For information or questions on the LCP Show Archives, please email Margaret Minary at lcphistory@lincolnplayhouse.com
Lincoln Community Playhouse History
Lincoln Community Playhouse has been a Lincoln theatre tradition since April 24, 1946. On July 3, 1946, The Circlet Theatre staged its first production in the Lindell Hotel in downtown Lincoln. In 1947, The Circlet Theatre merged with Lincoln Community Theatre to form Lincoln Circlet Community Theatre. The merged theatre group staged its first production on February 21, 1947, at Lincoln’s Municipal Pool Bathhouse. Less than a decade later, Lincoln Circlet Community Theatre changed its name to Lincoln Community Playhouse and moved to the newly purchased Tifereth Israel Synagogue where it staged its first production on November 3, 1954.
The Playhouse purchased its current location at 2500 S. 56th St. and opened with its first production on February 4, 1972. A building addition, the Gallery Theatre, was completed in 1976 and in 1980 the Children’s Theatre was opened (now known as the Studio Theatre).
In February 2012, the Playhouse kicked off a comprehensive outreach program, A Playhouse for Everyone. This program provides opportunities for those who have limited access to theatre to participate in and see live theatre at the Playhouse, from children through seniors. A Playhouse for Everyone includes free shows for Title I schools, RadioActive Players senior theatre group, and The Penguin Project, theatre for youth with special needs and their peer partners.
Between 2018-2019, a major renovation was completed with an updated lighting system plus several other electrical upgrades; updated sound system; new seats and installation of hearing assistance in the Oliver T. Joy Mainstage; and new seats, platforms and installation of hearing assistance in the Studio Theatre.
LCP Guild
With a list of scheduled activities and projects to be considered, the new Lincoln Community Playhouse Guild met for the first time on Monday, October 9, 1967, at the Southwest Community Center. Formed earlier that summer with 85 charter members, and headed by Marie Muffley, the group’s purpose was to broaden knowledge of the theatre and assist the Playhouse.
Over the past 53 years, Guild members have enjoyed many fun programs and fundraising projects like the Guild's annual white elephant auction. Their fashion show and luncheon held at the Country Club of Lincoln was another popular event with members and the Lincoln community alike. Funds raised from these and many other events allowed the Guild to provide an annual sponsorship of a production at the Playhouse.
Although now officially dissolved, the Guild's 2017 establishment of the Lincoln Community Playhouse Guild Charitable Fund with the Lincoln Community Foundation ensures that the Guild will always be a contributing member of the Playhouse community. This fund will continue the Guild's mark on the Playhouse forever.
Indigenous Land Acknowledgement
Prepared and presented by Kevin Abourezk, a local leader from the Sicangu (Rosebud) Lakota Tribe, on opening night of Season 76, The Fantasticks, September 10, 2021:
Before we begin tonight, we want to acknowledge that we are living on the past, present, and future homelands of the Pawnee, Oto-Missouria, Omaha and Kansa peoples.
The salt basin around present-day Lincoln attracted many Indigenous nations to this region. The Omaha called the area Niskithe, or “salt water,” and their women used eagle feathers to collect the salt, which they used to cure buffalo meat. The Otoe-Missourias ceded the land that became Lincoln to the federal government in 1833 and 1854, and this forced out the tribal peoples who had called the Niskithe home for many generations.
Native peoples of many nations live in Lincoln today and contribute to our community's vitality and diversity, and today we thank them for their stewardship of these lands.
