Theatre Lawrence

MISSION

The Theatre Lawrence partners with volunteers to create and deliver extraordinary theatre and education programs that engage community members of all ages and backgrounds as audience members and participants.

GYPSY YEARS

The Theatre began performances in the mid 1970's at the Lawrence Arts Center when that facility was undergoing conversion from a library. Lawrence Community Theatre was organized in 1977 and incorporated as a not for profit in 1978 by a handful of individuals with a "kitty" of $500. Scheduling at the Arts Center led to a gypsy-like existence for LCT with rehearsals scattered around the city, storage in basements, garages and barns and set construction outdoors (subject to birds) or indoors (sometimes subject to leaky roofs and flooding). In its search for additional performance space LCT did shows in South Park, Trinity Episcopal Church and at Teepee Junction.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

A partnership exists with the Lawrence Art Guild whereby different members of that organization exhibit their work during productions.

Cooperative projects and involvement with other community organizations are often sought, and diverse organizations throughout the community have brought wide varieties of interests and expertise to enhance community understanding of various issues.

NEW PLAYS

LCT was an early leader in the presentation of original scripts by community theatres. In 1981, one of Paul Stephen Lim's scripts, FLESH, FLASH AND FRANK HARRIS, premiered at LCT and went on to Off-Broadway production in New York. National attention was also drawn to LCT's presentation of LEE AND THE BOYS IN THE BACKROOM, a work by Mr. Lim, based on a novel and the unpublished correspondence of William Burroughs. In 1991 LCT hosted the opening of BERTHA, THE SEWING MACHINE GIRL, a musical written by two New York playwrights who visited Lawrence to work with director Dr. Lewin Goff.

Works by local playwrights like John Clifford and Betty Laird have been featured, as well as works by Kansas City authors Ron Simonian and Frank Higgins. Partnerships with Emu Theatre have resulted in a citywide Festival of New Playwrights.

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