Our Mission

The Gamm presents plays of substance and distinction, acted with excellence and offered to the public in an intimate setting that allows the audience to be immersed fully in the ambiance of the production and the interchange between the actors themselves, and between the actors and the audience.

Our History

The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre (The Gamm) was founded in 1984 as Alias Stage by seven members of the graduating class of Trinity Rep Conservatory. An artistic collective based in an abandoned mill building in the Olneyville neighborhood, it allowed these young actors to continue working in Providence, expressing a shared sense of professional and artistic aspiration. About five years after Alias opened, a fire forced the actors out of their original space. But public and private support quickly got them into a second mill location. The theater enjoyed a strong and positive reputation for the quality of its acting in challenging and sometimes controversial plays.

In 1993, Alias Stage moved to the Jewelry District in downtown Providence. This was a time of major change, in that most of the original founders had gone on to other things and many members of the relatively new board of directors had dropped away in the process of the move. That year, the group staged only one production. Gradually the theater moved from the tradition of a collective to a more formally structured organization with an active and supportive board. Although this was not an easy process, the theater’s reputation continued at a high level.

In 1998, the theater accepted a naming gift from the Feinstein Family Trust. The name was changed to The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre in honor of the late actress and arts supporter. Around the same time, it became clear that the increasingly popular theater was outgrowing its 75-seat house. After a fruitless search for a larger space in Providence, the theater proposed to the City of Pawtucket that the abandoned Pawtucket National Guard Armory be renovated and used as a center for the arts, with The Gamm as lead tenant. The city accepted the proposal and the non-profit Pawtucket Armory Association (PAA) was formed to oversee the rehabilitation and management of the historic building. Construction on an annex of the Pawtucket Armory (The Gamm’s home while the main building is being developed) began in July 2003. It was completed in November 2003 — just in time for the holiday staging of Dylan Thomas' A Child’s Christmas in Wales.

A new administrative team including Artistic Director Tony Estrella, Executive Director Yvonne Seggerman, and a revitalized board led by current President Coline Covington has transformed and invigorated the organization, positioning it for a promising future. Now celebrating its 26th Season (2010-2011), The Gamm has a strong and supportive base of more than 1,800 subscribers and is a proud member of New England Area Theatre, a bargaining unit of the Actors Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.