Milton Theatre ‘breaks ground’ on new educational wing

Representatives and supporters of the Milton Theatre broke ground Oct. 28, on the theater’s 2,850-square-foot addition.

Because of poor weather, the theater wasn’t able to have a traditional groundbreaking, so those assembled celebrated with a champagne toast and a selection of songs by the Musical Theatre Ensemble, a product of the theater’s youth programs, which will be expanded with the addition.

Theater Director Fred Munzert said, “This building we’re going to do is really going to allow us to dramatically expand the offering that we have for the community. One day a week now will go to four or five days per week. The education program is going to expand with adult classes, daytime classes. We’re going to have the space to do that.”

The addition will house the theater’s new education wing, containing new rehearsal spaces, green rooms and offices, as well as new bathrooms and a new bar. The $3 million addition is Phase 2 of a large renovation project to the more than 100-year-old theater, with Phase 1 being the balcony restoration finished in 2023. 

Munzert said the desire to move forward with the project came from the popularity of the theater’s youth programs, including the Musical Theatre Ensemble, which are held in the spring and fall, and the summer theater camps, which sell out quickly and often have waiting lists. Munzert said with the addition, they will be able to get more kids into those programs. 

“Theater has the ability to remove all the boundaries and all the rules, and allow young people to explore who they are, who the person across the room from them is; it changes us as people,” he said.

Alison Myers, a member of the Cape Henlopen school board, spoke at the event. Her daughter Bella became the education director at the theater after performing in shows there as a kid.

“There’s this amazing sense of belonging that theater gives kids,” Myers said. “For some students, the stage is the first place they feel truly at home. That kind of connection can make all the difference in a young person’s life.”

Demolition work on the site has already begun. Construction is due to begin soon. The theater cleared the final hurdle after the board of adjustment, at its Oct. 28 meeting, gave its final, written approval on a variance allowing the theater to have less than the required 50-foot setback from the Broadkill River. The board had previously given verbal approval in September. The planning and zoning commission gave final site-plan approval conditioned on final approval from the board at its Oct. 21 meeting. 

The theater plans to complete the project by late summer 2026. 

Munzert also announced the next phase of the theater’s renovation, which will focus on improving the outside space, including building a new, permanent stage and a new concession stand.

“It’s amazing what has happened,” Munzert said. “I still go and sit in the balcony when no one’s there and still think, ‘I can’t believe we did that.’ And now, we’re going to add quite a bit of space. We’re super, super excited for that.”