The Very Little Theatre, a cozy venue housing one level of 220 intimate seats, is celebrating very big success for its 75th anniversary.
The theater, located at 2350 Hilyard St., completed its three-week showing of the community-oriented play “Our Town” on Oct. 25 and is planning to show three more plays and one musical this season. Very Little Theatre members selected the historical “Lion In Winter,” the musical “Cabaret,” the comical “Barefoot In the Park” and the theater’s first showing of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Nearly 1,600 drama fans hold season tickets for the anniversary season.
Opening Friday is “Dressed for the Part,” a fashion extravaganza that will feature Very Little Theatre members, past actors and their friends and families exhibiting costumes from the theater’s large costume closet, including garments that date back to the 1920s. The show, which will run Nov. 14 to Nov.16 and Nov. 21 to Nov. 23, will also include historical commentary about the costumes and the shows where they appeared.
“The show will be nostalgic for the people who see clothing from their time period,” Very Little Theatre President Karen Scheeland said. “It will be intriguing for the others, who might think to themselves, ‘They wore that?’”
Scheeland said performers will show costumes chronologically through the decades and incorporate music and dance, such as a Charleston dance, to match the 1920s costumes. A bridal gown showing will end the journey through the decades, followed by a tea for the audience where performers will change into evening wear and mingle with spectators.
The theater made its debut in 1929 when eight people decided to begin an alternative to the University Theatre, which was the only community theater at the time. It got its name when one of the eight unnamed founders said, “There are hundreds of little theater groups up and down the country, but this is certainly going to be a very little one!” The theater has since grown in size and membership, but remains a comfortable, friendly gathering place for theater enthusiasts.
“It’s definitely not as little as it was when it started,” Very Little Theatre spokesman Scott Barkhurst said. “It’s easily the nicest community theater in the state.”
The Very Little Theatre manages to have successful seasons while operating on a self-supportive budget. The theater’s staff is primarily volunteers, and they rely on revenue from ticket sales to fund their productions.
“The theater is very hands-on,” Scheeland said. “Our members usher shows and serve refreshments. The audience often gets to know some of the actors.”
Scheeland said the theater chooses shows that are not offensive since it wants to keep attracting people from all walks of life.
“Some people aren’t comfortable in experimental theaters,” she said. “Everybody is welcome here. No one is judged.”
The public is encouraged to audition for the theater’s shows. Very Little Theatre Vice President Bill DeWein said prospective cast members should check out a script of the show and review it because they will be asked to audition with material from the show. The next audition will be for “Cabaret” and will take place Jan. 10 and Jan. 11.
“We are reaching out to bring in new people to perform, including high school students,” DeWein said.
Tickets for “Dressed For the Part” are on sale for $10 at the Very Little Theatre’s box office located at 1573 Hilyard St. All shows start at 8 p.m.