Masonic Theatre Preservation Foundation

The mission of the Masonic Theatre Preservation Foundation is to serve the greater Alleghany Highlands community with a variety of educational, entertainment, business and social programs; and to partner with organizations in need of a facility to host programs. By doing so, the Masonic Theatre and Amphitheatre will be utilized in providing first-class venues for performances as well as multi-use space for community activities. As a result, the programs and activities in the Theatre will augment the area’s tourism, and economic and business development, while enticing more visitors to the Alleghany Highlands. The community will come together, supporting and encouraging educational and cultural programming initiated by and for the community.

ABOUT THE HISTORIC MASONIC THEATRE

Circa 1905, originally an opera house and Masonic Lodge in the downtown historic district of Clifton Forge, VA, the Historic Masonic Theatre is Virginia's oldest continuously operating Theatre. On July 1, 2016, the Historic Masonic Theatre opened its doors to the public once again after a 6.5 million dollar renovation. A movie theatre and a performing arts venue, the four-story building has a state of the art auditorium, an underground cafe and lounge area, a balcony with seating and conference room and an upper-level ballroom suitable for wedding receptions and gatherings.

ABOUT THE MASONIC AMPHITHEATRE

The Masonic Amphitheatre and Park is a state-of-the-art outdoor facility and park that opened in June 2012. The Amphitheatre was designed and built by third-year architect students from the design/buildLab at Virginia Tech. The Smith Creek Pedestrian Bridge which links historic Clifton Forge to the Masonic Amphitheatre was designed and built by the design/buildLAB students (a different class) one year later.

OUR IMPACT

Since re-opening in July 2016, the Theatre and Amphitheatre have hosted or presented

more than 495 unique ticketed, community, and private events.

 We have welcomed more than 260,000 visitors into our facilities.

 35% of our events have been free of charge, open to everyone.

 The Historic Masonic Theatre supported $2.3 million in economic impact in the Alleghany

Highlands. Economic activity associated with the visitors helps support over 35 jobs per

year in the Alleghany Highlands for 2018*.

 We increased paid staff from one to seven and produced an overall economic output of

$709,659 in the regional economy in 2018*.

 We successfully completed a one-million-dollar fundraising campaign to fulfill the vision

of our founding leader, John Hillert.

(*based on a recently completed independently produced economic impact study)