An MLive headline on January 10 may have caused the heart rates of local theater fans to spike for a second:

"96-year-old Ann Arbor theater hopes to continue despite lease nearing its end"

The article discusses the history of Ann Arbor Civic Theatre (A2CT) and the difficulties that this scrappy troupe, which started in 1929, has faced in recent years:

In December 2025, the theater sent an email asking supporters to contribute to its fundraising goal of $60,000.

Ticket sales are not financially sufficient to keep up with the theater’s productions, despite its sold-out shows, Peterson Steward said.

[Ann Arbor Civic Theatre Board President Suzi] Peterson Steward added that the landlord is selling the building, which houses the theater and Ross Beakes Collision. The theatre will have to move at the end of August, she said.

The landlord first informed the theater a couple of years ago that they would sell the building. The theater’s lease was then extended for another year.

But A2CT isn't going away, also according to the article:

Board members are confident that their 96-year-old theater at 322 W. Ann St. in Ann Arbor will remain open despite financial challenges and a forthcoming space change.

If you'd like to know more about A2CT's rich history, check out this Pulp article from October 9, 2019:

"All the Town's a Stage: Ann Arbor Civic Theatre celebrates its 90th anniversary"

The Ann Arbor District Library's Archives team also put together a collection of A2CT-related articles, photos, and programs from throughout its history:

"Let's Put On A Play! A History of the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre"

A2CT's current production, The Humans, runs through January 18. The next two plays are the A2CT Junior Theatre's The Thirty-Three Little Pigs (March 6-8), followed by She Kills Monsters (March 12-15) at U-M's Arthur Miller Theatre. The theater's website describes the Qui Nguyen-penned play, directed by Meme Resnick, as "A heartfelt and action-packed journey through grief, fantasy, and sisterhood in a D&D-inspired world."