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Playhouse
History
The
Des Moines Playhouse was founded in 1919 by members of
the Iowa Press and Authors Club. Although the Little Theatre
Movement was causing similar enterprises to spring up
across the country, The Playhouse is unique in that it
has operated continuously, under various names and in
various homes, since its founding. With more than 85 years
of uninterrupted service, The Playhouse is among the six
oldest continuously-operating community theatres in the
U.S. It is also the second largest community theatre in
the U.S. Click here for our production history.
The
Playhouse's mission is to partner with volunteers to create
and deliver extraordinary theatre and education programs
for communities in central Iowa through high-quality entertainment
with special emphasis on issues of social significance;
programs which allow for the development of individual
self-expression and self-esteem; and programs which identify
and encourage individuals to pursue professional theatre
development. Some tidbits from The Playhouse history:
- The
first paid director of The Little Theatre (The Playhouse's
original name) was a woman: Josephine Hunter Ray. And
the first full-time director was also a woman: Pearl
Bennet Broxam in 1927.
- The
theatre's first permanent building was a remodeled Congregational
church on 35th Street near Grand Avenue. The Belle Kendall
Playhouse (The Little Theatre's new name) was made possible
by a gift from former Gov. Nathan Kendall in memory
of his wife.
- During
the depths of the Depression, The Kendall's membership
dropped from 1,200 to 300. Volunteers worked in a cold
box office -- the building was heated only during performances
-- and they had to wear coats and boots, and carry thermoses
of coffee to keep warm.
- The
years during World War II brought challenges such as
oil shortages, a major fire and a scarcity of male actors
and backstage volunteers. Nonetheless, season memberships
rose to 3,000.
- A
new era for The Des Moines Community Playhouse (a name
change) began in 1953 with a move to the Roosevelt Theatre on 42nd Street. Membership
reached an all-time high of 6,000 in 1956 and two new
staff positions were added; technical director and children's
theatre director.
- The
Playhouse achieved international recognition in the
1980s and 1990s with its cultural exchange production,
Peace Child, and its host status for the first-ever
International Community Theatre Festival.
The
Playhouse remains one of the largest subscription performing
arts organization in Iowa with 4,500 members. More than
55,000 people attend an average of 12 productions each
season, produced by a professional staff of 10 plus more
than 1,000 volunteers. The Playhouse Education Department
serves more than 14,000 people annually and consists of
a year-round program of classes and camps. In addition,
Playhouse programming includes a professional wing, The
Iowa Touring Theatre Company.
Many
of The Playhouse's students and volunteers have successfully
pursued careers in theatre, film and television. While
few may be household names, Playhouse alum include Academy
and Emmy Award winning actress Cloris Leachman (The
Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Last Picture Show,
Young Frankenstein), actress Phyllis Love (The
Rose Tattoo, Bus Stop), actress and singer
Claiborne Cary (Silk Stockings, New Girl in
Town ), director Eddie Rissien (Broadway and Hollywood),
actor Michael Cornelison (feature films and television
series including Dallas and Remington Steele),
actor Chadley Kelderman (regional theatre and film), actor
Gerry Neugent (regional theatre), actor Philip Lehl (Blood
Brothers, The Kentucky Cycle), and playwright,
author and director Peter Hedges (What's Eating Gilbert
Grape, About a Boy, Pieces of April).
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