AUGUSTA, Ga ()- For 80 years, the Augusta Players have been bringing quality theater to downtown Augusta. Now after all that time, they finally have a home they can call their own.

For decades the Augusta Players have had to rent separate spaces for storage, offices, and lots and lots of rehearsal spaces. Now everything is in one place and they tell me it feels good.

“It has gone fast and it’s amazing, we’re thrilled. But it’s really…we started looking for a home five years ago. So if you look at the bigger picture, it’s actually a pretty long journey. But once it happened, my gosh, it happened so fast,” said Scott Seidl, Executive Director of The Augusta Players.

For the last 10 months the new facility has been undergoing major renovations. They moved from their long time rental space at Jessye Norman School of the Arts into the new building during Masters week. They said they are grateful to the institution for allowing them to rehearse there for so long.

Th Players held their first rehearsal for their upcoming production of “Anastasia” there on April 14.

“It’s been a real joy to be in this building and watch performers walk in and just see their faces light up and their steps get a little lighter, you know. Upstairs in the building, there are three rehearsal rooms and they all have a floating dance floor. So they’re not dancing on concrete anymore. And so knees and ankles and hips are feeling much better,” Seidl explained.

The new space houses storage for sets and props, a boardroom, office space, and three rehearsal spaces. Two of them named after beloved members of the Augusta Players- the late Richard Justice and the late Debi Ballas.

“Well, they definitely have been in our thoughts. We are happy to dedicate two of our rehearsal rooms to Debi and Richard Justice. And we– their thoughts and everything is still here with us. And we want to remember them as much as possible,” Ansleigh Davis, actor and Development Director said.

NewsChannel 6 talked to Ballas’s daughter Claudia Latch who said that it was a dream of her mother’s finally come true.

Roy Lewis is a long time member of the Players. He said:

“Being a member of The Augusta Players for over 40 years has been a journey of passion, dedication, and community.

For decades, we have created magic on stage without a permanent place to gather, rehearse, or truly call home. To finally have a space of our own is more than just a building—it’s a dream realized, a foundation for growth, and a beacon for the future of the performing arts in our community.

This new home represents stability, creativity, and opportunity. It gives us the ability to rehearse with consistency, expand our outreach and education programs, and further develop the vibrant theatre community we’ve cultivated over generations. It’s a testament to the enduring spirit of The Augusta Players and to the belief that the arts matter—that they bring people together, inspire hearts, and transform lives.

After 40 years, this isn’t just a milestone—it’s the beginning of a new chapter. One that honors our past and boldly embraces the future. I want to say thank you to Scott Seidl for his vision, this staff, and the army of amazing volunteers that have been on the journey.”

Davis agrees.

“It has a lot of possibilities and things that can open up to different things that we have in our future. Holding small concerts and performances like our ‘One Night Only’ with season ticket holders. And being able to have this all in one space, I think really opens up a lot of new opportunities that we didn’t have in the past.”

The Players said that owning their own building has been a dream for a long time, but it was the perfect storm of the right time, the right place, and the right people that finally made it happen.

There is no name for the new building yet, but they are working on narrowing down some options.

The Augusta Players will host a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate their new space on May 9th at 4 p.m.