page_title: Bellingham, Washington
section_title: Local theater
hierarchical_section_title: Bellingham, Washington / Arts and culture / Local theater
caption_attribution_description: Mount Baker Theatre in Bellingham, Washington
context_page_description: Bellingham is the county seat and most populous city of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. Located 52 miles southeast of Vancouver, British Columbia, 90 miles north of Seattle, and 21 miles south of the U.S.–Canada border, Bellingham is in between two major metropolitan areas, Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia. The city had a population of 80,885 as of the 2010 census and is estimated to have 92,314 in 2019.
  The city of Bellingham was incorporated in 1903 through the consolidation of Whatcom and Fairhaven. Rather than either city usurping the other, they chose the neutral name of the bay whose shore they shared. Bellingham Bay was named by George Vancouver in 1792, for Sir William Bellingham, the Controller of Storekeeper Accounts of the Royal Navy during the Vancouver Expedition.
  Today, Bellingham is the northernmost city with a population of more than 50,000 people in the contiguous United States. The city is a popular tourist destination known for its easy access to outdoor recreation in the San Juan Islands and North Cascades.
context_section_description: Bellingham's theater culture is boosted by the performing arts department at Western Washington University. There are several theaters and productions in Bellingham:
  Bellingham Theatre Guild – This non-profit community theater is nearly 80 years old. Hilary Swank performed here before moving to LA to pursue her career in acting.
  Historic Mount Baker Theatre – This beautifully restored theater built in 1927 features a fine example of Moorish architecture and is the largest performing arts facility north of Seattle. The theater is listed on the register of National Historic Places.
  Upfront Theatre, an improv comedy venue established by Bellingham resident Ryan Stiles of Whose Line Is It Anyway? fame.
  Northwest Ballet, a regional ballet company, performs classical ballets
  iDiOM Theater — Non-profit regional theater, and almost every show is new, locally written work.
  Firehouse Performing Arts Center, a Fairhaven firehouse converted into a dance classroom and theatre
caption: Mount Baker Theatre
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