Mount Airy Players' Home Page

The History of the Mount Airy Players



How It All Began...

The Mt. Airy Players have been presenting dramas, comedies and thrillers since 1964. The idea of a local community theatre group began to take shape when Helen Simpson, a current board member of the Mt. Airy Players who was then in charge of the PTA Ways & Means Committee, suggested doing a play to raise money for the local high school's PTA --- thus the "PTA Players" were born.

The players' first play was Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize classic and Broadway success Our Town. Over 600 persons attended the one-night performance, and due to the success of the play, it became an annual fund raising project. Mrs. Dorothy Reed was on the executive committee at the time and brought her years of experience in staging performances Our Town.

The PTA Players changed their name to The Mt. Airy Players in 1967 when the Kiwanis Club assumed sponsorship. Later, the theatre group became independent and produced and directed their own plays. In 1968 the Players were formally organized under a charter and elected their own officers. Thanks to Nancy Eller for loaning photos for this page.


Yvonne Ogren investigates in 25 Words or Death


Carolyn (Davis) Etzler, John Steel and Ellis Leatherwood in Belvedere



The cast of See How They Run - 1967



Jack Steel as Grandpa in our first production of You Can't Take it With you - 1966



Sis Ogren as Gay Wellington also from You Can't Take it With You - 1966



The Mount Airy Players in the Mount Airy Fireman's Parade - 1970



Helen (Martha Manhollan) is surprised by Phillip (Harry Arnold) in Exit the Body - 1971



Nancy Eller and Roger Nicodemus Barefoot in the Park-1975



Helen Simpson (lower right) directs a scene for Barefoot in the Park - 1975



The cast of Barefoot in the Park - 1975



The cast of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - 1976



Mary Morrison and long time Mt.Airy Players president Phil Leslie A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum-1976



Bill Moore, Jean Circo, Ruth Gregory A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum-1976




Gene Gartrell acted and worked on set design for many years. She appears here in Solid Gold Cadillac-1980



Kathleen Constable and Leslie Simpson in Solid Gold Cadillac-1980



Ollie Leslie (left) catches Harry Arnold and Patrica Thornhill in the act The Bishop Misbehaves- 1981




Current Mt.Airy Players President Charles Beck tries to help out some friends in Charley's Aunt-1986




A scene from a 1987 western spoof A Bad Day at Gopher's Breath



Send us your comments/questions: [email protected]



Return to Home Page



This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1