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Even at 50 years old, Central Park
Players (CPP) is the comparative new kid on the block when it comes
to local community theatre. We’re built on a foundation laid in
1862.
That’s when local
thespians entertained Civil War soldiers with productions at the
Ottawa County Courthouse. Plays included The American Union,
Mischief in School, and Extracting a
Tooth.
By 1870, performances were staged by
both local and traveling troupes in the Music Hall on the corner of
Franklin and Second streets.
Next came the Grand Haven Dramatic
Club, which performed at the Music Hall from 1878 to 1936.
Community theatre was dormant until
1949 when Summer Stock Org began performing at The Women’s Club.
Participants included Central Michigan College (CMC) staff and
students as well as local performers. Not long after, CMC began
offering credit to students working with The Lake Michigan Playhouse
(LMP). |
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The reorganization of LMP into
Grand Haven Civic Theatre (GHCT) in 1959 marks the birth of Central
Park Players. The first production was George Washington Slept
Here, written by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman.
For the next seven years, GHCT
performed at many different locations, including The Women’s Club,
Grand Haven High School, Spring Lake High School and the Oasis
Club.
In 1966 construction of the Grand
Haven Community Center was completed and because of the Centers
location across the street from Central Park, GHCT changed their
name to Central Park Players (CPP). In 1986, CPP became a 501c3
nonprofit corporation.
Central Park Players philosophy to
involve the entire community extended to include children in 1995
when a new program called Family Theatre was added. The popularity
of this new program grew and in 2006 an additional program for
younger children was added called Family Theatre Too.
CPP’s move to the Grand Haven
Area Arts Council building in 2006 marks yet another milestone in
our history,
offering opportunities for creativity
and dynamic flexibility. |
