Our History

EARLY YEARS:  The Theatre (originally called Lawrence Community Theatre or LCT) began performances in the mid 1970s at the Lawrence Arts Center (now the Carnegie Building) when that facility was undergoing conversion from a library. LCT was organized at a meeting called by Mary Doveton in 1977 and a first show, "The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wild" (pictured in the banner image of this page), presented April 15 and 16, 1977. It was incorporated as a not for profit in 1978 by a handful of individuals with a “kitty” of $500. Scheduling at the Arts Center led to a traveling existence for LCT with rehearsals scattered around the city, storage in basements, garages and barns and set construction outdoors (subject to birds) or indoors (sometimes subject to leaky roofs and flooding). In its search for additional performance space LCT did shows in South Park, Trinity Episcopal Church and at Teepee Junction. 

1501 NEW HAMPSHIRE: It became increasingly obvious that the expanding Theatre program and the expanding Arts Center could not remain in a single building. In 1984 LCT moved to a former church at 1501 New Hampshire. This facility was purchased and renovated with the help of many community volunteers. In addition to doing major fund raising for professional renovation work, LCT received large amounts of donated services and volunteer labor. Architect, Larry Good and retired KU Technical Director and Lighting Designer Charles Lown collaborated on the planning and oversight of the project. The Theatre opened in January of 1985 with an original script by local playwright John Clifford, entitled I WAS RIGHT HERE A MOMENT AGO.

Many capital improvements were made to the facility in the intervening years including a transition from church pews to regular theatre seats. In the summer of 1992 when the Granada movie theatre in Lawrence was remodeled its seats were offered for sale at a very reasonable price. The seats were in disrepair, but thousands of hours of volunteer labor, scraping, scrubbing, painting and upholstering, restored them to their former plush art deco glory.

A fire in December of 2003 did over $150,000 damage to the theatre and its contents attributed to a faulty lighting fixture in the costume storage area. Almost two thirds of the theatre’s costumes were destroyed and the building suffered extensive smoke damage. Insurance help and the enormous efforts of many volunteers put the building back together with scrubbed walls, fresh paint, and new carpet. 

Name Change to THEATRE LAWRENCE: In September of 2010 the theatre announced a name change to more accurately reflect the breadth and depth of programming offered. It was felt that “Lawrence Community Theatre” conjured visions of a small amateur group who got together to do plays (Judy and Mickey in the barn). As a move to a new facility became imminent, a name was needed that better reflected the many programs and outreach activities that the Theatre engaged in.

4660 BAUER FARM DR: As theatre programs continued to grow, and more individuals participated, a need for a new building became apparent. A lengthy and at times rocky search was made for a new property or facility. Focus groups, a feasibility study, two different locations, a 4+ year rewriting of city zoning codes and a recession all went into the process. 

A successful capital campaign ultimately raised $7.2 million to develop 3.2 acres of gifted land at Bauer Farm, 6th and Wakarusa. Funding and construction were a true community effort with generous gifts ranging from pennies to millions of dollars contributed by hundreds of individuals, families, businesses and foundations from across the area. The new 35,000 square foot

theatre and education facility opened in June of 2013 with gala celebrations and a production of RAGTIME, the musical.

In 2017 the Theatre won the prestigious Twink Lynch Organizational Achievement Award, presented by the American Association of Community Theatre for its growth and innovations to building and programming.

PROGRAMMING: Working with approximately 500 volunteers each year, Theatre Lawrence has staged hundreds of shows and classes. Quality productions attract actors and audience from Lawrence as well as the surrounding Kansas City and Topeka areas. It speaks to the Theatre’s high production standards that volunteer actors are willing to spend their own money and time to drive (some for an hour each way) to participate in productions. Approximately 24% of Theatre audiences also travel from outside the city limits to attend productions. Touring productions have visited a number of communities in Kansas, including Topeka, Kansas City, Leavenworth, Chanute, Baldwin, Salina and Wichita.

The Theatre produces six to eight major shows each year, touring shows, an extensive youth program, senior

programming, a summer program and a script library. Speakers as well as performers are also available for meetings and conventions.

STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS

Theatre Lawrence is primarily a volunteer organization with a small professional staff, while teachers and artistic staff for individual productions are paid honoraria. In an average season some 500 individual volunteers contribute over 31,000 documented hours

of service onstage, backstage, and in committee work. The numbers are probably much larger, since volunteers often don’t  remember to sign in and out. This is a staggering commitment, since volunteer work is often the donation of services at which the individual is not only skilled, but professionally trained. Theatre volunteers are honored each year with the presentation of the  Charley Awards.” Named after Charley Oldfather and Charles Lown these awards honor volunteers for hours of service.

THE PANDEMIC

In March of 2020 Theatre Lawrence closed its doors and put all of it programming on hold as the Coronavirus swept the country. By summer, staff and volunteers had moved programming outdoors with a newly constructed stage. Drive-in movies were shown

on the side of the building. Small shows with masked actors graced the stage. As summer turned into fall “pods” replaced the cars in the parking lot and the show continued. Our flexible 2020-2021 season included outdoor shows, indoor shows with special clear masks, and streamed shows. We all learned a lot as we picked, plotted and zoomed our way through rehearsals, meetings and classes.

By spring of 2021 we added a new activity to the theatre calendar, as theatre volunteers partnered with Sigler Pharmacy and turned the theatre into a vaccination center, offering 37 separate clinics and resulting in 11,000 vaccinations. Summer of 2021 continued with multiple activities on and around the outdoor stage using the designated seating pods in the parking lot, until finally with fall of 2021 Theatre Lawrence resumed its regular operations indoors while retaining the ability to do outdoor programming as well.