Bakersfield Community Theatre

Bakersfield Community Theatre is located in Bakersfield, California. BCT is the oldest continuing community theatre in California; and the 2nd Oldest Amateur Community Theatre West of the Mississippi (Tacoma Little Theatre, est. 1918 in Tacoma, WA, is the 1st).

Officially established in 1927, BCT has been putting on a full season of plays and musicals starting when Albert Johnson directed the beginning of a never-to-be-broken continuous string of productions.

Although remodeled a few times over the years BCT is currently capable of holding 181 persons.

Beginnings

Bakersfield Community Theatre was founded in May 1927. Prior to this date, community theatre productions were frequently produced in Bakersfield by various clubs. The Bakersfield Woman's Club presented theatre productions, as well as the Elks, DeMolay, and the Plymouth Guild. Albert Johnson was one of the people who was an influence in getting community theatre to become an important part of the Bakersfield cultural arts.

Gilmor Brown, of the Pasadena Playhouse, was the inspiration for the establishment of a permanent community theatre in Bakersfield. In November 1926, he gave a speech before the Bakersfield Woman's Club outlining possible procedures for organizing a community theatre. "Call a mass meeting," he advised. "Do not depend too much on the names always associated with important community activities. Sincere workers and promising talent will be found in unexpected places if the proposition is presented as a real community project." Mr. Brown's words inspired an awakening consciousness of the possibility of such work in Bakersfield.

In early May 1927, a group of women met one night at the Woman's Club building. They included: Alma Campbell, Ethel Robinson, Mrs. George Shearer, and Mrs. H.A. Peairs. They proceeded to found a community theatre. Using telephones and the newspaper, they announced a public meeting to be held a few days later on May 16, 1927 at the clubhouse. More than 50 people attended and the founding group expanded to include Mrs. Ross C. Miller, Evelyn Derby, Dwight Clark, Thomas McManus and Laurence Taylor. Ten days later the founders had finished writing the constitution and bylaws and had taken on 98 paid season members. The name Bakersfield Community Theatre (BCT) was adopted.

Another public meeting was called on May 31, 1927 at the courthouse for election of board members and officers. paid membership had now grown to 125 members. By the end of the evening the new community theatre was underway and committee chairmen had received their assignments. The total time to found the theatre: a little over two weeks. On October 31, 1927 the first BCT production was presented. The First Year by Frank Craven performed at Bakersfield High School's auditorium before an audience of more than 400 people. Alma Campbell directed the production. Four productions were presented each season for the first nine years. For many years there was only one performance given for each production. Throughout the years the number of performances for each production gradually increased, going from the one a year to four by the mid 1950s, to the current number of nine per adult production.

Mid-20th century

Commencing with the 1936-1937 season, five production presented. With few exceptions, each season since has been made up of, at least, five shows. Since the theatre did not have a playhouse to call home, between 1927 and 1961 the productions were presented in the auditoriums at Washington Junior High School (which is now the administration building for Bakersfield City School District), Standard Junior High School, Golden State Junior High School (now the Blair Learning Center), and the old auditorium at Bakersfield High School.

In April 1961 BCT opened a new playhouse to call their own with a production of For the Love of Maggie, written by Barbara Gardener and Ann Agabashian (both of Bakersfield) and directed by Howard Miller. This production was presented between the 4th and 5th productions of the 1960-1961 season. The playhouse (located at 2400 South Chester Avenue) has been the location for all productions presented since April 1961 with the exception of two presented at the Bakersfield College Indoor Theatre in 1968 and 1983.

In the summer of 1976, remodeling of the playhouse began under the supervision of Roger Benischek. The design to give the theatre a new look was drafted by Joseph Licastro. The first remodeling was the interior of the auditorium, completed just prior to opening night of Play It Again Sam. The ticket office was revamped to include an office, ticket counter, and a spacious lounge with posters on the walls of past productions. The front of the theatre was given a complete face-lift in the summer of 1980. The various new features included a brick patio with plants and a metal sculpture (created by Frank Wattron), a lawn with a high white stucco wall, a ramp and deck overlooking the patio, a new light booth, two small lobbies and a bright, gleaming white electric sign with Bakersfield Community Theatre" in blue lettering on it. All of these features were completed just a few scant hours prior to the opening of Side by Side by Sondheim in September 1980. Since then a rehearsal hall/workshop has been added to the back of the theatre. The most recent remodeling was done in the summer of 1983 when the auditorium seats were replaced with 181 brand new ones. The interior was again remodeled to match the decor of the seats.

Present day

Bakersfield Community Theatre continues to present five main productions (as well as an annual one act festival and numerous youth theatre shows) each theatre season. Having staged seasons uninterrupted since 1927, Bakersfield Community Theatre holds special recognition as The Oldest Continuing Community Theatre in California.