 By the summer of 1973 enough money had been pledged to convince the board to give architect Wells Awsumb and contractor Tom Thayer the go-ahead, and a groundbreaking was held on Sunday June 3, 1973.In 1974, the Board chose Theatre Memphis as its new name; and on May 1,1975, the theatre opened a production of My Fair Lady in its new and present location, a 435-seat venue at 630 Perkins Extended.Eugart Yerian, a graduate of Pasadena Playhouse in California, arrived in 1932 as theatre director and served in that position until 1961.