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Regional Theatre of the Palouse facts for kids

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Regional Theatre of the Palouse
Formation 2007 (2007)
Type Theatre group
Location
Artistic director(s)
 John Rich

The Regional Theatre of the Palouse (RTOP) is a non-profit theater company. It is based in Pullman, Washington. John Rich, an award-winning Artistic Director, started RTOP in 2007.

RTOP's goal is to "make a positive difference in the Palouse region." They do this by offering a way for people to express themselves through theater. RTOP puts on plays, musicals, and holds theater workshops. Most shows happen at the RTOP Theatre. Some past performances have also been at Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum and other places in the Palouse area.

History of RTOP

The Regional Theatre of the Palouse organizes its shows into "seasons." Many of their shows have sold out!

Early Years and Growth (2015-2017)

In 2015, RTOP presented popular shows like "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Mary Poppins." They also put on "The Wizard of Oz" and "Sweeney Todd." All these shows were very popular.

In 2016, RTOP started new programs. They created a Summer Teen Workshop. Soon after, they opened workshops for both teens and seniors. They even offered free tickets for seniors in the community. This helped more young people and older adults get involved in theater. Many shows continued to sell out and received standing ovations.

The year 2017 brought many changes. RTOP added new programs and more sold-out shows. They also started internship programs for costumes and marketing. Senior professionals began guiding the summer teen workshops. By the middle of the year, half of their performances included senior audience members.

Expanding Programs and Productions (2018-2019)

The year 2018 was a time of growth for RTOP. They ended their season with the classic musical "Fiddler on the Roof." Summer camp workshops and educational programs continued to grow. RTOP also expanded its internship program. They offered internships in costume design, marketing, and event planning. They put on shows like "The 39 Steps" and Disney's "Newsies."

In 2019, RTOP opened with "Cabaret" and the popular musical "Mamma Mia!" This was another year of great shows and growth. The theater camps were very popular and reached their full capacity.

Adapting to Challenges (2020)

The year 2020 started with high hopes for RTOP. They opened their season with the musical "She Loves Me." This show featured both professional and local talent. However, their next big show, "Thoroughly Modern Millie," had to stop because of COVID-19.

RTOP had to find new ways to keep going. With help from donations and grants, they kept their stage lights on. They continued their mission to promote arts and art education. They used technology to present their summer camps and performance workshops online through recorded videos.

RTOP Productions

RTOP has put on many different plays and musicals over the years. They perform at two main locations.

Shows at Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum

Shows at RTOP Theatre

Past Seasons' Highlights

RTOP has presented many shows each season. Here are some examples from different years:

RTOP Production Stages

RTOP uses two main places to put on its shows.

Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum

The Beasley Coliseum opened in 1973. It is in Pullman, Washington, on the Washington State University campus. This large building can hold up to 12,500 people. However, for RTOP shows, the seating is set up for about 2,500 people.

RTOP Theatre

The RTOP Theatre is in the historic downtown area of Pullman. It used to be a brick storefront building from the 1920s. In 2007, it was renovated and turned into a theater. It is a smaller, more intimate venue with 75 seats.

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