HISTORY |
| BRECKSVILLE LITTLE THEATRE * * Our History * * |
| FOOTNOTE A little-known fact: While BLT has had numerous talented performers go on to successful theatrical careers, our 1951 comedy “Here Today” was directed by a young man named Paul Newman, who was later to reach the top of the theatrical world. |
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While there had been theatrical endeavors in Brecksville Ohio ever since the mid-nineteenth century, it was not until
1941 that a handful of residents, bound together by love of community and live theatre, established the Brecksville
Little Theatre. Their first production was an evening of three one-act plays, staged at the Junior High School in the
spring of that year. Admission was fifty cents. The next year the group moved into the historic Brecksville Old Town
Hall, which has been our home ever since. In the early 1970’s there was some consideration given to performing at
the old Sleepy Hollow Country Clubhouse, but plans never came to fruition. Only when a fire gutted the Old Town Hall
in 1976 was the group forced to temporarily move to the auditorium of the neighboring Methodist Church.
Maintaining the fledgling theatre during the World War II years proved difficult. Membership was depleted; people
were busy overseas or in the factories. Almost everything was rationed. Yet, BLT continued to entertain a town that
needed diversion, and even supported bond drives and Army-Navy benefits. By 1949, the theatre was incorporated
by State Charter as a non-profit organization. And, a growing audience necessitated reserved seating. In the next two
decades, membership increased substantially as did funds to donate 200 new seats, stage curtains, a new exhaust
system for the balcony, a water cooler, new lighting controls and a box office. In more recent years, the City of
Brecksville, owner of our home, has generously renovated the entire facility dedicating the Old Town Hall as a venue
for live entertainment with state-of-the-art lighting, sound systems and expanded amenities for both audience and
thespians. In 2007, the City has given us office and meeting space in the annex building adjoining the Old Town Hall.
From the beginning, and continuing today, BLT has been committed to the community, participating in annual City
celebrations such as Memorial Day activities, Christmas parades, Home Days fairs, entertaining at veteran’s hospitals,
church events, and senior citizen functions. Brecksville Little Theatre also provides two scholarship awards to
deserving high school seniors in the arts and humanities. The awards are named for dedicated members as a
memorial: The Jack Hruby Humanities Award, and the Schoenfelt Dramatics Award. In 2003, the group revived its
youth theatre program offering summer workshops to children at no charge. The workshops culminate in a weekend
production staged in mid-August.
In a 1946 program, our predecessors wrote, “We parallel the acorn, and we believe we have laid a firm foundation on
which to build our future aspirations. But the fact that we managed to keep our little theatre intact (during war years)
has given us confidence and a tremendous impetus to go forward and make a real community theatre, the kind
Brecksville can be proud of.” We understand the perseverance needed. It took 27 years before the group braved
doing a Broadway musical even though a yearly dinner dance incorporated a one-hour original musical revue written
by members. Now some of the biggest musicals are standard fare.
BLT has had highs and lows over its history. We’ve lost valued friends as the group ages. And, today, society places
ever-increasing time and financial demands on cast, crew, and theatre patrons alike. We take pride that we have
been a self-sufficient, volunteer, community organization all these years. As a not-for-profit organization, we depend
upon our dedicated volunteers who give limitless hours of their time, effort and, above all, heart. We are fortunate to
count among our members people from all walks of life, all striving to present the best in community theatre. People
have always been the key to our success. We do believe that our theatre’s founders, so many decades ago, would be
proud of what their little group has become and that their aspirations have been fulfilled. Then as now, Brecksville
Little Theatre’s uniformity of purpose is to entertain, educate, and serve the community.
Old Town Hall
Interior - 1954
Interior - 1954
| A dancer at age 10 in the 1940s, Phyllis Ulsenheimer is still a Brecksville Little Theatre member! You now know her as faithful usher & hostess Phyllis Molnar. |
| BLT was part of Brecksville's Sesquicentennial Celebration back in 1946. And, today we are again immersed in plans to be part of the City of Brecksville's 1811-2011 BiCentennial Celebration. Watch for announcements as plans begin to roll out. |