Those who grew up in Girard know of this building in the heart of downtown, the Wellman theater. The near century old building is becoming the permanent home for the Millennial Theatre Company (MTC). 

Signs currently cover the Wellman theater, reading “Owned by the City of Girard, plans are ongoing.”

As part of that plan, MTC signed an agreement to make the building their own space. This building will be the company's first space of their own.

MTC has been a traveling theatre organization since 2016. Their focus is producing musicals that don’t have as big of a name in the theatre community.

“When we started in 2016, the goal was always to get our own space. We've been very fortunate to have other wonderful community theatres in town agree to host us, you know, like the Youngstown Playhouse and Hopewell Theatre who've been instrumental in keeping us around over the last 9 years. But, this was always the goal,” said Joe Asente, founder of the Millennial Theatre Company.

Ascente said there is no set timeline as to when the doors will reopen, but work on the building is already starting. Asbestos in the building has already been removed. The next step is fixing the roof. 

“It’s very much in the early planning stages. Just seeing what needs done to convert the space, not only to be an inhabitable building in 2025, but also bring it up to date for live theatre because originally it was originally a movie house,” said Ascente.

The building will allow MTC to expand their programming.

“Right now, we’re very limited because we have to try not only to find slots in other theaters' seasons to insert ourselves to produce our own shows. But, when we have ideas for smaller projects that maybe don’t demand that full scale opportunity, we often don’t have the venue to facilitate those things.” said Ascente.

The city spearheaded plans to bring the theater back to life. Mark Zuppo, mayor of the city of Girard, said this is part of a bigger goal.

“There's some restaurant and some downtown business right now that are looking forward to the theater taking off. They know it will increase business,” said Zuppo. “My whole goal, really, as mayor, is to make it a place where young kids, young people grow up here, have a great experience here, and have such a good experience that they want to move back to Girard. That’s my goal.”

Plans for the building are still fluid. One idea Ascente has is a community movie night.

“Letting those older residents of Girard who maybe went to see a movie at the Wellman Movie Theatre 40 years ago, have that opportunity to come back in and sit in those seats and see what, you know, relive that experience in their youth,” said Ascente.

The theater company is waiting on information from the architects to see what needs done before the theatre can reopen.  Ascente told 21 News MTC has their full season planned through the summer of 2026. 

The Wellman Theater seats between 250 to 300 people.