Mission & History

Mission Statement

"To provide a high-quality and dynamic community program of live theater, education and events for residents of and visitors to the Tri-State Area."

Bell Tower Theater Statement of Purpose

The Purpose of the Bell Tower Theater is:

To present high quality, live theater productions to audiences of all ages for their entertainment, cultural education and inspiration.
To supplement theatrical productions with other quality performing arts experiences resulting in year-round entertainment offerings for people in the Tri-State Area.
To provide affordable opportunities for the development of artistic talents of youth and adults.
To provide an opportunity for youth and adults to express and manifest their talents as performers, musicians, technicians and support staff.
To provide a facility for individuals, businesses, civic organizations and other performing arts groups to utilize for meetings, workshops and events.

The History of the Bell Tower Theater

The Bell Tower Theater opened its doors in 2003 with Oz, a musical based on L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz. But the theater took shape long before that. In November of 1930, the Sisters of the House of the Good Shepherd, who operated Mt. St. Rose School where Fountain Park now sits, completed the building of the L-shaped chapel. The building also included a 300-seat theater in the basement.

Throughout the years, the basement theater fell into neglect and became unusable. The chapel continuously changed ownership, from the Good Shepherd Sisters to the Dominican Fathers, who used it as a seminary, to Wahlert High School, who used it as housing for clergy teachers, and then to Calvary Baptist Church in 1983. Finally, in 2001 the investment group Fountain Park, LLC bought the property and began renovating it into what it is today: Fountain Park Business and Creative Arts Center. The complex also houses a school of music and over forty businesses that range from a dental practice to the Dubuque Arts Council.

Since that first production in 2003, the Bell Tower Theater has presented more shows than any other theater in the area. We are proud to have presented the area premieres of plays like We've Been Friends Forever, It Had to Be You and The Queen of Bingo and musicals like Nunsensations, Beehive and Christmas, My Way. In 2009 we even produced the world premiere production of With Friends Like These, a play by Dubuque playwright Robert Lynn. See the full list of past productions.

In addition to producing five or six plays and musicals each year, the Bell Tower Theater also runs an award-winning Youth Program. Started in 2005 our youth program includes Kids Take the Stage youth theater classes, our free summer musical program and our Family Series. Each year we touch the lives of more than 600 kids. Learn more about our youth programs.

The 2010 season marks 8 for us, and we are looking forward to many, many more.