Otherworld Theatre will officially open its new home on July 14, the former Live Bait and Public House theaters at 3914 N Clark Street. The company says it’s the world’s first venue dedicated to the performance of science fiction and fantasy oriented theater. The property hosts a 120-seat mainstage, 40-seat black box, bar, and lobby. The space will open with a gala event on the 14th at 7pm, where the inaugural season in the space will be announced.

The company also plans to use the new space to create a community hub that celebrates popular geek culture. They plan to host cosplay meetups, watch parties, trivia nights, game nights, and more.

“We are extremely proud to create a space that celebrates science fiction and fantasy performance and provide a community hub for fans of all stripes to explore their passions for these genres and express themselves in a safe and inviting environment. Whether you are mildly interested in science fiction and fantasy or a die-hard fan, we welcome you to Otherworld Theatre to enjoy these stories together,” said Tiffany Keane Schaefer, founding artistic director.

“I am very excited for this chance to have a dedicated theater space for Otherworld Theatre, especially in such a prominent location. Otherworld has been putting out quality entertainment but to have a facility like this will just allow for an even higher level of quality. More important, having this dedicated space for such a unique purpose, as this will be the only theater in the country dedicated to science fiction and fantasy, is sure to not only draw a large local following but act as a tourist attraction for visitors. This will become a space where I will end up spending a lot of my idle time,” said Otherworld board member Rhys Read.

Otherworld Theatre is one of the few theater companies in the world dedicated to sci-fi and fantasy. All mainstage tickets are pay-what-you-can.