The Belmont Theatre facts for kids
| Former names | York Little Theatre (1933–2016; 9–92 yrs ago) |
|---|---|
| Address | 27 S. Belmont Street York, Pennsylvania 17403  United States |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1949 (as Elmwood Theatre) |
| Opened | 1953 |
| Renovated | 2015 |
| Expanded | 1997 |
The Belmont Theatre, which used to be called York Little Theatre, is a fun community theater located in York, Pennsylvania. It started a long time ago, on February 5, 1933. It was part of a big movement to create local theaters where people could put on plays together.
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How The Theatre Started
When it first began, The Belmont Theatre didn't have its own building. It used different places around town for its shows. These included the local Women's Club, the York Collegiate Institute, and the local YWCA.
The very first full play they performed was Lady Windermere's Fan. This show took place at the Phineas Davis School Auditorium on December 14, 1933.
After trying twice to get their own building, the theater finally found a permanent home. This was at the Elmwood Theatre, which used to be a movie theater built in 1949. In July 1953, the theater made a special agreement to buy the building over time. They worked hard and managed to own the building completely by May 1956, which was seven years earlier than planned!
Growing and Changing
Many talented people have helped lead The Belmont Theatre. Bert Smith was the artistic director from 1953 until 1982. Later, Eric Bradley Long took over until 2010. In 2012, Rene Staub became the artistic director, and Lyn Bergdoll became the executive director.
The theater grew bigger in 1997 when a large addition was built. This new part was about 7,000 square feet! More than $1 million was raised to make this happen. A person named Henry Leader, whose brother was a former governor of Pennsylvania, helped lead this effort.
After 2012, the theater faced some money problems, but they worked hard to fix them. They paid off their debts and made important improvements to the building and the stage equipment.
Why The Name Changed
In the middle of 2016, the theater changed its name from York Little Theatre to The Belmont Theatre. Lyn Bergdoll, the executive director, explained why. She said that the term "little theater" used to mean a "community theater." But over time, it started to sound more like "children's theater" or "smaller productions." To make it clear that they are a community theater for everyone, they chose a new name based on the street they are on.
A Famous Fundraiser
One of the theater's most successful ways to raise money has been its yearly food stand at the York Fair. They sell delicious steak sandwiches there! This stand started in 1957 thanks to Betty Gerberick and was run by many dedicated volunteers. Since 2018, a local restaurant called Roosevelt Tavern has helped operate the stand.
Famous People Who Started Here
Some well-known actors who once performed at The Belmont Theatre include Rebecca Wisocky and Sam Freed.
