|
The History of Fort Smith Little Theatre 1947 - To Present |
|
1947 |
The Young Ladies Guild of Sparks Memorial Hospital under the
Presidency of Mrs. J. Burton Gregg decided to sponsor an amateur
theatrical production. |
|
1948 |
Fort Smith Little Theatre is incorporated. Mrs. Thomas Foltz is the
Founding President. |
|
1948 |
February 11 - FSLT's first production Mr. and Mrs. North is presented at the Junior High
School. Second night attendance is over 900. Mrs. Florabel "Flo"
Pattee is the first FSLT Director. FSLT has been in continuous
operation ever since. |
|
1948 |
The first FSLT Season is 2 shows |
|
1950 |
December 11 - FSLT presents its first musical production, Up In
Central Park. Guest Director Donald Morse of the Empire Producing
Company of Kansas City, Guest Star Ronald Jordan. |
|
1951 |
November 6 - FSLT presents it's first 5-day run, Southern Exposure at
the Goldman Hotel Ballroom. It is the first FSLT production "in the
round". |
|
1952 |
FSLT goes independent, relinquishing the Sponsorship of the Young
Ladies Guild of Sparks Hospital. |
|
1952 |
The group put a down payment on The baby Grand grocery store at 3800
North "O" Street. It was renovated to become a theatre in the round. |
|
1952 |
October - The First production in the O Street theater is Skylark.
Last direction by Flo Pattee |
|
1952 |
December 8 - First direction by someone other than Flo Pattee, Tony
Morrow. First offer of Season tickets ($4.00 each) |
|
1953 |
May - there's Always a Murder is the first Direction by a 'Home-Grown'
director, Miss Ann Sims. |
|
1953 |
August - FSLT presents its first Dramatic Reading, The Little Foxes,
by Lillian Hellman. |
|
1954 |
Two
Dressing Rooms and Set Storage Room added to the building. |
|
1954 |
May - The first non-Fort Smith resident to participate. Barbara Bonds
from Muldrow OK makes the trip across the river to play the role of
Dora in Night Must Fall. |
|
1955 |
FSLT institutes the Producer System to increase the mechanics of
putting on good plays. |
|
1958 |
FSLT begins presenting 4 shows each season. |
|
1955 |
Air-conditioning is added to the building. |
|
1959 |
FSLT begins presenting 3 shows each season. |
|
1960 |
August - FSLT presents its first Melodrama - Only An Orphan Girl |
|
1960 |
Lobby addition is made to the building(?) |
|
1962 |
Jay Anderson offers design of the Harlequin Man sign for the O Street
Theater. |
|
1963 |
FSLT presents its first
Home-grown musical, Little Mary Sunshine, directed by Polly
Lowery. Since then, the group has tried to present a
musical each year, usually in the summer months. |
|
1968 |
Twentieth Anniversary Production: FSLT presents Mr. and Mrs. North, in
honor of the first production of the group. |
|
1969 |
The Apple Tree is painted by Sammie Brown. This became an instant
tradition, and was transferred to the new North 6th Street Theater
when that building was completed. |
|
1969 |
Two new air conditioners were added to the O Street Building. |
|
1971 |
FSLT presents 5 shows |
|
1973 |
January 9 - Sister Leona Terbeiten of St. Scholastica dies. Long-time
FSLT participant. |
|
1976 |
May - Participatory Theater, Audience Members were chosen as active
jurors in the play. |
|
1977 |
A special production of The Magic of Musical Broadway was presented in
the Fort Smith Civic Center, directed by Jay Burk and Sondra Foti,
as the first step in raising funds for the new theatre. |
|
1983 |
FSLT begins presenting 6 shows each season. |
|
1978 |
The mortgage on the O Street Theater is finally paid off. |
|
1978 |
The Fort Smith Little Theatre joined with the Fort Smith Art Center to
raise money to buy land and build a facility to house both
organizations, and the Center, Inc was formed. |
|
1983 |
It was decided to use the funds raised and the money from the sale of
the "O" Street property to renovate the existing art center and
build a new theatre which would seat just under two hundred people. |
|
1986 |
April - Brad Kidder, an active thespian since 1958, delivered the last
lines spoken on the "O" Street stage in the play Born Yesterday.
Brad had also been a cast member in the 1959 production of the same
play. |
|
1986 |
June - The new location for the Fort Smith Little Theatre at 401 North
Sixth Street resounded with songs and dancing as a large cast
presented "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas" with Jay Burk at the
helm. It was a great success. |
|
1988 |
The 1988 Season is dedicated to the memories of Ann Marie Sims and Ed
Louise Ballman |
|
1989 |
The 1989 Season is dedicated to the memory of Constance Bradney
Freeman |
|
1991 |
The 1991 Season is dedicated to the memory of Pauline Plummer |
|
1999 |
The 1999 Season is dedicated to the memory of Betty Connor |
|
2001 |
The 2001 Season is dedicated to the memory of William "Rhed" Khilling |
|
2003 |
The 2003 Season is dedicated to the memory of Jim Baker |
|
2004 |
The 2004 Season is dedicated to the memory of Ed Drimmel |
|
2005 |
The 2005 Season is dedicated to the memory of Ed Louise Ballman |
|
2006 |
Building expansion completed. Added restrooms, kitchen, and set/costume/prop storage |
