American Heartland Theatre closes in August

• Crown Center
• After 26 years, the curtain comes down forever on the American Heartland Theatre.

Crown Center’s American Heartland Theatre, which opened April 1, 1987 – and just celebrated its 26th anniversary on Monday – plans to shut off the stagelights for good in August, according to a statement released Thursday afternoon.

For now, the shows go on. The theater, founded by Jim Assad, will finish its 26th season – everything that’s booked and planned – and will close August 25 after the last performance of The Bikinis – A New Musical Beach Party. Its current production, Life Could Be a Dream, continues through April 21.

According to the theater publicist, Morgan Perry, an announcement was made to the staff today by Rick Brown, Crown Center’s manager of marketing programs; Lilli Zarda, American Heartland’s executive producer; and Crown Center.