Kalamazoo Civic Theatre facts for kids

The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre is a fantastic community theater company in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It's a place where people of all ages can enjoy amazing plays and musicals. The Civic is known for its high-quality shows and for getting lots of local talent involved.

Where the Shows Happen

The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre uses three different places for its performances and activities.

Civic Auditorium

The Civic Auditorium opened way back in 1931. You can find it at 329 S. Park Street. This theater has a single balcony and can seat about 500 people. It's a classic place to watch a show!

Parish Theatre

The Parish Theatre opened in 1998. It's located at 426 S. Park Street. This is a special "black box" style theater. It means the space is very flexible and can be set up in many ways. It seats about 175 people.

Carver Center Studio

The Carver Center Studio is on the second floor of the Carver Center Complex, also at 426 S. Park Street. This studio was updated in 2017. It's often used for rehearsals and smaller, more experimental performances.

A Look Back: The Civic's Story

The Kalamazoo Civic Players started in 1929. Their very first shows were at the Lincoln School Auditorium. Some of the people who helped start the theater were Dorothy Dalton, Norman Carver Sr., and Louise Carver.

Important Moments in Time

• 1931 – The Players moved into the Civic Auditorium. W.E. Upjohn gave this building to the city. It was a very modern theater for its time.
• 1933 – Norman Carver Sr., one of the founders, helped create the Michigan Little Theatre Enclave. This group later became the Community Theatre Association of Michigan.
• 1941 – The Civic was asked to perform one of their plays on Broadway in New York City!
• 1945 – The Civic started an intern program. This was the first program of its kind in the whole country! Also, during World War II, the Civic toured shows to help support the war effort.
• 1949 – They staged a play called "Imaginary Invalid" in a new way. The audience sat on the stage, all around the actors!
• 1950 – The Civic put on its 200th show, "The Madwoman of Chaillot."
• 1952 – Norman Carver became the first president of the National Organization of Community Theatres.
• 1953 – The Civic celebrated its 25th birthday!
• 1956 – A new tradition began: opening each season with a musical. This tradition continues today!
• 1958 – An annex was built next to the auditorium. It was named the Norman Carver Center. This building gave the theater more space for costumes, sets, and rehearsals.
• 1960 – The Civic was the first community theater in the U.S. to perform "Raisin in the Sun."
• 1983 – The Civic's production of "Fools" won big awards. It represented the United States at an international theater festival in England!
• 1989 – The Civic presented its 500th production, "Our Town."
• 1994 – "Dancing at Lughnasa" won many state, regional, and national awards.
• 1995 – A big fundraising effort began to renovate the Civic Auditorium. They also planned to build the Suzanne D. Parish Theatre.
• 1997 – "Dancing at Lughnasa" traveled to Monaco to perform at an international festival!
• 1998 – The amazing Suzanne D. Parish Theatre opened. It was a multi-million-dollar, modern performance space.
• 2000 – The Kalamazoo Civic Players and the Kalamazoo Civic Auditorium joined together. They became the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre.
• 2004 – The Civic celebrated its 75th anniversary with a special concert. Many former volunteers who became professional actors came back to perform.
• 2005 – The Carver Center got bigger! It added a new costume shop and more rehearsal rooms. The Civic also hosted AACTFest 2005, a national theater festival.
• 2007 – The Civic was chosen as the first community theater in the country to put on a pilot production of the musical "Avenue Q." It was a huge hit!

What Makes the Civic Special?

Every year, the Civic puts on both musicals and plays. These shows happen on the Main Stage or in the Parish Theatre. The Civic is special because it has both a professional staff and many enthusiastic community volunteers.

The professional staff helps make sure the shows are always high quality. Plus, there are many talented amateur actors in the area. They love to perform on the Civic's stages.

Civic Youth Theatre

The Civic Youth Theatre is a very important group for young people in Kalamazoo County. They put on three shows each year. The Civic also has a strong Youth Education Program. It offers camps all summer long. These camps help young people learn about theater and become future leaders in the arts.

The front of the Civic Auditorium looks a bit like a circus tent. The carvings around the doors even look like tent flaps! The Auditorium was built in 1929. It has beautiful imported limestone and sparkling lead crystal chandeliers. The stage is also very impressive, with lots of space for sets to fly in and out.

The Parish Theatre, finished in 1998, is another cool feature. It's a "black-box" type theater. This means it's super flexible. It even has a trapdoor and can be set up with seating all around the stage!