AND on the city-sweeping, ever-reaching Bicycle Green-way!  In January 2007 Bedlam opened it’s doors in a new home, a block away from our past, a block closer to the venerable Mixed Blood and in a position to be a new Gateway to the West Bank neighborhood.For years our bustling, gut busting, set building, meeting, reading and music playing activities have competed for the same room on Cedar Avenue.

With a move to 1501 S. 6th Street, Bedlam has a chance to spread it’s wings – and give all the fantastic aspects of Bedlam a little more room to grow.

((For further answers to the question on everyone’s mind “How, why, how long and what’s the deal?” of the new space & the move CLICK HERE))

For year’s Bedlam’s shows have been called “…the gutsiest, riskiest theater around..” and stuff like that.

It’s also been true that through Bedlam Studio (1996-2006) no theater in town was quite so multi-faceted:

• through it’s community involvement
• and as a social hub and community center.

The multi-facets of 1501 Include – - -

The McDowell-Shafer MAINSTAGE - a flexible studio theater that seats 130 for most shows and openable to the lobby for expanded audience during cabaret-type events.  Exposed steel rafters (above 12′ clearance) allow for flexible light hanging and rigging.   More on the MAINSTAGE.

The Fireplace LOUNGE – a second “stage” accomodating an audience of 30-40 for latenight puppet shows & lounge music, larger meetings, dinners and expanded socializing.  More on the LOUNGE.

The LOBBY - augmented by an outdoor patio looking out on downtown & backed by a commercial kitchen, the lobby itself is a grand welcome to the new Bedlam and takes action to expand our historic role as social hub and otherworldly clubhouse.  In the works: a West Bank Welcome Center with brochures & maps of local bidniz and a Beer/Wine/Food license by spring.  More on The LOBBY plus…

The SHOP BUILDING - Perhaps the greatest achievement of the new location is removing the sawdust, cardboard and paper mache from the mainstage.  The central factory of our visual spectacle includes:

• Bedlam’s SCENE SHOP where we build Bedlam scenery as well as scenery for other theaters around town.
• Costume, Prop & Material STORAGE
• The FRONTROOM workshop

But the real thing there’s more of is…

The GREASE PIT BIKE SHOP – Since 1998 Bedlam has housed the volunteer run, Do-It-Yourself, bicycle build & repair center.  Now the Grease Pit is in the back of the Shop Building with a glorious patio directly accessible to the Bicycle Greenway.  More on the GREASE PIT.

The OFFICE - not a British sit-com, a real World Domination Center.  If there’s one thing Bedlam is unquestioningly famous for it’s our non-stop meetings.  The main project for Bedlam as we left 2006 was the growth of our organization to support our ever expanding programs.  With it’s impressive array of personalized desks, staff lounge, video editing suite, web streaming ethernet & glass-top conference table (no-kidding) the Bedlam office makes everyone seem almost grown up… (except in the secret hide-out repleat with stuffed animals, sleeping bags and game-boy.)  More on the OFFICE.