Rochester Community Players Records

The Rochester Community Players (RCP) collection represents the records of the oldest community theatre in New York State and one of the oldest continuously operated theater organizations in the United States. Founded in 1923 (and incorporated in 1924) with the purpose of providing an opportunity for the community to participate in all areas of the theatre arts, its first production, Wedding Bells, by playwright Salisbury Fields, opened January 19, 1925, at the Gregory Street Playhouse (the present-day German House in Rochester).

In 1926, the Players purchased their permanent theatre, the Community Playhouse located at 820 South Clinton Avenue in Rochester. Originally built in 1890 as the Pinnacle Baptist church, it was later converted into a machine shop before becoming a theatre. Captain Applejack was the first play presented at the Playhouse in November 1926. However, the search for a new theatre location was undertaken to make way for a projected new expressway. Theatre leaders investigated the possibility of adapting other church buildings and movie theatres as well as constructing a new theatre; however, these plans failed due to financial problems. Approximately 500 productions were staged at the Playhouse before the deteriorating building was sold in 1984. For a short period before it was finally sold, performances were held at the Harley School and Monroe Community College. From 1984 to 1992, RCP staged its productions at the Holiday Inn Downtown (currently known as the Radisson Hotel) at 120 East Main Street. Since that time, it has operated out of various temporary locations.

The first full-time professional director was Robert Stevens of New York City, who was hired in 1925 and served as director until his retirement in 1953. Harriet and George Warren were hired from the Jamestown Little Theatre to succeed him. George Warren acted as business manager and Harriet as artistic director until George died in 1972 and Hattie retired in 1973. Various full- and part-time managers operated the theatre until 1998. Since 1998, it has been managed entirely by volunteers.

In 1929, Studio C was begun as a community outreach program that presented plays that explored social issues. The children’s theatre (later called Playhouse Junior) staged their first production in February 1933 and continued to operate for the next 37 years. Playhouse Junior was a precursor of the Brenda Fraser yoUTHeatre program, a summer series providing high school students with the opportunity to develop their theatre arts skills through acting and directing. The yoUTHeatre program received the New York State Council on the Arts Award in 1969. Another program was the MAD Troupers (Mature Adult Drama). During the Sixties, RCP produced the first non-professional productions of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man and Robert Anderson’s The Days Between.

The RCP produced a regular season of five subscription plays, a Rotary production, Playhouse Junior plays, yoUTHeatre summer productions, and classes.

Many well-known actors received their start in RCP productions, including Foster Brooks, Mimi Kennedy, Robert Forster, and Jerry Vogel.

Today, the RCP is the home organization for the Shakespeare Players of Rochester, the Irish Players of Rochester, and the regular RCP productions.