Old Town Playhouse
is home to the Traverse City Civic Players, which was created in April 1960 to bring amateur theatre to northern Michigan. After several seasons in various venues - including Traverse City High School and the Park Place Dome - the group moved into the converted First Christian Church in 1972 and renamed it Old Town Playhouse.
The decades since have brought many changes to our programs, our building and much of Traverse City. As the community has grown, so has the demand for civic theatre. The Studio Theatre was introduced in 1978 to offer audiences an intimate theatre experience while also providing a training ground for local actors, directors and writers. The Traverse City Traverse City Children's Theatre was incorporated as the educational arm of Old Town Playhouse in 1993 and offers an ambitious slate of workshops, clubs and productions for area young people.
Our building has seen high times and low. Two years ago, Old Town Playhouse was at a pivotal point in its history. Our building had been closed and we were facing more than $350,000 in needed improvements in order to meet fire code requirements. With the loss of the theatre, we also lost rehearsal space, storage space and, most importantly, performance space, ticket sales and revenue. Many speculated whether Old Town Playhouse could survive the crisis and whether it was time to close the doors permanently. A huge vote of community support and a major capital campaign in 1999 allowed our aging playhouse to be completely renovated and brought up to current safety and artistic standards.
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