| The Community Theatre was built in 1937 by Walter Reade. It flourished as a premier motion picture house until 1974 when it was sold by the Walter Reade organization. The theatre changed hands several times over the years until it was purchased by a local developer in 1986. It sat empty and in disrepair until 1994. Thanks to massive cleanup efforts by a community-based volunteer corps, on September 29, 1994, the Community Theatre reopened to a sell-out crowd, featuring The Kirov Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Community Theatre's concert season has become a cultural fixture in New Jersey. As one reviewer remarked: "Morristown has suddenly come alive as a cultural and artistic center with attention focused on events at The Community Theatre on South Street."
In 2006, the Theatre launched a $7 million Capital Campaign to upgrade its backstage technical capabilities, including the addition of an orchestra pit, fly-rail system, new dressing rooms and air conditioning. A building annex will house a multi-purpose room that can be used as a classroom, black box theatre and reception space. In May 2007, the Board of Trustees announced that the new name of the expanded complex will be called Mayo Center for the Performing Arts, after longtime Board Chairman Bud Mayo. The concert venue will be known as The Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts.
Milestones:
September 1994: The Community Theatre reopens with a sold out performance by the Kirov Orchestra of St. Petersburg conducted by Valery Gergiev.
January 1995: The South Street Theatre Company, a non-profit organization, was formed to purchase and renovate the theatre.
June 1996: The South Street Theater Company aka The Community Theatre begins its first full year of operation with a $700,000 operating budget.
1996-1997: Economic impact study, conducted by firm of Zeigler & Lanier, reported that The Community Theatre had an economic impact of $1.5 million.
1997-2000: Capital Campaign is undertaken to create funding for a comprehensive refurbishing and upgrade of the theatre. $7.5 million dollars is raised to completely refurbish the auditorium, lobby areas, restrooms, plaza entrance and a portion of the façade.
2000: Theatre membership numbers 512; number of Community Theatre presentations is 67; total paid attendance is 42,668.
Fall 2002: Theatre begins “Afternoons with the Arts” series of performances of New Jersey-based artists, designed to encourage patrons to sample different areas of the arts and promote the many artists living in NJ.
Spring 2004: The Community Theatre launches Art Upstairs gallery, a co-initiative with Center for Visual Arts (now Visual Arts Center of New Jersey) to display artwork of New Jersey artists in upstairs lobby.
September 29, 2004: The Community Theatre celebrates its 10th anniversary and opens the season with a tribute to the Kirov Orchestra’s memorable 1994 performance.
March 2005: Theatre launches two Performing Arts School workshops as a precursor to the launch of an official school in September 2005, which now educates over 280 students in musical theatre and acting.
Spring 2005: Artist-in-residency program launched with Grammy Award winning cellist and composer Eugene Friesen on a special program called "CelloMan" designed to introduce and re-enforce musical lessons. Offered free to area schools.
May 2005: Theatre membership numbers 750; number of Community Theatre presentations is 98; total paid attendance is 73,733.
October 2005: Box office moves to Theatre lobby and other front of house upgrades are made.
October 2005: Tony Bennett officially opens the 2005-2006 season and performs to a sold out crowd.
Fall 2006: With the assistance of The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the theatre launches a fall performing arts workshop focusing on Drama/Improvisation with a resident artist onsite at the Frelinghuysen School in Morristown, NJ for students of Neighborhood House, a Morris County-based nonprofit organization that provides recreational, educational, cultural and social service programs to underprivileged families in the community with special emphasis on pre-school, school age children and parents.
Winter 2006: Economic Impact Study conducted by T.J. Spitznas & Associates during the fiscal year ending in June 2005 reported that The Community Theatre's total economic impact on the County was approximately $6 million.
March 2006: Tickets sales for Community Theatre presentations break $2 million barrier for the first time.
Spring 2006: The theatre launches two additional 24 week outreach programs at area schools.
June 12, 2006: A groundbreaking ceremony attended by over 150 invited guests is held to mark The Community Theatre’s official beginning of the Theatre’s expansion project. Concurrently, the Theatre announces its $7 million Setting the Stage Capital Campaign to finance the project. Three major gift donors were honored at the groundbreaking ceremony: A. Dale Mayo, Chairman, Community Theatre, who pledged a $1 million lead gift; the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, which pledged a $1 million lead gift to support the construction of the loading bay; and the F.M. Kirby Foundation, which pledged a $150,000 1:3 challenge grant which spurred the campaign into action by challenging the Board of Trustees, resulting in more than $1.5 million in pledges collectively.
September 2006: The Performing Arts School, temporarily housed at Thomas Jefferson School (it returned to the Theatre in February 2007), expands to include classes Mondays-Wednesdays. The audition-only Performing Arts Company is launched. This group of teens volunteers to perform for local non-profits for free.
November 2006: Using a temporary stage as construction continues, The Community Theatre opens its 2006-2007 season with a sold out performance by Michael Feinstein and Linda Eder. The next day, it is followed up by a sold out performance by Whoopi Goldberg. Theatre enhancements include new curtains along the sidewalls to enhance the Theatre’s sound. New pavers honoring the Theatre’s major donors are installed in the Theatre plaza.
February 2007: The walls for the new Community Theatre stagehouse reach their maximum height; work continues throughout the winter and spring with a completion targeted for Summer/Fall 2007
Winter 2007: As the 2006-2007 season continues, Theatre subscribers number over 1,300; Theatre membership tops 1,000.
May 2007: Total ticket revenue for 2006-2007 season tops $2.5 million.
June 2007: The Education Department sponsors first “Music Student of the Month” end-of-season recital. Music students from area schools honored by the Theatre throughout 2006-2007 were invited to perform on stage to the general public
June 2007: The Community Theatre announces that its Board of Trustees has voted change the name of the venue to Mayo Center for the Performing Arts, after Bud Mayo, its Board Chairman, for his long service to the Theatre.
September 2007 : Liza Minnelli breaks in the newly expanded stagehouse and opens the 2007-2008 season on September 28.
Jan-March 2008 : The Capital Campaign hits $6.3 million. The Starlight Room is introduced at a Capital Campaign Reception in January. The Administrative staff moves into new offices in the Pine Street Center in February.
February 2008 : M Magazine names the Theatre "Best Place to Hear a Live Concert" in Morris County.
March 2008 : The Community Theatre announces first ever summer season.
May 2008 : Historian John T. Cunningham publishes an update of Miracle on South Street, a history of the Theatre.
June 2008: The Brooklyn Reunion Doo-Wop Show is the first event of the Summer Season. With temperatures hovering around 100 degrees outside, the new air conditioning proves worthwhile!
Fifteen summer concerts are schedule between June and August.
June 2008: Ticket sales for 2007-2008 season top $3.5 million, a million dollar increase over the previous year. Membership jumps 25% over the previous year.
June 2008 : Robert Mulholland is named Chairman of the Board of Trustees, replacing Bud Mayo, whose term expired. |
