Theater breathes life into Milton

The Milton Theatre is the heartbeat of the town’s downtown area. It would be almost unheard-of to visit Union Street on any given night and not find it bustling with activity. There is no doubt a successful theater benefits all businesses downtown – restaurants, shops, salons – and its recently announced capital campaign will ensure the venue remains a centerpiece of Milton for many years to come. 

After dark days more than a decade ago that saw the theater shut down and the property foreclosed upon, the years and months since it reopened in 2014 have been fantastic. The theater has drawn national acts to its stage, produced high-quality plays and musicals, and offered children’s camps to plant the seeds for a future generation of performers.

Since reopening, the theater has expanded both its offerings and its amenities. In April, the theater celebrated the opening of its long-awaited balcony, adding 114 seats for patrons. With the audience taken care of, theater officials are now moving forward with improvements to benefit artists and performers, and expand its educational offerings.

Announced Aug. 2, the next phase of work is a $2.5 million project to add two studio spaces to better accommodate larger-cast shows, along with a green room and dressing rooms offering easier access to the stage. The audience experience will also be upgraded with a new box office, bar, concession area and bathrooms. 

It’s hard to illustrate just how much the Milton Theatre has contributed to the town over the last decade, and Theater Director Fred Munzert and the board should be applauded for their tireless work.

Without a beach or boardwalk, Milton needs something to attract people to town. Along with Dogfish Head brewery, and a growing list of great restaurants and shops, the Milton Theatre has become an authentic attraction, a place where visitors will come from near and far to see a show, and leave with smiles on their faces.