The Lucille Ball Little Theater Jamestown, New York |
Phone (716) 483-1095 or Fax(716) 483-1099 for reservations Contact: Marshall Dahlin - Email: mdahlin1@juno.com |
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Official Site of Jamestown, INC., New York.
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The Little Theatre of Jamestown was established in 1936 as a non-profit membership corporation. The purpose as described in its by-laws was to present five live stage productions each season, from September to May, on a regular basis for the education and entertainment of the residents of the Jamestown New York and surrounding area. This mission has been accomplished, and the organization is now entering it's 66th season. There is a paid staff consisting of an artistic director, technical director, business manager and office staff. The organization is regulated by a Board of Directors, with nineteen members elected by the membership and serving a three year term. In 1968 the organization purchased and renovated a downtown Vaudeville theatre which had been closed for five years. It has a 405 seat auditorium and a 30 X 60 foot lobby, a full stage with a fly capability plus office, check room and toilet facilities. Each of the plays are presented for two weekends and the two musicals are presented for three weekends. All productions are open to the public and special group prices are available. Lucille Ball is Jamestown's most famous local personality, having been born and educated here. Her first acting experience on stage was with our organization. Upon her death, the theatre was renamed in her honor with the family's permission. It now operates as The Lucille Ball Little Theatre of Jamestown, Inc.
LUCILLE BALL LITTLE THEATRE OF JAMESTOWN, INC. In 1920 Madelyn Jones Osgood with a group of local interested thespians started a theatre group and called themselves "The Players Club". They mounted two or three plays each year and presented them in various locations in Jamestown. Madelyn's father, Cyrus Jones, owned the brick house and carriage house on Fairmount Avenue across from Zion Covenant Church. The upstairs of the carriage house was the rehearsal hall and set building shop. In 1929 they mounted a play called "The Choir Rehearsal" by Clare Kummer. They took this play to a theatre competition in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and won the first place prize of $100.00. A recognizable sum in 1929. It was also the year that Madelyn cast a young girl named Lucille Ball in a play called "Within the Law". It was Lucy's first "on stage" experience in the world outside of school. Lucy never forgot Mrs. Osgood and in 1968 when the Little Theatre moved to Second Street she sent her a $5,000.00 check for the building fund. In 1936 a young couple who had just finished college and studies at the Cleveland Playhouse, came to Jamestown and convinced "The Players Club" to dissolve and become a part of a new organization called "The Little Theatre of Jamestown, Inc." This newly married couple, George and Harriet Warren, became the paid professional directors. A not for profit corporation was formed and board of nineteen directors was elected to run the organization. A membership campaign was organized with a goal of 1000 season ticket holders. The drive was successful with sales of over 1100. A season ticket sold for $3.75. They were valid for admission to the five plays to be presented. Adult movie tickets in 1936 were twenty five cents. The plays were to be presented at the Scottish Rite Temple at the corner of Fourth Street and Prendergast Avenue. The sale of season tickets grew each year and reached a total of 5,400 in 1945. This was the largest membership theatre in the United States at the time. Local men were still away in the Service and the ladies came to the theatre in groups. The next year when the men returned home, membership sales dropped to about 4,000, where it stayed for several years.
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18-24 East 2nd St. Jamestown, NY 14701 |
Copyrighted 2003 - All Rights reserved © Lucille Ball Little Theater of Jamestown, INC. |
Member: Theatre Association of New York State Legal Notices: |
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