Community
Theatre History
The Greater Grand Forks Community Theatre was
established in 1947 to provide entertainment,
education and recreation for the Greater Grand
Forks area.
In the early 1980s, the #1 Fire Hall in Downtown
Grand Forks was purchased and renovated into
the 100 seat Fire Hall Theatre.
Our 2008-2009 Season will be our 61th, and
we are celebrating our "birthday" by working
on an unprecedented set of programming and organizational
changes. The Greater Grand Forks Community is
listed as one of the ten oldest community theatres
in the nation.
In 2003 the Greater Grand Forks Community Theatre
found themselves at a low point in terms of
financing, staffing, participation and options.
The Community Theatre worked through a three
year rebuilding program, serving without any
paid staff from 2005-2006, and entered 2006
with regained hope. This process included visitation
and amending of bylaws, articles of incorporation,
a long-term debt relief plan, a staffing plan,
and a restructuring of the board of directors.
In 2006, the Community Theatre finds themselves
with a rebuilt patron list, a four-show season
and community good will.
In 2007 the Greater Grand Forks Community Theatre
began to explore a collaborative administrative
and marketing merger with two other area arts
organizations. During this process, and beginning
in March 2007, the Community Theatre will assume
producing responsibilities for Crimson Creek,
a professional summer theatre troupe presenting
major Broadway plays and having substantial
economic impact on the region (Summer Professional
Theatre's economic impact with only eleven performances
in summer 2006 was $107,754.59, as gauged via
audience research). This addition to the Community
Theatre expands our programming and our audience
exponentially. Additionally, during summer of
2007, the Crimson Troupe is exploring collegiate
credit possibilities and master class collaboration
with the University of North Dakota's Department
of Theatre, where their major summer productions
will also be held.
The Greater Grand Forks Community Theatre is
currently managed by a governance board, executive
council, and directed by an interim executive
director. Over 200 volunteers help produce new,
artistically challenging productions each year.
General season shows (five, running September
through May) are steered by a director (paid),
technical staff (paid), and a volunteer production
staff. Professional Summer Theatre shows (two
major productions, one in June and one in August)
are steered, business-wise, by a producer (paid)
and artistically by a director (paid), with
the assistance of a paid production staff, including
a musical director and conductor, company manager,
technical director, choreographer, costumer
as well as paid musicians and technical crew.
The Community Theatre exists to benefit the
entire community, by providing accessible entertainment
opportunities, both for viewing and participation.
This year, the Fire Halls contribution list
is at a five year high, as is true with our
amount of season ticket holders. |
