Patrons of the arts are well aware of the worn-out saying, “The show must go on.”
But the phrase has become a mantra that has fueled the Warner Robins Little Theatre since its formation in 1962.
As of May 2012, the group kicked off its 50th season — an incredible feat, considering the theatre once called an old barn with no restrooms home.
The momentous season was filled with celebration, bursting with events and productions that paid homage to the group’s humble beginnings.
But to say the Warner Robins Little Theatre merely had humble beginnings would be a great understatement.
“Warner Robins was only 20 years old when a group of people decided to make this theatre,” said Fred Hardin, past president and member of the theatre’s Board of Governors for more than 30 years. “We tried to perform wherever we could find a space to put on a show.”
The litany of venues included barns, cafeterias and school auditoriums, but the theatre group eventually found a home in a makeshift space nicknamed The Upper Room.
However, during preparation to perform “The Sunshine Boys” in 1979, a fire ravaged The Upper Room, destroying sets, costumes and props.
“We lost everything we had,” Hardin said. “But as theatres are, the show must go on.”
The disaster didn’t prevent “The Sunshine Boys” from taking the stage, but it did prompt the group to find a new location — Harold’s Barbecue and Catfish House on Pleasantville Road, which was purchased in June 1980.
“It was rough, but it was still ours,” Hardin said of the makeshift location.
And after several fundraisers and generous donations made by theatre patrons in the community, the Warner Robins Little Theatre expanded the building until it was suitable for performance.
In January 1982, the Warner Robins Little Theatre presented “Move Over, Mrs. Markham” in its new venue, inaugurating a new era for culture in Warner Robins.
“Our goal is to provide theatre for our community,” Hardin said.
And to continue this enrichment for the city, the Warner Robins Little Theatre attempts to mold the rising generation, providing a summer workshop for young actors.
For a fee of $50, teens between the ages of 13 and 17 can participate in the Teen Actors Drama Academy to learn the skills and techniques required to mature as a performer.
But preeminently the Warner Robins Little Theatre aspires to make a cultural footprint on the city.
“The performing arts are extremely important to our culture and civilizations,” Hardin said. “We see ourselves in theatre — these are the things that make us better people.”
HHJ News
