Olney Theatre Center facts for kids
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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 |
| Location |
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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 in Olney, Maryland. It puts on many different professional plays and shows all year long. These shows help artists, audiences, and students learn and grow.
Olney Theatre Center is one of Maryland's two official state theaters. It sits on 14 acres of land. This land is in the middle of the area between Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Frederick. The theater has three indoor stages: the Historic Theatre, the Roberts Mainstage, and the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab. There is also an outdoor stage called the Root Family Stage at Omi’s Pavilion.
The Roberts Mainstage can seat 429 people. A smaller theater lab was added in 1999. Since 1985, Olney Theatre Center has won 28 Helen Hayes Awards. These awards celebrate excellence in Washington, D.C. theater. The center has also received 208 nominations. It is one of only two theaters in the U.S. that operates under a special contract for stock theaters.
The Story of Olney Theatre
How It All Began
Olney Theatre started in 1938. It was first a summer theater and restaurant. Stephen E. Cochran, Harold C. Smith, and Leonard B. McLaughlin founded it. The theater was built on an old estate called Woodlawn Lodge. This area was very rural back then. The land where Olney Theatre stands is the traditional home of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe.
Stephen Cochran was the first manager. Famous actress Ethel Barrymore was the first associate director. A drama school called the National Academy of Stage Training moved to Olney Theatre. It started its first summer classes there in June 1938.
The very first play at Olney Theatre was The Lady Has a Heart. It opened on July 25, 1938. The show was completely sold out. The theater had a rustic, country feel. Peach baskets were used as chandeliers. The lobby was open-air with a large oak tree growing in it. Olney Theatre called itself the first professional summer theater in the South.
In 1940, C. Y. Stephens bought the property. He owned High's Dairy Stores. He made changes to the building to make it even better for theater.
Growing Years and New Management
By 1946, Glenn Taylor, Redge Allen, and Evelyn Freyman managed Olney Theater. They put on summer shows with famous stars. These included Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Tallulah Bankhead, and Helen Hayes. Olney was one of many "summer stock" theaters across the country. These theaters put on five different shows each summer.
In 1949, a touring group called Players, Inc. was created. It was started by Father Gilbert V. Hartke. This group later became known as the National Players. They brought live theater and educational programs to students and audiences. They traveled all over the United States and even overseas.
In 1952, C.Y. Stephens asked Father Hartke to take over the theater. Father Hartke agreed to manage the property. His nonprofit touring company would run the theater. Stephens agreed not to charge rent. He also promised to cover losses up to $10,000. Father Hartke then moved Players, Inc. to Olney. This helped establish a summer theater there.
The theater lost money in 1953 and 1954. Stephens covered these losses. So, in 1955, they decided to produce only five plays. Even with good reviews, Olney still lost money that year. Because of this, Father Hartke asked William H. Graham, Sr. to be the general manager. His work, along with talented directors, brought in big audiences. The theater made a profit of almost $7,000 in 1956.
A Gift and State Recognition
In 1960, C.Y. Stephens decided to give the theater to Father Hartke. Stephens slowly transferred all the property ownership to Players. Father Hartke became the company's president. He held this important job for 33 years.
In July 1978, 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 per season, mostly from May to September.
Expanding and Growing
In 1991, Olney Theatre started a fundraising campaign. They wanted to match a $625,000 state grant. This money was for much-needed improvements. It would also help the theater operate all year, which was Father Hartke's dream.
In 1993, Olney Theatre added two more shows to its season. They started productions in April and finished in late October. A scene shop and a costume shop were added to the main building. Before this, sets were built outside. Costumes were made on a porch!
Jim Petosa became the artistic director in 1994. The theater was renamed Olney Theatre Center. Petosa focused on classic American plays, musicals, and new works.
From 1998 to 1999, Olney Theatre Center celebrated a big milestone. Their touring company, National Players, had toured for 50 years! During that time, they reached 2.4 million people. They traveled 1.76 million miles. This included ten tours outside the U.S. and five visits to the White House. Olney Theatre Center also began year-round performances with seven mainstage shows.
The Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab was built in 1999. This was the first step in a new plan for the campus. A year later, Olney Theatre Center began a campaign to raise $10.5 million for expansion. In 2003, The Kresge Foundation gave the theater a $1 million grant. The next year, Olney Theatre Center bought 5 more acres of land for its campus.
In 2005, a new outdoor amphitheater opened. It was called the Root Family Stage at Will's Place. This gave a permanent home to the Summer Shakespeare Festival. Olney Theatre Center also opened its new Mainstage theater. This theater has 429 seats and modern technology. The mainstage season grew to eight plays. They also started a New Play Initiative. The first play was In the Mood in 2006. Olney Theatre Center also held its first big Gala Celebration in over twenty years.
In 2007, Olney Theatre added a family entertainment series. They also created the Olney Theatre Institute. This helped strengthen their education programs.
After 19 years, Jim Petosa left as artistic director in 2012. Martin Platt was hired but resigned after six months. Jason Loewith became the new artistic director in 2013.
Amazing Shows at Olney Theatre
Since 1938, Olney Theatre has put on many great shows. Some of these plays and musicals became very famous later on.
Da (1973)
This play was about memories. It was written by Irish playwright Hugh Leonard. Da first opened at the Olney Theatre Center in 1973. It was directed by Jim Waring. Later, the show moved to Broadway. It won four Tony Awards, including Best Play in 1978.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1979)
Jim Waring first produced this musical for the Catholic University of America. Producer Susan Rose saw the show at Olney. She helped raise money to put it on again at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. The show was a big hit! Its success led to a Broadway production. It received seven Tony Award nominations in 1982, including Best Musical.
Ian McKellen's Playing Shakespeare (1987)
This was a one-person show by the famous English actor Ian McKellen. The Washington Post newspaper praised this play. McKellen later helped raise money to fix up the dressing rooms of the original 1938 theater.
Illegal Motion (1992)
John Riggins, a well-known former American football player, starred in this play. He surprised fans with his acting skills! The play was written by Bernie DeLeo. It first opened at Olney Theater Center and ran for four weeks.
I and You (2014)
This play was written by Lauren Gunderson. It had its first major production at Olney. Later, it was performed in London's West End in 2018. Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams was in that production. The play was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award in 2015.
The Humans (2020)
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Olney Theater had to stop its in-person shows. They moved to online performances. One of these was The Humans by Stephen Karam. A critic from the New York Times called the online video a "blistering virtual production."
Beauty and the Beast (2021)
After the Covid-19 pandemic, Olney Theatre Center started in-person shows again. Disney's Beauty and the Beast became a holiday show. The director was Marsha Milgrom Dodge. This production was special because of its casting. Actress Jade Jones, who is queer and plus-size, played Belle. The actor playing the Beast, Evan Ruggiero, had lost a leg to cancer. Tracy Lynn Olivera was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for her role.
A.D. 16 (2022)
After the success of Beauty and the Beast, Olney Theatre Center put on the world premiere of a new musical called A.D. 16. The story was by Bekah Brunstetter, a writer for This Is Us. The music and lyrics were by Cinco Paul, known for his work on the Despicable Me movies. The play received good reviews from the Washington Post. It won an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award and a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography.
The Music Man (2022)
The Olney Theatre's production of The Music Man was famous for being unique. It was performed in English with ASL and English subtitles. This was an important part of the show for everyone, including hearing audiences. The show got great reviews from many theater critics. The Music Man was nominated for nine Helen Hayes Awards and won three. This included an award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical.
See also
- Helen Hayes Award
