Anew theater company is hitting the boards in Richmond.

Chase Kniffen, who has served as special projects manager for Barksdale Theatre and Theatre IV, has announced the formation of Stage 1 Theatre Company. The company will make its home in a renovated 99-seat black-box theater space located at 9130 Dickey Drive in Hanover County. The building is currently occupied by Shuffles Dance Center and will continue to serve both organizations when Stage 1 opens this fall.

Kniffen's numerous onstage credits include appearing on Broadway as John Darling in the Tony-nominated production of "Cathy Rigby Is Peter Pan." Additional credits include "James Joyce's The Dead," "Annie Get Your Gun," "Anything Goes," "Olympus on My Mind," and "Mame," at Barksdale, along with "Tuck Everlasting," "The Secret Garden" and "Sing Down the Moon" at Theatre IV.

Directing credits include "Grease," "Disney's High School Musical," "A Christmas Story" and "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" at Theatre IV's Empire Theatre.

Kniffen also served as assistant director to Jack Cummings III for the off-Broadway production of "The Audience," which received Drama Desk nominations for Best New Musical and Best Direction. While in New York, Kniffen spent a year in training at the renowned Circle in the Square Theatre School.

Stage 1 Theatre Company's upcoming season includes: