THEATRE
HISTORY
The
Zodiac Players are the adult half of the Shoals
Community Theatre Group. The group also includes
the children's theatre group, The Gingerbread
Players. The roots of the Shoals Community Theatre
can be traced back over a half century ago to
an earlier theatrical venture, The Tri-Cities
Community Theatre. Its first production "Kind
Lady" was presented May 20-21, 1948 at Kilby School
Auditorium. Our organization attempts to cultivate
the area's talent, whether it be on stage or backstage,
and bring that talent to the public. Auditions
are open to anyone, regardless of experience.
We're an open organization. All of our board members
are unpaid volunteers with only the production
directors and some essential production staff
being given a complimentary gratuity for their
services. Without the voluntary and essential
professional services given by our production
directors, we would not be enjoying the success
of a community theatre effort.
The
earlier group had no permanent theatre home and
survived on something of a vagabond existence.
Productions were shifted from various high school
auditoriums throughout the Shoals and, after about
12 years, the organization became dormant. Between
1948 and 1961 the Tri-Cities Community Theatre
staged 25 productions at UNA's Kilby Auditorium,
Sheffield HS, and the Tuscumbian movie theatre.
Among its amateur players were future television
star, George "Goober" Lindsey and future Alabama
Senator Howell Heflin. When the organization became
dormant in the 60s, it left a small amount of
money in a checking account-$237.82. In 1971 those
leftover funds provided seed money for the organization
of the Zodiac Players, which, along with a grant
from the Alabama State Council for the Arts and
Humanities, allowed a more permanent facility
in Florence, the old Firestone garage on Hermitage
Drive, to be a home base for an intimate playhouse.
The first production of the Zodiac Players was
William Inge's award-winning Broadway drama, "Bus
Stop" on March 2, 1972. As of its most recent
2007-2008 season, Zodiac has presented 183 productions
involving hundreds of aspiring performers and
backstage workers with over 123,000 audience supporters.
The children's theatre wing, the Gingerbread Players,
was independently formed about 1976 by a group
of parents who were interested in promoting the
growth of children's theatre in the Shoals. The
Gingerbread Players have continued as one of their
primary goals to bring a theatrical experience
to children in their school environment. Many
children who might not otherwise attend a performance
in a theater building are reached at their own
schools. A complimentary performance is always
presented for the children in the host school.
The first production of the Gingerbread Players,
"Hansel and Gretel" was presented in October 1976.
As of the current year, 120 productions will have
been presented by the Gingerbread Players. Among
its presentations, classic and well-known titles
of both dramas and musicals include: Cinderella,
Peter Pan, Snow White, Heidi, The Wizard of Oz,
Little Women, Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the
Pooh, Tom Sawyer, Sleeping Beauty, Treasure Island,
The Hobbitt, The Velveteen Rabbit, Anne of Green
Gables, Sound of Music, Oliver, The King and I,
James and the Giant Peach, Wind in the Willows,
The Secret Garden, Big River, and The Lion, the
Witch, and the Wardrobe. The enthusiasm that these
plays have generated in the minds and actions
of the children in attendance continue to show
as the young former audiences have become stage
participants in our current productions - the
enriching cycle continues uninterrupted.
In
1993 the Gingerbread Players joined with the Zodiac
Players under the umbrella organization, The Shoals
Community Theatre, in order to further enhance
the efforts and resources of the individual organizations.
In addition to our regular seasons, our organization
now is a regular participant in the annual W.C.
Handy Music Festival - we cosponsor the "Listening
Room" venue at the Zodiac Playhouse, during which
professional performers provide free entertainment
to the public. Although Zodiac continues to perform
in a rented facility and Gingerbread, primarily
in schools, it is the combined dream and effort
for our organization to seek a permanent and more
functional facility for continued growth of the
Shoals community's participation in the theatrical
arts. We're proud of our heritage and look forward
to an ongoing support from our community in our
future endeavors.
We
are delighted to be opening the 2008-2009 season
in our newly renovated home, The Grand Shoals
Theatre! The Shoals Community Theatre Board made
the unanimous decision to purchase this fabulous
piece of history which was built in 1948. This
theatre was originally the fourth largest in Alabama
and was the leading movie theatre in the Shoals
for 40 years.
The
opening film on October 21, 1948, was “That Lady
in Ermine” starring Betty Grable, Douglas Fairbanks
Jr., and Cesar Romero. The theatre is in building
complex that was designed and built by the Rosenbaums.
The original stores housed in the theatre complex
at 123 North Seminary Street were; The Brother
and Sister Shop, Garvin Witt Jeweler, Crump Camera
Shop and Stamps Florist.The
Shoals originally had 1350 seats including a balcony.
The theatre featured Voice of the Theatre Sound
equipment and had a compete duplicating set that
could be activated by a snap of a switch in case
of failure. The theatre was the first theatre
in the south to feature the Slide-back chairs,
which can be retracted 6 inches with a shove of
the body to make it easier for entrance and exits
in the rows. The theatre closed in 1980.
After
many years of being used as other venues, we have
come full circle with The Shoals and are anxious
to bring theatre to downtown Florence for years
to come. The newly renovated theatre includes
a brand new full performance stage with a state
of the art lighting system, newly placed curtains
and proscenium, new art deco décor in the lobby
and concession areas which is period for the 1948
era, complete renovation of the basement and underground
area for storage, a new trap door area and multi
level side vignettes for scene performances, as
well as renovated office area upstairs for the
meetings of the Shoals Community Theatre Board.
Thanks
to the tireless efforts of so many people and
hours and hours of work, we are realizing a dream
come true as the curtain rises on this 2008-2009
season. From the new lighted sign atop the marquee
to the professional dance and performance stage,
we celebrate our success with you.
Phase
Two of the renovations of the Shoals Theatre will
include remodeling the balcony to feature tables
with club chair seating for corporate and private
seatings and parties. Seating capacity is now
704 after renovations. Both wings of the Shoals
Community Theatre. Zodiac Players and Gingerbread
Players. will be performing all shows at the Shoals!
We are maintaining the old Zodiac Theatre building
and it is called “The Shoals Little Theatre”.
This venue can be rented as well as the Shoals
Theatre building.
