Mad B Productions started out of a passion for the craft, and the owners could think of no better place to host their new business than Elizabethton.

The owners kid’s theater/cooking instruction combo business said they came to the tri-cities from Georgia.

“We looked into opening in Johnson City,” Anne Gorman said. “We then found this building, and we were very excited.”

Located on 415 Hudson Drive in Elizabethton, the business opened roughly two weeks ago, and Gorman said the community has already accepted them as one of their own.

“Elizabethton has been very welcoming,” she said.

Jonathan Marin said Mad B is not just a business; it is their passion.

“It is personal for us,” Marin said. “We have worked together previously.”

Though cooking and theater may seem to be an odd mix, Marin said the combination is not as unusual as it may seem.

“When you break it down, you are creating something,” he said.

He said there is theater behind everything in life, and cooking is just as much a creative activity as much as it may be following directions.

They said the business’s location in Elizabethton makes it a hub of commerce across the region, bringing in customers from Johnson City, Bristol, Kingsport and even North Carolina.

“I had a class Friday night, and only one couple was from Elizabethton,” Gorman said.

The first two weeks of business have been busy for Mad B, with many of their classes already selling out.

Many of these classes carry certain themes, such as “Bro Night” for football lovers or a “Date Night” for couples to spend Valentine’s Day with.

Marin said learning to make something yourself, whether it is in the kitchen or on the stage, creates a connection with the activity not found by simply attending a play or buying the food from the store, what he called “sweat equity.”

“You can say ‘I got to learn to make this,’” he said. “The complication is in the finesse, in taking your time.”

He said they hold cooking classes for a wide variety of foods, from cakes to the intricacies of French cuisine.

For those interested in signing up for a theater or cooking class, more information is on their website at https://madbinc.com/ or by calling 423-218-9349.

“We like a personal touch to everything,” Marin said. “Give us a call.”