The couple met in 1987 at Manuel’s Tavern. Part of the theater’s success can be attributed to co-founders Anthony Rodriguez and Ann-Carol Pence’s intentional approach to inclusivity in a community that is rapidly diversifying, a course that has yielded benefits in art, commerce and community-building.Īssociate director Pence and producing artistic director Rodriguez, both 57, have been business, creative and life partners for almost 35 years, working their way up from tin-cup-in-hand days to multi-million-dollar deals.
“We see what the Aurora is doing here as a force multiplier, attracting people into the downtown area.” “The success of the Aurora got a lot of folks thinking about what is the next big step,” says Lawrenceville city manager Chuck Warbington.
The upgrade is a logical move for Aurora, which has had a transformative effect on Lawrenceville’s central square and on the community that surrounds it. Atlanta architectural firm SSOE Stevens & Wilkinson designed the contemporary brick and glass building on the site of a former gas station, credit union and parking lot. The non-profit Aurora, one of the largest professional theater companies in Georgia, is contributing $5 million upfront and will repay some of the city’s investment through a long-term lease. The facility is being built by the City of Lawrenceville.
Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Aurora Theatre co-founders Ann-Carol Pence and Anthony Rodriguez tour the Lawrenceville Performing Arts Center, which is expected to open this summer.