Olney Theatre Center facts for kids
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Interior
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| Founded | 1938 |
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| Legal status | 501(c)(3) nonprofit theater |
| Purpose | 20th-century American classics and experimental plays |
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| Services | Promotion and production of theatrical works, through the presentation of original, classical, and experimental plays in public and private theatres and auditoriums. |
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Artistic Director
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Jason Loewith |
| Deborah Ellinghaus | |
| Linda E. Rosenzweig | |
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Revenue (2017)
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$7,541,789 |
| Expenses (2017) | $6,125,750 |
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Employees (2016)
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229 |
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Volunteers (2016)
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330 |
The Olney Theatre Center is a special place for plays and musicals in Olney, Maryland. It's one of only two official state theaters in Maryland! The theater sits on about 14 acres of land. This land is in the middle of a "triangle" formed by the cities of Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Frederick.
The Olney Theatre Center has three indoor stages. These are the Historic Theatre, the Roberts Mainstage, and the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab. There's also an outdoor stage called the Root Family Stage at Omi's Pavilion. The Roberts Mainstage can hold 429 people. A smaller theater lab was added in 1999.
The Olney Theatre Center has won many awards! Since 1985, it has won 28 Helen Hayes Awards and received 208 nominations. These awards celebrate excellent theater in the Washington, D.C. area. Olney Theatre is also one of only two theaters in the whole country that works under a special contract for stock theaters.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Olney Theatre
How It All Started
The Olney Theatre began in 1938. It was first a summer theater and restaurant. Stephen E. Cochran, Harold C. Smith, and Leonard B. McLaughlin started it. The theater was built on land that used to be a roller skating rink. This area was very rural back then. The theater is on land that was once home to the Piscataway Conoy Tribe.
Stephen Cochran was the first manager. Famous actress Ethel Barrymore was the first associate director. A drama school, started by Cochran in 1932, moved to Olney Theatre. It began its first summer classes there in June 1938.
Early Performances and Growth
The first play at Olney Theatre was The Lady Has a Heart. It opened on July 25, 1938, and was completely sold out! The play was about a butler who became a politician in Hungary. The theater had a rustic feel. It even had an oak tree growing in its open-air lobby! Olney Theatre advertised itself as the first professional summer theater in the South.
In 1940, C. Y. Stephens, who owned High's Dairy Stores, bought the property. He made changes to make it even better for theater.
Famous Stars and Touring Shows
By 1946, the theater was managed by Glenn Taylor, Redge Allen, and Evelyn Freyman. Many famous stars performed there in the summer. These included Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Tallulah Bankhead, and Helen Hayes. It was a popular summer stock theater, putting on five shows each season.
In 1949, a touring company called Players, Inc. was created. It was started by Father Gilbert V. Hartke. This group, later known as the National Players, traveled across the U.S. and even overseas. They brought live theater and educational programs to students and audiences.
New Management and Success
In 1952, C.Y. Stephens asked Father Hartke to take over the theater. Father Hartke agreed to manage it under his nonprofit company. Stephens did not charge rent and even helped cover losses.
After some tough years, Father Hartke asked William H. Graham, Sr. to be the general manager in 1955. With great directors like Robert Moore, the theater started making a profit by 1956.
In 1960, Stephens decided to give the theater to Father Hartke. Father Hartke became the president of the theater's company and held that role for 33 years.
Becoming a State Theater and Expanding
In July 1978, the Governor Blair Lee officially named Olney Theatre the State Summer Theater of Maryland.
Father Hartke passed away in 1986. The next year, the Maryland State Arts Council called Olney a "major arts organization." At that time, it was the only arts group outside of Baltimore with this special status. The theater was putting on five shows each season, from May to September.
In 1991, Olney Theatre started a fundraising effort. They wanted to make improvements and operate all year round, which was Father Hartke's dream.
By 1993, Olney Theatre added two more shows to its season. It started productions in April and ended in late October. They also added special shops for building sets and costumes. Before this, sets were built outside, and costumes were made on a porch!
In 1994, Jim Petosa became the artistic director. The theater was renamed Olney Theatre Center. Petosa focused on classic American plays, musicals, and new works.
Year-Round Performances and New Buildings
From 1998 to 1999, the National Players celebrated 50 years of touring. They had reached 2.4 million people and traveled over 1.7 million miles! Olney Theatre Center then began performing all year, with seven mainstage shows each season.
The Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab was built in 1999. This was the first step in a big plan for the campus. In 2000, the theater started a fundraising campaign for a $10.5 million expansion. In 2004, Olney Theatre Center gained 5 more acres of land.
In 2005, the new outdoor amphitheater, the Root Family Stage, opened. It became the permanent home for the Summer Shakespeare Festival. The new Mainstage theater also opened, with 429 seats and modern technology. Olney Theatre Center expanded its mainstage season to eight plays. It also started a "New Play Initiative" with a new play called In the Mood in 2006.
In 2007, Olney Theatre Center added a family entertainment series. It also created the Olney Theatre Institute to boost its education programs.
After 19 years, Jim Petosa left in 2012. Jason Loewith became the new artistic director in 2013.
Amazing Shows at Olney Theatre
Olney Theatre has put on many fantastic shows over the years. Some of these plays and musicals have become very famous!
Da (1973)
This play by Irish writer Hugh Leonard first showed at Olney Theatre Center in 1973. It was a big success! Later, it went to Broadway and won four Tony Awards in 1978, including Best Play.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1979)
This popular musical was first performed at Olney. A producer named Susan Rose saw it there. She helped bring the show to Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Its success led to a Broadway production, which was nominated for seven Tony Awards in 1982, including Best Musical.
Ian McKellen's Playing Shakespeare (1987)
This was a special one-person show by the famous English actor Ian McKellen. The Washington Post newspaper praised his performance. McKellen later helped raise money to fix up the theater's dressing rooms.
Illegal Motion (1992)
John Riggins, a well-known former American football player, starred in this play. He surprised many people with his acting skills! This play was new and first shown at Olney Theatre Center. It ran for four weeks.
I and You (2014)
Written by Lauren Gunderson, this play had its first performances at Olney. It later played in London in 2018, starring Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams. The play was nominated for an award at the 2015 Helen Hayes Awards.
The Humans (2020)
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Olney Theatre had to move its shows online. One of these was The Humans by Stephen Karam. A critic from the New York Times called the online video version "a blistering virtual production."
Beauty and the Beast (2021)
After the pandemic, Olney Theatre Center started live shows again. Disney's Beauty and the Beast became a holiday show. This production was special because it cast actress Jade Jones, who is queer and plus-size, as Belle. The actor playing the Beast, Evan Ruggiero, had lost a leg to cancer. This show was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award.
A.D. 16 (2022)
After the success of Beauty and the Beast, Olney Theatre Center put on a brand new musical called A.D. 16. The story was written by Bekah Brunstetter, a writer for the TV show This Is Us. The music and songs were by Cinco Paul, known for his work on the Despicable Me movies. The play was well-received and won two Helen Hayes Awards.
The Music Man (2022)
The Olney Theatre's production of The Music Man was unique. It was performed in English with ASL and English subtitles. This made the show enjoyable for both hearing and deaf audiences. The show received great reviews and was nominated for nine Helen Hayes Awards, winning three, including an award for its amazing cast.
Awards and Recognition
The Olney Theatre Center has a long history of being recognized for its excellent productions. Since the Helen Hayes Awards began in 1985, the theater has received many nominations and wins for its actors, directors, designers, and overall shows. These awards highlight the high quality of theater that Olney brings to its audiences.
See also
- Helen Hayes Award
