The 4th Story Theater at West End UMC is a space for performing and visual arts, building relationships, and cultivating connections between faith and culture.
This space is for everyone. We draw from secular and religious sources in alignment with our vision and mission and the various emphases of the church. We have two sides of the space: a performing arts side with a 150 seat black box theatre for plays, musicals, new works premiers, staged readings, poetry readings, concerts, and interviews. The visual arts side is an open space for art curating and creation for spiritual exploration (not arts and crafts). We use forms of expression such as creative writing, painting, ceramics, and weaving. It also serves as an intermission space for the performances.
Vision
We see people of all ages from the West End UMC community and the Nashville community engaging one another in creative dramatic experiences as they experience the loving light of Jesus Christ.
Mission
Our mission is to provide a theatre space which is flexible and equipped with the best possible technical theatrical equipment.
Dramatic theatre has its roots in the church. The liturgical movement of the service order; the dress of the worship leaders; the pictography of the windows; the structure of the sanctuary are drama in motion.
Dramatic theatre in the church is about community. It provides a safe environment for risk in a supportive relationship with other persons. It is not so much about the production of excellent theatre as it is about a community where one can creatively stretch and grow in a loving environment.
Dramatic theatre in the church provides a major doorway into the life of the church. As persons work together in the productions of drama, they become friends and this leads to joining one another in the faith community.
