Elevated Storytelling

The mission of  Cadence is to transform and educate our community by developing talent and presenting contemporary theater and film works that uplift the spirit, challenge the mind, and honor both our individuality and shared humanity. Founded in November 2009 by Anna Senechal Johnson, Cadence is a dynamic nonprofit dedicated to artistic excellence and community engagement in Richmond, Virginia. Cadence launched with its inaugural production of Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love at The Firehouse Theatre Project's rented space, swiftly garnering strong local support. Since its inception, Cadence has consistently produced exceptional performances, inspiring and uplifting while promoting critical dialogue within communities. By early 2011, a strategic partnership provided a permanent home at Virginia Rep’s Theatre Gym. Amid global challenges in 2022, Cadence expanded its venues to include the Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse, broadening its impact, and now presents at the Gottwald Playhouse and The Firehouse. Now in its 14th year, Cadence is creating a new, one-of-a-kind synthesis of theatre, film, education, and community action that engages multigenerational audiences in the Richmond region in unique and powerful ways.

The nonprofit's education programs, including KdentsTV’s Student Leadership Program, STAGE WRITE, the TRAIN Pre-Professional Program, Cadence Camps, and ongoing UNSTAGED Classes and Workshops for Adults, enrich diverse audiences of all ages. Cadence continues to elevate its artistic impact with acclaimed live theatrical productions, award-winning films, and groundbreaking programs supporting new works, such as the Pipeline New Works Fellowship Program under the leadership of luminaries like Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire and New York Times best-selling novelist and screenwriter, Clay McLeod Chapman.

Since its inception, Cadence has produced a diverse range of critically acclaimed Mainstage shows, earning Richmond Theatre Critics Circle (RTCC) awards for Best Play in 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2019, and Best Musical in 2015. The company also received the Virginia ArtStars Award in 2018 and was named Best Acting Studio in Richmond by DistinguishedTeaching.com in 2022. Cadence has garnered numerous international and national awards for its film projects and recently received a prestigious Challenge America grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.