Theatrikos

Flagstaff is fortunate to have a diverse, active art scene–and community theatre is definitely a part of it. Technically, “Theatrikos” is the name of the theatre company and the Doris Harper-White Playhouse is the place itself. However, say “Theatrikos” to anyone in town and they’ll point you toward the large corner building with the ancient stone wall surrounding it.

Like the library, the playhouse sits on historic ground. This was once the site of Charles “C.J.” Babbitt’s Victorian castle, an enormous mansion that was three stories high with a wrap-around porch and a turret or tower up front. The story around town was that C.J. built the stunning home in hopes of enticing his lovely bride Mary to stay in Flagstaff year-round. Apparently it was unsuccessful, as she raised their children in Los Angeles, returning to Arizona only in the summer. The crumbling stone battlement is all that remains of the original mansion.