Two Richardson theater companies that partnered last month to produce The Foreigner at the Richardson Theatre Centre, have agreed to merge, culminating a whirlwind, two-month courtship.

The agreement between RTC and Labyrinth Theatre Friends includes moving the combined group into new, larger quarters at the end of the current production.

“It’s a bright story in a dull economic time,” said Carl Youngberg, a business consultant and former long-time member of the city arts commission, who helped make the match.

The combined group this week signed a 10-year lease that will keep them in the same II Creeks Center in the Canyon Creek area of Richardson, but in the new space.

The last scheduled performance date for The Foreigner, April 19, will be followed by a move to the former Capella Court wedding hall and old movie theater, about 100 yards across the parking lot from RTC’s current location along Custer Parkway.

Youngberg had encouraged the RTC, a repertory company and mainstay of the city’s theater community, and Labyrinth, a cutting-edge equity company that ceased operation about two months ago, to explore a possible relationship by “dating for a while.”

“We didn’t expect it to move this quickly,” said Rachael Lindley, RTC board president and artistic director, who said the “marriage” will draw on the strengths of both groups.

“Rachael is the queen of partnerships,” Youngberg said, referring to the new arrangement, which got a trial run with The Foreigner. The play’s cast features Kevin Ash, who was artistic director at The Labyrinth Theatre at Arapaho United Methodist Church.

“Kevin and I clicked really well,” Lindley said. “It wasn’t about ego, so it worked really well. If either of us had come with an ego, it wouldn’t have worked.”

Ash will be the paid executive director of the new theater operation, which Lindley believes will help the company explore a range of opportunities to generate revenue.

The first show at the new location will be The Fantastiks in May, originally planned as the last production of Labyrinth’s theater season, now the first production of a new era. A ribbon-cutting at the new location is scheduled for Friday, April 17.

Contact Mark Macesich at 469-330-5670 or mmacesich@neighborsgo.com.

RTC’snew home

The RichardsonTheatreCenter’s new location at 2701 Custer Parkway, just south of Renner Road, will contain two theaters, plus space for a children’s education program, offices and workshop.

The larger of two spaces is expected to seat about 150 people, more than double RTC’s current theater. The smaller, black box theater is expected to seat about 60.

RTC expects to maintain both repertory and equity programs – about 10 shows a year.

RTC has occupied its current theater space, which seats about 70, for 18 years; Labyrinth operated at Arapaho UMC at Coit and Arapaho roads for five years.

– MARK MACESICH