Timber Lake Playhouse facts for kids
The Timber Lake Playhouse is the oldest professional summer theater company that has been running continuously in Illinois. It was started in 1961.
The theater is located in the countryside near Mount Carroll. It sits by the Timber Lake reservoir, close to the Timber Lake Campground and Resort.
The first theater building burned down in 1974. The current building was then built and opened in June 1975. It has 371 seats and a special stage that can turn around. There are also 18 other buildings on the property. These buildings are used for things like making sets and costumes, and for rehearsals.
Contents
History of the Playhouse
How it All Started
The idea for the Timber Lake Playhouse came from Shimer College, which was in Mount Carroll. Students, teachers, and local leaders helped plan the theater. Andrew Bro, who was the college's theater director, and Donald Mackay, who owned the Timber Lake land, led the effort.
Many volunteers met often to create the theater. They wrote rules and formed a non-profit group. By late 1961, they officially started building. Andrew Bro became the first president. Donald Mackay helped as an advisor and friend.
Opening Night
In 1962, Andrew Bro was the artistic director for the first season. He hired 24 actors for the company. He also directed two of the eight plays that summer.
Local wood was used to build the first theater. It had a wide stage and 370 seats. These seats were given by a nearby movie theater. The Timber Lake Playhouse opened on June 28, 1962. The first play was Teahouse of the August Moon.
A New Building
The original theater building was destroyed by a fire. This happened on July 22, 1974. It was just after a show called Under the Gaslight had finished. The current theater building was built to replace it.
Special Performances
In 2006, the theater put on its first all-black production. It was a musical called Ain't Misbehavin'. Many people came to see it.
In 2013, the Timber Lake Playhouse announced something exciting. They would be the first regional theater to perform the musical Spamalot. They had gotten the rights to the show in 2012.
