Who We Are
About 40 years ago, a group of local residents interested in establishing a community theatre tried to raise money to buy an old movie theater in St. Louis. They didn’t succeed, but tried again about six months later and this time were able to buy the Gem movie theater located on Mill Street in downtown St. Louis. The financial backers of the new community theatre were Ray and Nancy Christiansen, Frank and Joan Hamann, Judge and Mrs. Robert Sheldon, Dr. and Mrs. Jack M. Stack, and Alma Products Co.
For a short time, the community theatre group named the theatre Kensington Palace, but soon the name was changed to the Gratiot County Playhouse. The word “county” was used intentionally in the title to demonstrate that the playhouse belonged to not one town, but to all of Gratiot County.
The first production at the theater was a talent show. The first full-fledged play opened in 1968. The play, called Everybody Loves Opal, was directed by Davidson Hepburn, an Alma College English professor. Starring in the lead role was Helen Knowles of St. Louis. Twenty-five years later, Helen Knowles again played Opal in a reprise of the production to celebrate the theater group’s first quarter-century of play productions.
In 1996 the Gratiot County Players sold their two buildings in St. Louis and moved to the Strand movie theater in Alma, managing to offer three plays that year, in addition to moving.
Since 1970, the community theatre has offered at least one large musical production each year, along with dramas and comedies. In the mid-1980’s, when the Baby Boomer generation was young and vigorous, in one season the group staged three musicals, as well as two dramas, a comedy, and two children’s plays.
Over the past 40 years dozens of county residents have directed plays, hundreds have acted on stage and worked backstage, and thousands have attended the more than 235 plays. Of the hundreds of youth involved in the Summer Youth Workshop at the theatre, dozens have continued acting in college and in other community theaters, and a few have become professional stage and television performers.
Our Board of Directors
Doug Ballard President
Jeff Rayburn Vice President
Mark Wilson Treasurer
Liz Loyselle Secretary
Sheryle Dixon
Tom Glover
Mike Klahre
Susan Czeiszperger
Jeff Howell
Larry LaLonde
Stephanie Leppien
Wendy Hoyle
Stephany Slaughter
A Letter from the Board President
Theatre is an art dependent on community – it takes many people with myriad talents and skills to create what we experience as audience members. I have had the joy and privilege to work in community theatre since I was a child and was taught by my father that “professionalism” in theatre art was a matter of attitude – the necessary combination of work ethic, a willingness to learn, as well as a love for the whole of what we were creating together. Our audiences…and this art form…deserve nothing less.
Some folks may dismiss community theatre as “amateur,” meaning that it can’t possibly be as good as “professional” theatre – aren’t all of these people mostly volunteers? We are – but you should know that the cast and crew embody both my father’s sense of professionalism as well as the root meaning of the word “amateur” - we do this for the love of it. We do this as an opportunity to work together to bring a story to life on the stage; to impart an experience of truth and beauty to our audience…our fellow meaning-makers.
In theatre, there are “no small parts, only small players,” meaning that all the roles are important and worthy of honor in making theatre, from the lead actor to the person running spotlight. Without the staff, artists, technicians, and crew behind the scenes, the play doesn’t happen…it literally all falls down. They are too often the unsung heroes in our theatre-making but so deserving of our applause and gratitude.
The Gratiot County Players hope those of you who have been waiting in the wings to get involved with this theatre-making organization will decide to step on the stage. If performing on stage isn’t your thing, we have great need for folks with talent and/or interest in the areas of costumes, set building, lights, and sound. We have skilled staff in all these areas who are willing to teach volunteers. These areas are in rather desperate need at this time – so please don’t hesitate to step forward! You could help secure the future of this theatre. If you are interested, go to the “Volunteer” dropdown on this website.
Doug Ballard
President
Gratiot County Players