The Little Theatre on the Square facts for kids

The Little Theatre on the Square is a special theater in Sullivan, Illinois. You can find it right in the town square on Harrison Street. It's known for being a professional theater that brings amazing shows to the area.

How the Theater Began

The building where the theater is now first opened in 1924. Back then, it was a movie theater called "The Grand Theatre." It showed movies most of the year. But during the summer, it was often empty.

In 1957, a man named Guy S. Little, Jr. had a great idea. He wanted to rent the theater for the summer. His dream was to put on live plays and musicals. He had just finished studying theater in New York.

He started with something he called "Summer of Musicals." It was a big hit! In 1963, Mr. Little bought the theater. He officially changed its name to "The Little Theatre on the Square." He continued to bring many exciting plays and musicals to Sullivan for many years.

Becoming a Non-Profit Theater

After 22 years, Mr. Little decided to stop running the theater. It had become very expensive to pay for shows and actors. But the community didn't want the theater to close!

So, a group called Sullivan Theatre, Inc. stepped in. They put on five shows that year. In 1981, the theater officially became a non-profit organization. This means it's run by a group of people called a board of trustees. They make sure the theater keeps offering great shows.

Later, The Little Theatre on the Square Inc. bought the building from Mr. Little. They also bought other buildings nearby. These new buildings were used for the ticket office, restrooms, and offices. In 2000, they bought another building for rehearsals and dance classes. It also had apartments for actors to stay in. In 2001, they got another building for technical work like building sets.

Online History of Shows

You can explore the history of The Little Theatre online! There's a special digital archive. It has photos and programs from many past shows. This archive is part of Eastern Illinois University's online collection, called The Keep.

You can also find programs for many shows through a project by Eastern Illinois University's Booth Library. They work with the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois Digital Collections.

Learning Programs

The theater started an educational program in 1997. It began by teaching jazz, tap, and ballet classes. In 2000, they added drama and singing classes. Voice lessons were added in 2012.

This program is now called the Future Stars Program. It offers classes in acting, dance, and voice for people of all ages. Students from many towns around Sullivan come to learn here.

In 2004, the program added a touring part. Students would travel to schools in the area to perform. Over 26,000 students saw these shows before the touring stopped. Now, the Little Theatre invites schools to come to their stage. They offer two shows during the school year for students to enjoy live performances.

Adopt a Seat Program

In 2004, after the theater finished its renovations, it started a program called "Adopt a Seat." This program lets theater fans support the theater. If you donate $1000, your name or the name of someone you want to honor is placed on a special plaque. This plaque is in the lobby near the seating chart. You can pay the donation over three years.

Over one hundred people have joined this program. The money they donate helps the theater pay for renovations. It also helps them put on all the wonderful shows.

Famous Actors on Stage

Many different actors have performed at The Little Theatre on the Square. Some were already famous, and some became famous later. In 1959, the theater joined the Actors' Equity Association. This meant they could feature well-known actors who were members of this group.

Guy Little, Jr. would hold auditions in New York and Chicago. He would choose about 35 performers for each show. Some of the big-name stars who performed there include:

• Alan Alda
• Ruth Warrick
• Rosemary Prinz
• Margaret Hamilton
• Eddie Bracken
• Joe E. Brown
• Margaret Truman
• Ann B. Davis
• Annamary Dickey
• Don Hastings
• John Carradine
• Dennis Weaver
• Robert Reed
• Cesar Romero
• Betty Ann Grove
• Patricia Morrison
• Ron Ely
• Betty Grable
• Virginia Graham
• Bill Hayes
• Ann Miller
• Jean-Pierre Aumont
• Mickey Rooney
• Kathryn Crosby
• Kitty Carlisle
• Robert Newman

After Guy Little left in 1978, fewer famous actors performed. But in recent years, stars like Cindy Williams and Eddie Mekka have appeared.

Actors and Their Appearances

• Rosemary Prinz was a regular summer actress at the Little Theatre. She performed many times between 1961 and 1982. She was also on the TV show As the World Turns.
• John Carradine performed twice in 1965 and 1966. He was famous for appearing in 225 movies, including The Grapes of Wrath.
• Jonathan Frid, known as the vampire Barnabas Collins from Dark Shadows, drew huge crowds in 1969. He starred in Dial M for Murder.
• Ann Miller performed in 1973. She had been in 40 movies before that.
• Mickey Rooney appeared in 1976 in Three Goats and a Blanket. He had already been in 122 films.
• Kitty Carlisle performed in 1978 in The Marriage-Go-Round. She was also a regular on the TV show To Tell the Truth.

More recently, actors who have performed at The Little Theatre have also been on Broadway and in London's West End. These include Marisha Wallace (from Aladdin and Dreamgirls), J. Michael Zygo (from Once), and Alysha Deslorieux (from Hamilton). Many actors have also toured nationally with different shows.

In 2018, Colleen Zenk starred in Hello, Dolly!. She is best known for her role as Barbara Ryan on the TV show As the World Turns. She played that role for over 30 years.

Then and Now

The first "Summer of Musicals" in 1957 had nine shows in nine weeks. Each show played four times, from Thursday to Sunday. Tickets cost between 90 cents and $2.20. The final musical, Guys and Dolls, sold out completely.

In 2009, the theater had two shows in the spring and five regular summer shows. Tickets cost between $26 and $28 per show. A season ticket for all shows was $100. Each summer show ran for two weeks, from Tuesday to Sunday.

As of 2023, the summer season includes 6 musicals, 1 play, and 3 shows for young audiences. Ticket prices have changed a bit since then.