TheatreDNA, a full-service planning and design firm for performance venues based in Downtown LA, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Founded in 2015 by Michael Ferguson and Benton Delinger, the firm has built a reputation as one of the most innovative and resilient players in the performing arts consulting field, bringing artistry, technical expertise and client-centered collaboration to over 400 projects.
The firm’s roots trace back to Ferguson and Delinger’s beginnings as production managers and designers for the San Jose Repertory Theatre, where they learned firsthand the challenges of creating, operating and sustaining a performing arts facility. Their success at San Jose Rep led them to a path as theatre consultants, working on the world’s most prominent cultural landmarks — including collaborations with architects such as Frank Gehry, Renzo Piano, Rem Koolhaas, Moshe Safdie and SANAA — before making the bold choice to step away from the big corporate consulting world.
TheatreDNA has worked on the Audrey Irmas Pavillion and the Dick Wolf Drama Center at the University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts.
Their vision was clear: Build a nimble, boutique practice that pursues the most meaningful work with the most inspiring people.
Over the past ten years, the firm has partnered with clients ranging from community theatres to major universities, from rural municipalities to global entertainment companies. Its project list spans the globe and includes venues of every type and scale — from renovated historic theatres in Lompoc to multi-venue cultural precincts in the United Arab Emirates.
“TheatreDNA began with a belief that the best performance spaces emerge when design and operations are considered together, and when end-users and audiences are at the center of the process,” Ferguson said. “As we celebrate ten years, we’re proud to continue doing what we do best — the last decade has shown that a boutique firm can thrive by choosing creativity, collaboration and authenticity over volume.”
Looking ahead to its next decade, TheatreDNA is setting its sights beyond its California base. New regional offices in Portland and Dallas are in development to better serve clients across the West and Southwest. The firm will also continue broadening its Strategic Operations and Business Planning services, following its recent acquisition of Victor Gotesman Performing Arts Planning (VGPAP).
This expansion allows TheatreDNA to help venues at any stage in their lifecycle, pairing feasibility studies and business operational planning with design and technical expertise.
Equally important to the future is the cultivation of talent within the firm. TheatreDNA is committed to developing the next generation of theatre planning and design consultants by advancing senior team members into leadership roles and providing opportunities to shape the firm’s vision, culture and practice.
“Our next chapter is about extending our reach, deepening our services to our client partners, and empowering our team to lead the future of theatre consulting,” Delinger said. “We’re privileged to get to spend all of our time building homes for artists.”
Highlighted planning and design projects by TheatreDNA include the Colburn Center expansion for the Colburn School in Los Angeles, CA; renovations of the Wolf, Kilstrom and Singleton Theatres at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the “Museum” event center at Meta’s MPK21 campus, the Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building at MIT; the Teatro Cultura Artística in São Paulo, Brazil; and the Dick Wolf Drama Center for the USC School for the Dramatic Arts.
Highlighted strategic operations and business planning projects include feasibility studies for the cities of Waco, Texas; Hoover, Alabama; Mission Viejo and Montgomery County, Maryland, and strategic business planning for the Vista Center for the Arts for the City of Surprise, the Rose Center for the City of Westminster and the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Performing Arts Center.
For more information, visit theatredna.com or LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram. Learn to talk theatre on the TheatreDNA app, available on Android and OS devices.