| The Little Theater of Portsmouth Endeavors To Persevere! | | Print | |
| Written by Mike Diana | |
| Wednesday, 12 July 2006 | |
 Can you name the Tidewater amateur theater group that has been active for almost 70 years (if not more) and is one of the oldest in the state of Virginia? Aww. You cheated and read the title.
You see...we here at OHR got a bit worried when it was realized we didn't have anything on that other community theater...you know...the one in Portsmouth. The conversation went kinda like: "There's one in Portsmouth?" "Well I think there is...was. No I am sure there was...is. " I think I know someone that did a show there...." Enough already. You get the idea. When in doubt ask! My pal David (BF) did a web search and was able to come up with a phone number and a scrap or two of info. It got things rolling. We were sure they existed. An email to dear Linda made for the perfect connection (her being aquainted with the LTP president didn't hurt either). The information offered in the article below is a direct result of their efforts. LTP has endured since it's inception in the 1930's as the Monument Players peforming at the namesake Methodist Church in Olde Towne Portsmouth. A number of years later they moved to the now defunct Elco Theater in Mid City area. In 1973, the group struck a deal with local government while Manor High was under construction. As work continued toward completing the school there was concern over inadequate funds allocated to outfit the theater. LTP agreed to provide the lighting system and curtains for the facility in exchange for free performance space. Their first production opened in June of 1974, three months before the first homeroom bell rang and has called the facility home ever since. The Little Theater of Portsmouth had its 2005-6 season cut short by a fire at Manor High School, rendering the troup temporarily homeless. Restoration of the theater continues and is hoped to be ready for occupancy in September. Board President Alice Everhart said all the company's sets were lost in the fire, but insurance coverage should help provide replacements. Many years worth of props and other materials were unharmed as they were not stored at the theater. Little Theater Of Portsmouth is going ahead with plans to produce Neil Simon's The Dinner Party in its October/November slot with two more as yet unamed shows scheduled for winter and spring of 2007. OHR will post any information offered by the LTP pertaining to upcoming productions, news and gossip...only the juicy stuff, of course. Thanks to David and Linda for their help in gathering information for this article. CORRECTION: No claim of being the oldest theater of its kind in Va was expoused by President Everhart. Information corrected in text of article.(Editor) |
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Excuse me, but Alice most certainly has 'expoused' LTP to be the 'Ollldest Tttheatre in Tidewater'--rewind the tape to an article written this spring by Montague Gammon in the Virginia Pilot. Yeah Bob, she did. Kman Perhaps Ms Everhardt, or anyone else at Portsmouth Little theatre, would like to give us an outline of their coming season--shows, run dates, audition dates, directors, etc. LTP seems like they could use a little extra publicity and exposure. Everyone I have talked to who has done work there has remarked on the shoestring mentality inherent there. Maybe a 'NEW, IMPROVED LTP' can arise out of the ashes of their recent misfortune. Just a thought--Nance Mr Diana--the LTN historian, Mark Haney (a former artistic director of LTN and still on the Boeard of Directors, maybe?), has records and scrapbooks to verify that LTN has run continuously since 1926 with no breaks. Many little theatres shut down during WW11, but luckily the US Navy helped the theatre through with manpower and rationed items. It is, I believe, actually the third oldest (key term here)continuously operating theatre in the US.Where LTN ranks in Va I don't know. A theatre in Jacksonville, Fla holds the #1 honor, but I've only heard that. Portsmouth, if I'm not mistaken, had a couple of years when they 'went black' due to the war (WW11). Anyway, I am sure Mark at LTN will be glad to verify any questions and provide written records, and I'm sure Ms Everhardt has written records as well. This is not the first time Alice has put forth this claim, but naybe that can just be attributed to a natural pride in LTP. Hoo-yah!--Henry I am confused... It seems that we might need verification of which theater can claim (including other groups around the state)the title 'Longest Running Amateur Theater Organization in Va.' I'm glad to see LTP getting some press. I do want to remind everyone that LTN is celebrating 80 years this season. Here's to the success of both venues! |