Gaslight Theatre facts for kids
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Enid Community Theatre
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The Gaslight Theatre
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| Address | 122 N. Independence Enid, Oklahoma |
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| Opened | 1966 |
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| http://www.gaslighttheatre.org | |
The Gaslight Theatre is a special place in Enid, Oklahoma, where people put on plays and shows. It's a group that doesn't aim to make a profit, meaning they focus on sharing art with the community.
This theatre group started in 1966. Back then, it was known as the Enid Community Theatre. Each year, they put on about ten different plays. These include fun musicals, special dinner theatre shows, and even plays by William Shakespeare performed outdoors. Since 1989, the Gaslight Theatre has been located in a historic building called the Billings Theatre. You can find it in the Enid Downtown Historic District.
The Story of Gaslight Theatre
The Enid Community Theatre began its journey in 1966. Their very first performances took place at a former TV studio. This studio was located on East Randolph in Enid. Later, the group moved their shows to a warehouse. This warehouse was on East Maple and was changed to fit their needs.
In 1989, the Gaslight Theatre group found a new home. They fixed up an old building at 221 North Independence in Enid. This building was originally built in 1924. It was designed by the Boller Brothers and was first called the Billings Theatre. In its early days, the Billings Theatre hosted many live shows. These included vaudeville acts, which were popular variety shows.
Over the years, the building became a movie theatre. It had different names, like the Criterion Movie House and the Chief Movie Theatre. Later, it was even a Cinema Twin, showing two movies at once. Today, it's the proud home of the Gaslight Theatre.
What Shows Do They Put On?
The Gaslight Theatre puts on ten different shows every year. Five of these are part of their regular season. They also have a big musical show each summer.
Besides these, they offer other exciting performances:
- Dinner Theatre: You can enjoy a meal while watching a show at the Stride Bank Center.
- Shakespeare in the Park: Classic plays by Shakespeare are performed for free. These outdoor shows happen in Government Springs Park.
- Gaslight Teens: Teenagers in the area put on their own play each year.
- Children's Drama Camp: Every summer, Gaslight hosts a camp for kids. At the end, the campers put on their own production.
In 2017, the Gaslight Theatre also fixed up another smaller theatre space. This space is called a black box theater. It reopened in 2018 with a new name: The Turpin at Gaslight. It was named after Dr. Jerry Turpin. He was a long-time actor, director, and big supporter of the Gaslight Theatre.
The Gaslight Theatre also has a special event each year. It's called the Charlie Awards Ceremony. This event celebrates all the amazing volunteers and talented people who perform on stage. The awards are named after Charles Norman Duff. He was a long-time supporter of the theatre. Many people from the community volunteer their time. They help both on stage and behind the scenes.
