Ever wonder how a simple roller skating rink transformed into one of Maryland’s premier theatrical venues? It started in 1938. The Olney Theatre Center began as a summer theater. It also had a restaurant.
Let’s step back in time. Picture this rural Montgomery County. That’s where you’d find the Woodlawn Lodge estate. It was the site of that roller skating rink.
Three men founded Olney Theatre. They were Stephen E. Cochran, Harold C. Smith and Leonard B. McLaughlin. Cochran was the managing director. Ethel Barrymore served as the associate director. She was the First Lady of American Theatre. Her presence added instant credibility to the Olney Theatre Center project.
The National Academy of Stage Training moved to Olney Theatre. It offered its first summer course in June 1938. Dorothy Martin and George Vivian taught the class.
Olney Theatre’s first production was The Lady Has a Heart. The play opened on July 25, 1938. It told the story of a butler elected to the Hungarian parliament. The first show sold out.
The early Olney Theatre Center had a rustic charm. Inverted peach baskets acted as chandeliers. An oak tree grew in the open-air lobby. The theater advertised itself as the South’s first professional summer theater.
C. Y. Stephens purchased the property in 1940. He remodeled it to improve the theater.
In 1946, Glenn Taylor, Redge Allen and Evelyn Freyman jointly managed Olney Theater. They presented summer theater. Shows featured stars like Jessica Tandy and Helen Hayes.
Players, Inc. became Olney Theatre Center’s touring company in 1949. Father Gilbert V. Hartke created it. It brought live theater to audiences across the United States and overseas.
Stephens invited Father Hartke to take over the theater in 1952. Stephens agreed not to charge rent. He also offered to cover up to $10000 in losses. Father Hartke moved Players, Inc. to Olney.
After financial struggles, William H. Graham, Sr. became general manager. His work and the talent of directors like Robert Moore led to profits in 1956.
In 1960, Stephens gave the theater to Father Hartke. Hartke became the corporation’s president. He held that position for 33 years.
Governor Blair Lee recognized Olney Theatre as the official State Summer Theater of Maryland in July 1978.
Olney began a capital campaign in 1991. The goal was to match a $625000 state grant. The money funded improvements and year-round operation.
Jim Petosa became artistic director in 1994. He focused on 20th-century American classics.
Olney Theatre Center celebrated National Players’ 50th touring year in 1998. The theater began year-round performances.
The Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab was built in 1999. In 2005, Olney Theatre Center opened the Root Family Stage at Will’s Place. It also expanded the Mainstage theater.
After Petosa resigned, Jason Loewith became the artistic director in 2013.
Since its founding, Olney Theatre has produced acclaimed works. Da premiered at Olney in 1973. It later won a Tony Award for Best Play.
John Riggins starred in Illegal Motion at Olney. I and You received its world premiere at Olney.
The Humans moved to online programming due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Beauty and the Beast resumed in-person performances after the pandemic. A.D. 16 premiered at Olney Theatre Center.
The Music Man at Olney featured performances in English with ASL.
Today, the Olney Theatre Center continues to enrich the community. It offers diverse productions and educational programs. This vibrant theater stands as a testament to the power of dreams and the enduring magic of the stage.