Opening with their first show, You Can’t Take It With You, the thespians of LCP have been entertaining regional theater fans for well over 30 years. The charter members of this top-notch community theater troupe include Ann Savides Dolan, Nancy (Williams) Murdock, Charlie Dolan, Lois Alcorn, Ken Johnson, Duane Wepking, Dorothy Deutsch, Marly Haskins, Anita Day, Patricia Bromley, Paul Prefontaine, Rick Ruecking, Sharon (Emerson) Steiner, Ruth Burton, Dan Bublitz, the Keefe family (Dorothy, John, Robert, David), the Hartwig family (Bernie, Bob, Bobby, Jan, Mary Jo), and Mary Fritz. Ann Savides and Nancy Murdock remain active in LCP to this day. (We defined a “charter” member as “one who paid dues during 1979.”)
That first production went up on the gymnasium stage at St Clement School in June 1979. It played for two nights to standing-room only crowds, and LCP became an instant favorite of the cultural and entertainment scene in the Lancaster area. Future production venues included the Lancaster House hotel, Winskill Elementary School, the Youth and Agriculture Building at Grant County Fairgrounds, and Lancaster High School. Following an interior restoration in 1988, however, the fabulous Grantland Theater became LCP’s permanent home, just off the courthouse square in downtown Lancaster.
Looking back on the more than 50 shows LCP has offered up over the years, you’ll note an astonishing variety, all chosen by the directors, rather than a reading committee. LCP has presented comedies, dramas, variety shows, and a string of highly successful musicals. Playwrights include well-known artists such as Noel Coward, Neil Simon, Tennessee Williams, and Mel Brooks. We’ve also presented shows by local playwrights, including Mike Willis, Rex Darby, and the unforgettable Cal Lambert. Lambert deserves particular note, as LCP has produced seven of his plays over the years dating back to the 1980s. At one time, his shows made up four of the top five productions, attendance-wise, in LCP’s long history.
LCP’s membership has always consisted of volunteers and only volunteers. In the spirit of community theater, we produce shows that we believe have a high quotient of entertainment and fun. We also look for shows that offer a unique perspective on the human condition, appealing characters, or perhaps an inside look at the world of theater. While actors are an important component of these shows, we also seek volunteers for the all-important support roles, including technical (lighting, sound, props, costuming, set construction, backstage run crew, stage manager); production (house manager, box office/ticketing, publicity, playbill content, procurement) and artistic (direction, set and lighting design, costume and makeup design, music). No experience required, and all are welcome!