the SHOW must go SPRINGFIELD LITTLE THEATRE IS CELEBRATING 50 YEARS AT THE LANDERS AND IS GOING STRONG. BY JULIANA GOODWIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRANDON ALMS
THERE IS NOTHING LITTLE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF SPRINGFIELD LITTLE THEATRE.
t has been an educational and entertainment gem for 87 years, and it all started in 1934 when a handful of friends, including Bruce Lemmon, formed Springfield Little Theatre. The group weren’t trained actors or directors; they were simply passionate about the performing arts. Lemmon was actually a medical student, and his daughter Dorothy Lemmon used to follow him to rehearsals. As this group of theatre buffs started putting on shows, the community surrounding Springfield Little Theatre grew. The troupe eventually caught the attention of Larry Ollis, who, at age 24, had been serving as the chief usher at the Shrine Mosque. It was his time at the mosque that sparked his love for the performing arts, and when Ollis eventually discovered Springfield Little Theatre, he fell in love with the mission and joined the board. 22
Springfield Little Theatre
2021—2022 Season
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Today, it’s hard to imagine SLT without its home at the Historic Landers Theatre, but back in the 1930s, the theatre troupe was pretty much homeless. Without a theatre to call their own, SLT performed wherever they could, from churches and the Central High School auditorium to the basement of City Hall and the theatre on Drury University’s campus. Over the years, the group grew to the point where it absolutely needed to have a permanent stage. When the Historic Landers Theatre was for sale, board members Ollis and Virgil Anderson were instrumental in purchasing the building, and in 1970, these two helped secure a $100,000 loan to buy the theatre. “Virgil and I personally guaranteed the loan,” Ollis says. “SLT didn’t have any credit, and I was too dumb to worry about that.” The Landers Theatre was built in 1909 by John and D.J. Landers and R.W. Seward. The opulent brick and terracotta building was originally part of the Orpheum circuit of theatres, and over the years, it showcased vaudeville and tabloid shows, musicals and motion pictures, and it was the first television studio to broadcast in color outside New York or LA. But by the 1970s, the storied building had seen better days. Springfield Little Theatre start-
ed raising seed money to give The Landers a good scrubbing. There was gum on the seats, empty light sockets, chipped paint and so much more. Troops of volunteers showed up to scrub, paint, sweep and bring the theatre back to its glory. Ollis still remembers opening night. “My goodness, it was wonderful,” he says. “We served champagne in the lobby.” Fay, Ollis’ wife, even baked cookies for the event. After 36 years, three American wars, an untold number of shows and thousands of supporters, Springfield Little Theatre finally had a home.
