the midst of our COVID coping strategies (which involved a lot of ice cream, some tears, and many seasons of Game of Thrones (Mary Kate) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Ella), we embarked upon the $1MM Act 1 renovation of the theatre auditorium. CFRT is 60% earned income, 40% contributed, and we realized that we’d be making the most of the time we were closed due to the pandemic by embarking on this project and solving our two most frequently heard customer complaints – Seat Comfort and Sound Quality.  

In addition to requiring more space to sustain our programs, the facility itself needed serious attention: we had water leaks throughout the building, failing HVAC, termites, plumbing issues (including some terra cotta pipes!!) and accessibility challenges throughout the facility.  

Everyone who has ever built anything knows that construction timelines are highly subject to change, but we currently expect to be in the facility in late 2026!

As they say, “The Show (and everything else!) Must Go On!” Our full array of programs and productions continue to take place throughout construction. For mainstage performances, you can find us at 1707 Owen Drive (formerly the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, now GoodHomes Bordeaux) where we have converted the hotel’s ballroom into an intimate 240-seat theatre.  

Our offices are currently at 310 Green St., thanks to generous support from the Cumberland Community Foundation.  

And our education programs take place in a variety of locations, but you can find more information about where to locate any classes or camps on the website under the education tab by clicking here! 

Thanks to this incredible community and our state, city, and county governments, $22.2MM has been committed to make this building a reality! We have $2.8MM left to raise. Interested in getting involved?? See more information about donor opportunities, benefits, and special events by clicking here! 

The addition of the parking lot is the Taylor Swift (or The Beatles, or The Beyonce) of this project, forever getting the biggest cheers during presentations. The $25MM budget for Act 2 includes development of a parking lot across the street from the theatre at 1104 Hay Street where we expect to pick up around 60 parking spaces. This lot will be available to the community during the day, creating a great community asset for all of Haymount. Additionally, NCDOT will be installing crosswalks throughout the Hay St./Highland Ave./Oakridge Ave./Ft.Bragg Road intersection which will make getting around the Haymount District much easier and safer! 

Are you interested in The Belmont House? CFRT will gift the house itself to anyone interested in moving it to a new location (we’ve checked! It’s possible and we have some interested parties!) If you have land and love old houses, please email info@cfrt.org to begin the conversation! 

The answer to this question really lies in the difference between producing theatres (CFRT) and presenting theatres (Crown).  

Producing theatres (of which Cape Fear Regional Theatre is now the 4th largest in the state of North Carolina!) program, build, rehearse, and perform productions in house. This means that each set piece and costume is built or shopped right here at CFRT by our staff, each actor comes together just for this show, and the final product will only last as long as it’s scheduled CFRT run.  

Presenting theatres like the Crown book acts and shows to pass through their venues as part of a larger tours. Touring is great (CFRT’s Managing Director Ella spent time on the road as part of a tour!) and allows bigger profile artists and shows to bring their talents to Fayetteville.  

Both types of venue can coexist, and indeed both can play an important role in the arts ecosystem of Fayetteville! This duality exists as near as Raleigh (DPAC & Playmakers/Theatre Raleigh), and Charlotte (Blumenthal PAC & Theatre Charlotte/Charlotte Children’s Theatre). In general, studies find that the more opportunities there are for creative engagement, the more engaged people are! 

The current capital campaign and vision for CFRT’s future is only possible because of the incredible generosity of donors who have sustained this institution throughout the last 60+ years. Any name that was recognized as part of the old building (Glass Block Donors, Original Seat Sponsors, 50th Anniversary donors, etc.) will be recognized as part of a donor installation in the new building. We’re still designing these pieces of the new facility, but we will definitely be including the names of the people and families who played such an important role in the decades long story of CFRT. 

We have an amazing team working with us! Playing the biggest roles in our construction story are: 

SfL+A ARCHITECTS: Principal Architects Eric Lindstrom and Barry Buckman are the leads on CFRT’s renovation and expansion. As a firm, SFLA is committed to innovative thinking. Established in 1982, they design high performance facilities that will serve the community and environment for decades into the future, all while implementing their core values of people, passion, commitment, integrity, and innovation. While SFLA is based in Raleigh, Eric is a longtime resident of Fayetteville and very invested in the community, it’s growth and development, and its future! SFLA has been working with CFRT on 1209 Hay Street since 2019, starting with the Act 1 renovation! 

SAMET CORPORATION: Samet is a general contracting firm that develops and constructs innovative and transformational building solutions that inspire communities, spark economic growth, and contribute to the long-term success of our customers and those they serve. Samet’s Wilmington office joined CFRT’s team in 2024. Project manager Philip Blalock, Superintendent Chris Walker, Pre-Construction Manager Jason Lovelace, and Regional VP David Bollenbacher lead the CFRT project. 

Additionally, CFRT is grateful for the efforts of dozens of subcontractors whose hard work will make this dream house a reality!  

We’re so glad you asked!! All pledges are tax deductible, payable over 5 years, and come with an array of exciting benefits! To make a gift, or learn about donor recognition and benefits, please click here!