Archived Players Notes
Players Note from Becky Price

Becky Price, who contributed this story, is one of our valued working Board Members.

The earliest minutes I have are dated 1966 but the group produced their first play, Love Rides the Rails, in 1962.  The organization, Waynesboro Players, Inc., was incorporated in January 1981 with 12 members of the Board of Directors.   Our season now consists of two straight plays and one musical production in addition to dessert theatre productions.

Funding was/is through tickets sales, donations and sponsors.  We added “dessert theatre” as a fundraiser and in 2001 had our first yard sale. During the 1980’s, Players produced a children’s play each summer but eventually had to discontinue the shows because of the expense of royalties and renting the high school.    The warehouse was purchased in 1990 through a fundraising effort spearheaded by Lillian Morse.  Prior to that time, costumes, props, sets, tools, etc., were stored in various board member’s basements, garages and storage buildings.  Set construction, costuming, and making props, was done the same way (in people’s homes) then moved to the play location.  When the garage spaces, etc. were outgrown, Players began renting warehouse space around Waynesboro.  But without ample space in one location, and no permanent rehearsal space, they were constantly moving everything from place to place and rehearsing at churches.  Lots of costumes and props are donated.  Set furnishings are borrowed from different sources, sometimes purchased or made.  Costumes are often made (built) depending on the needs of a production and sometimes are rented if the show is a period show and the expense and time of making the costume would be unreasonable.  We also have a reciprocal agreement with Mary Baldwin College and borrow/lend costume pieces.

From earlier minutes, some of the same plays have been done more than once.  Players have always done “known” plays, either dramas, comedies or musicals.  We have not done experimental theatre or been a vehicle for new plays or play writes.  As community theatre, we have to appeal to wide and varied audiences that include families.  Our purpose has not been, and we cannot afford, to produce shows that will not appeal to our patrons.   Because community theatre is amateur, we must wait until new plays have been done by professional theatre groups before the “rights” can be obtained for amateurs to do.