The Broach Theatre, located at 520 South Elm St., was founded in 1987 in the building that served originally as the home of The Salvation Army from 1927 to 1975. 

The building sat empty for ten years before it was purchased by Allen Broach.  The offices upstairs became Broach Marketing & Communications.  In the fall of 1987 Corson Productions, a for-profit theatre company leased the auditorium on the ground level of the building and began renovating the space from a sanctuary to a theatre.  For the next 11 years the theatre was under the management of Corson Productions and underwent several refurbishments.

With financial assistance from the Greensboro Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, in the summer of 1998 the theatre had a major face-lift that included replacing the stage floor, seating, and house lighting.

During the time that the Broach has been in existence, it has developed an Adult Mainstage Season of seven plays and a Children’s Theatre Season of nine plays.  The Mainstage focuses on new and contemporary works with revivals of modern classics.  The Children’s Season focuses on adapting classic children’s stories and developing new plays for a preschool and early elementary audience.

By the fall of 1998 plans were set in motion to develop a new management and producing company.  The not-for-profit Broach Theatre Company took control of the theatre in January 1999.  With the creation of this new company the theatre not only serves as home to its own resident production company, but as host to the Greensboro residence of The Touring Theatre Ensemble of North Carolina, The Collective Theatre Company of Winston-Salem, the improvisation troupe Comedy Salad, and other artists who desire a space to create and communicate. 

The Broach also serves as a catalyst for downtown redevelopment, attracting other entrepreneurs to the historic district. Since opening its doors, four restaurants have opened within walking distance of the Broach: The Undercurrent,  223 South Elm, Liberty Oak, and Natty Greene's. Several nightclubs have also opened in historic downtown Greensboro. The Next Door Tavern, Hemingway's, the N Club, and Artistika Concert Café have created a vibrant nightlife. With South Elm Place, Artmonger's and Two Art Chicks, the theatre has been instrumental in developing Elm Street into a cultural hub of the city.

In September of 2000, The Broach Theatre was honored with The Berrilla Kerr Award for Outstanding Contribution to Contemporary American Theatre.  The Awards Ceremony was held September 11, 2000, at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York.

In the summer of 2003, the theatre received grants and contributions to enable it to redesign the auditorium with new flooring and new seats.  Plans are underway for renovating the dressing rooms and back stage area.  With the ongoing support of the people of Greensboro and beyond, The Broach Theatre is now poised to build upon it history and move forward maintaining its mission of bringing high quality theatre to downtown Greensboro.