▁Theatre . ▁A ▁search ▁began ▁for ▁a ▁space ▁where ▁a ▁professional ▁theatre ▁could ▁produce ▁and ▁perform ▁a ▁season ▁from ▁October ▁to ▁May . ▁After ▁looking ▁at ▁ 4 9 ▁spaces , ▁they ▁chose ▁the ▁Well s ▁Theatre . ▁ ▁A ▁public - private ▁partners hip ▁at ▁the ▁Well s ▁Theater ▁began . ▁The ▁V SC ▁Board ▁obtained ▁an ▁option ▁to ▁purchase ▁the ▁remaining ▁years ▁on ▁the ▁le ase . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁with ▁$ 3 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁from ▁the ▁Nor folk ▁R ede velop ment ▁and ▁H ous ing ▁Author ity ▁and ▁$ 1 8 0 , 0 0 0 ▁contributed ▁and ▁raised ▁by ▁the ▁found ing ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees , ▁the ▁le ase ▁was ▁purchased , ▁and ▁V SC ▁took ▁possession ▁of ▁the ▁Well s . ▁Less ▁than ▁four ▁months ▁later , ▁after ▁a ▁pro dig ious ▁initial ▁renov ation , ▁Virginia ▁Stage ▁Company ▁opened ▁their ▁premi ere ▁season ▁on ▁February ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁V SC ▁has ▁named ▁Tom ▁Qu aint ance ▁its ▁new ▁producing ▁art istic ▁director , ▁moving ▁the ▁theatre ▁to ▁a ▁single ▁leader ▁model ▁with ▁Qu aint ance ▁over see ing ▁both ▁financial ▁and ▁art istic ▁operations . ▁He ▁succeeded ▁former ▁V SC ▁leaders ▁art istic ▁director ▁Chris ▁H anna ▁and ▁man aging ▁director ▁Keith ▁St ava . ▁Pre viously , ▁Qu aint ance ▁served ▁as ▁art istic ▁director ▁of ▁Cape ▁F ear ▁Regional