As the Cape Fear Regional Theatre (CFRT) opens their newest show, “Bright Star,” they are also wrapping up Act 2 of their major renovation of their building. “Bright Star” and “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” are expected to be the last shows in their temporary space on Owen Drive. 

“We’ve been, for the past couple of years, performing at Owen Drive in the ballroom of the Good Homes Bordeaux…we’ve built that out to be a 240-seat black box theatre, and it has been a great solution for us,” shared Managing Director at CFRT Ella Wrenn.

Wrenn is grateful for the past couple of years at Owen Drive and is incredibly excited to move back to the newly updated space at 1209 Hay St. this winter. 

The completion of Act 2 is the culmination of a long-awaited addition to the downtown arts & culture scene. The project began back during COVID-19 when the theatre space got a much-needed renovation. After a full gut and the addition of 273 new seats and fixtures in the theatre, the theatre reopened in December of 2021. Once the renovation was completed, the CFRT board and staff determined it was time to bring the entire building up to the modern era, and showcase the caliber of the performances on stage. Act 2 renovations, which began in April 2025, will double the square footage of the building to expand set design and storage space, bring additional classroom space and include a new rooftop bar restaurant for event space. 

“What has been most inspiring in this whole project is the investment from the community,” Wrenn said. “When working in the arts, it’s one of the sectors that gets cut most often. But this community has said, ‘We want to grow the arts, and for it to be here 100 years from now.’ We’ve had major donors who have said, ‘Theatre isn’t my thing, but I want to live in a city that has it.’” 

Act 1 renovations were entirely paid for through foundations and patrons sponsoring seats. Now they are nearing the end of the fundraising for Act 2 through a million-dollar match funded by the Arts Council of Fayetteville and Cumberland County, Junior League of Fayetteville and individual patrons: Betsy Hubbard, Mary Flagg and Jim Haugh and Larry and Julianne Bass. Patrons who donate $10,000 or more will enjoy the Grand Opening Gala in January 2027. Wrenn mentions that the $10,000 donation can be made over five years with $2,000 per year. 

Wrenn, who came to Fayetteville from Briar Patch Productions in New York City, is entering her eighth season with CFRT. She loves the deep sense of community in Fayetteville and is excited to be a part of the development happening in the whole city. For CFRT, that sense of community begins with the staff. Alongside the professional performers, directors and choreographers who often come from major cities like New York City, there are permanent staff who are natives of Fayetteville and surrounding counties. This allows for a diverse exchange of skills and life experiences. 

CFRT’s Artistic Director Mary Kate Burke focuses on bringing together local and regional performers with national players. For example, one of the shows in the upcoming season will feature choreography by Emmy Award winner Tyce Diorio.  

Opportunities like this are what Wrenn is referring to when she says the driving force for the Act 2 renovations was to bring the theatre experience up to the caliber of performances patrons are getting. 

“We are so excited to welcome everyone back to 1209 and so excited to show people what has been birthed over the last five years,” shared Wrenn.

Their first performance in the new building will be Frozen in early 2027. Wrenn says this is the perfect family-friendly, spectacle-worthy musical to christen the new building. 

The entire CFRT staff recognizes they are standing on the shoulders of those board members, staff and patrons who came before and kept this theatre growing for 64 years. Keeping that legacy and purpose in mind has motivated the staff to work incredibly hard: continuing play production while being displaced, and fundraising, planning and executing the projects for both development phases. Wrenn says the whole process has gone incredibly well. 

“We have a great partner with SfL+a Architects and Samet Corporation as our general contractors, and we’ve all learned so much during this process,” said Wrenn. 

Anyone interested in learning more about the development or investing in Act 2 can go to www.cfrt.org.