Hillsboro Artists' Regional Theatre facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | HART |
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| Formation | 1994 |
| Type | Non-profit community theatre |
| Purpose | Theatrical productions |
| Location |
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President of the Board
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Aurea Taylor |
| Marlys Carter, Paul Johnson, Kelcey Weaver, William Crawford, Cindy Wilkins, Doug Sellers | |
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Key people
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Past President Doug Sellers |
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Main organ
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Board of Directors |
| Website | www.hart-theatre.org |
The Hillsboro Artists' Regional Theatre, often called HART, is a fun community theater group in Hillsboro, Oregon. It started in 1994 and puts on about six plays every year. Their theater has 99 seats and is right in downtown Hillsboro, near the Hillsboro Civic Center.
Contents
How HART Began
HART began in 1994. It was started by John and Kim Sandstrom. They already had a dinner-theater company called SandStorm Productions. The Sandstroms opened the theater in an old J. C. Penney store in downtown Hillsboro. They used their own money, special grants, and help from volunteers. Kim Sandstrom also started an acting school called Hillsboro Actors Training.
HART's very first play was a comedy called Light Up the Sky. It was written by Moss Hart. This first show opened in September 1994.
Early Years of the Theater
By 1996, the theater had put on 11 plays. Some of the early shows included Romeo and Juliet, Barefoot in the Park, and Show Boat. In 1996, the Sandstroms decided to sell the theater. They sold it to a non-profit group called Friends of HART. This allowed them to focus on their family. Kim Sandstrom stayed on as the artistic director for another year.
Later, in 2003, Kim Sandstrom returned to act in Shirley Valentine. This was a special play for one person. The actor Bret Harrison got his first acting role at HART. He was in a play called Our Town.
Finding a New Home
By 2004, Michael Hibbard became the artistic director at HART. The theater had to move out of its first home. The rent had doubled, and they needed a new place. The group also changed its name to Hillsboro Artists' Regional Theatre. For a while, plays were held in different places. One of these was the Glenn & Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center.
In 2005, HART started talking with the city of Hillsboro. They wanted to lease a building next to the new Hillsboro Civic Center. HART needed to raise a lot of money to fix up the building. It used to be a restaurant and an office. The city gave them more time to raise the money. In December 2005, the theater received a $60,000 grant from the state of Oregon.
Many groups helped HART raise money. These included the Spirit Mountain Foundation and the Collins Foundation. The Meyer Memorial Trust gave the biggest donation of $100,000. By December 2006, HART had enough money. They signed a ten-year lease on the city-owned building. The new theater opened in April 2007. The first play there was Don't Dress for Dinner. In 2009, the theater added a new sign, called a marquee, to the building.
Recent Productions
HART continues to put on many different plays. Some recent shows have included Quilters in 2010 and Woman In Black in 2011. They also performed Rumors and Gracie for President in 2012. HART tries to bring both new and well-known plays to the community. They support local writers, directors, and actors.
About HART Productions
Hillsboro Artists' Regional Theatre puts on six to ten shows each year. It is a community theater, which means the actors are not paid. Many actors also help with other jobs. They might make costumes, clean, or work behind the scenes.
Shows are usually on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The Sunday shows are matinées, which means they are in the afternoon. The theater building is owned by Hillsboro. It is about 3,825 square feet. It can seat 99 people. The building also has a snack stand, a lobby, a ticket office, dressing rooms, and restrooms. The stage is about 800 square feet.
See also
- Bag & Baggage Productions
Images for kids
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HART Theatre entrance at night
