Geva Theatre Center was established in 1972 by William Selden and Cynthia Mason Selden. The theatre was originally housed in the Rochester Business Institute building at 168 South Clinton Ave. (now the site of Frontier Corp.), and the first performances were a lunch time series of plays offered in November 1973.

In 1982, Geva bought and renovated the Naval Armory (built 1868) at the corner of Clinton Avenue and Woodbury Boulevard. Improvements to the building sparked the revitalization of the Clinton Avenue neighborhood and what has since become known as “Corporate Alley.” In the winter of 2000, Geva Theatre Center opened its second stage, the Nextstage, in order to produce smaller-scale, more intimate productions, produce theatre for young audiences and develop new plays.

In its 35-year history, Geva has grown to become New York State’s most attended theatre outside of Manhattan. With a full-time staff of fifty-one, as well as over 300 part-time staff and guest artists, Geva now operates on a budget of roughly $6 million annually. Since 1997 Geva Theatre Center has produced 15 world premiere productions, and the education programs that support and enhance the productions on stage have been nationally recognized.

What is a "Geva"?

The word "Geva" (pronounced "JEE-vuh") was first coined in 1972 by our founder, Cynthia Selden, by taking the first two letters of "Genesee" and of "Valley" - the area in which Rochester is located. In fact, our name was spelled "GeVa" until 1997 when artistic director Mark Cuddy downsized the big "V." Now, we’re just like other famous Rochester brands, Kodak and Xerox, who have made-up names, too. They seem to have done all right with theirs, like Geva Theatre Center.

About Our Building

In 1868 Andrew J. Warner constructed a Navel Armory and Convention Hall, with the purpose of protecting Rochester and the Erie Canal from attacks by Great Britain. Shortly after its opening, Rochester’s 54th regiment took up headquarters at the armory and began training. The Naval Armory saw little military activity, and faced complaints that the building was only being used for entertaining shows.

In 1908 after many years of disuse the building reopened as Rochester’s Convention Hall. Quickly the Convention Center became the center for cultural and political activity. William Jennings Bryan, Governor Charles Evans Hughes and William Howard Taft all presented their platforms at the Convention Hall. The United Garment Workers used the Convention Hall for a forum in 1912, to debate unionizing for higher pay and an 8-hour work day. In 1918 the hall was turned into an emergency hospital site when Rochester faced an epidemic of Influenza. Between 1908 and 1928 the Convention Hall also hosted a broad variety of local and international musicians’ performances.

In 1949 the Navel Reserves leased the building. However, it was closed for nearly two decades because of internal disrepair. Geva’s Board of Directors approached the State Division for Historic Preservation in 1982 with the request to purchase the Convention Hall. After being approved, Geva Theatre Center began the renovation project at Woodbury and Clinton, and turned the building into the beautiful theatre we know today.

Want to learn more about our building and its fascinating past? The Geva Café displays a visual history and timeline of the Armory’s uses.