Festival Stage of Winston Salem is a professional theatre company currently in residence at the Hanesbrands Theatre in the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts in downtown Winston Salem. Festival Stage is an affiliate company of NCShakes (North Carolina Shakespeare Festival), sharing administrative and production support facilities at Spirit Center, NCShakes' new base of operations. For 35 years NCShakes has given the region professional theatre of exceptional quality, both classic and contemporary, often involving Winston Salem artists. Now, with NCShakes' new state-of-the-art headquarters, as well as Winston-Salem's new arts center, Festival Stage has evolved as the next step toward creating a new theatre model.

With its own Board of Trustees of dedicated Winston Salem citizens, Festival Stage is excited to be a partner in the growing cultural landscape of the "City of the Arts and Innovation." In a community that distinguishes itself through the blend of art and science, Festival Stage's goal is to distinguish itself by helping to explore the potential of that community. Festival Stage collaborates with the city's arts groups, schools, and businesses.

Between October and May at the Hanesbrands Theatre, Festival Stage offers three productions, from classics to the best of contemporary work. The company draws its actors, directors, designers and technicians from all over the country including Winston Salem. As an Actors' Equity affiliated theatre, Festival Stage artists are professionals who are compensated according to established industry standards.

Festival Stage productions are mounted at Spirit Center in High Point. This recently renovated 51,000 square foot complex houses rehearsal halls, technical needs, storage and offices. It is a cornerstone of the vision to create a theatre company serving the many diverse communities of North Carolina. Festival Stage and Winston Salem are at the very heart of this vision. With access to first-class facilities that are competitive with any in the country, Festival Stage has all it needs to be its own entity, and also a part of a larger venture and a broader mission.

In the intimacy of the Hanesbrands Theatre, audiences surround actors on three sides of this comfortable new performance venue. The flexible space affords the opportunity for many actor-audience configurations. The theatre is located in the heart of Winston Salem's charismatic downtown area with easy access to parking, shops, and restaurants.

Festival Stage looks forward to playing a vital role in the city's downtown redevelopment as one of the state's most progressive cities.