For 49 years, Shelby County Community Theatre has brought stories to life, created opportunities for local performers, and welcomed audiences to experience the magic of live theatre. Since 1980, our home has been at the historic corner of 8th and Main in Shelbyville, Kentucky—a place where generations of volunteers, performers, and patrons have helped build a lasting legacy of community theatre.
Now, as we look toward our 50th anniversary and the next chapter in SCCT’s story, we are excited to share an important step forward: SCCT is partnering with the architectural and design firm Luckett & Farley to explore renovations and upgrades to our historic home.
This project is about more than improving a building. It is about preserving the heart of community theatre in Shelby County while preparing our space to welcome audiences, artists, students, and volunteers for generations to come.
Honoring the Work That Got Us Here
SCCT’s home at 8th and Main has a story of its own. Our theatre occupies two historic buildings, each with its own character and challenges. Over the years, dedicated volunteers have worked tirelessly to transform and maintain these spaces, helping create the theatre our community knows and loves today.
We are grateful for the early architectural vision of Quinten Biagi, whose work helped guide the development of our facility into what it is today. Much of what makes SCCT special has been made possible through the generosity, determination, and hard work of people who believe in the power of the arts.
Maintaining a theatre within a historic district comes with unique responsibilities. We value the history and character of our buildings, and we are committed to respecting that heritage as we consider improvements that will allow SCCT to thrive well into the future.
We are proud of how far we have come, and we believe it is time to prepare our home for the next 50 years.
Making Room for What Comes Next
As SCCT continues to grow and serve our community, we recognize the need for a facility that better supports our productions, educational programming, and the people who make it all possible.
Through our work with Luckett & Farley, we are exploring potential improvements that may include:
Additional audience seating to help more people experience live theatre.
Improved restrooms to create a more comfortable and welcoming experience for patrons.
Essential backstage upgrades to better support performers, production teams, and the technical needs of our shows.
Expanded accessibility, including an elevator and ramps to help people navigate the multiple levels throughout our two historic buildings.
Accessibility is a particularly important part of this vision. Our theatre should be a place where people can gather to share stories, celebrate creativity, and connect with one another. Navigating multiple levels in historic buildings can present challenges, and we want to explore solutions that make our facility more accessible and welcoming to as many members of our community as possible.
These improvements will help us better support the full range of activities that take place at SCCT, from performances and rehearsals to theatre classes, workshops, and community gatherings.
Listening, Learning, and Planning with Purpose
We know that a project of this importance requires thoughtful planning, community input, and a clear understanding of what is possible.
SCCT has conducted a feasibility study with Theatre DNA, helping us examine our needs and consider a path forward. We have also listened to stakeholders as we work to understand the priorities, hopes, and practical considerations that should shape the future of our facility.
With that groundwork in place, we have entered the Schematic Design Phase of our relationship with Luckett & Farley. This stage allows us to begin translating our goals and ideas into design concepts, explore possible solutions, and consider how improvements might work within the unique character and layout of our historic buildings.
We are approaching this process with care and optimism. Our goal is to develop a thoughtful vision that honors our history while addressing the needs of a modern, active community theatre. We will also begin a capital campaign to raise $5 - 9 million dollars to support these efforts.
The Next 50 Years Start Here
For nearly five decades, SCCT has been part of the cultural fabric of Shelby County. Our stage has welcomed countless performers, our classes have helped students discover their creativity, and our productions have brought people together through laughter, reflection, music, and storytelling.
Our future depends on continuing that work—and ensuring our facility can support it.
Partnering with Luckett & Farley gives us an opportunity to think intentionally about how our historic home can serve our community for decades to come. We want to preserve the character that makes SCCT special while creating a space that is more functional, accessible, and ready for the next generation of theatre lovers.
This is an exciting moment for SCCT, and we look forward to sharing more as the planning process continues.
Interested in learning more about SCCT’s renovation and facility improvement plans? We would love to hear from you. Please contact execdirector@shelbytheatre.org to learn more about our vision for the future.
Here’s to honoring our past, investing in our community, and bringing SCCT into its next 50 years - together!