T H E AT E R
ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE…
OPERA EDWARDSVILLE
AUDIENCE LIGHTS DIM. STAGE LIGHTS COME TO LIFE. ACTORS SWEEP INTO PLACE ACROSS THE STAGE. ANTICIPATION BUZZES THROUGHOUT THE THEATER. AND THEN, FOR A FEW HOURS, THE WORLD OUTSIDE FADES AND THE THEATER GLOWS WITH A LIVE PERFORMANCE.
ALTON LITTLE THEATER
Comedies. Dramas. Musicals. They all have a home on the stages of theater groups throughout the Great Rivers & Routes region of southwest Illinois. The grand dame of the theater world in the area, Alton Little Theater is celebrating its 88th year as the state’s longest, continuously operating community theater.
GOSHEN THEATER PROJECT
“This year we are doing 14 shows in 12 months,” Lee Cox, Executive Director of Alton Little Theater notes. “We are having a show or concert every month.” The 225 seat Alton theater will showcase a variety of comedies, dramas and musicals from September through May of 2022. The season kicks off with “Gloria’s Guy” a Canadian dramedy and ends with the exuberant comedy, “The Wild Women of Winedale.”
24 Great Rivers & Routes
HARD ROAD THEATER PRODUCTIONS
“Each show runs for eight days and we have a great diverse, young cast,” Cox says. “Alton Little Theater has been honored as the top community theater in the nation for innovation. We are very proud of that.”
Edwardsville’s City Park on Friday, Sept. 10 as well as the annual Holiday Concert at SIUE’s Dunham Hall.
There will also be Extra Entertainment series at Alton Little Theater including “Remembering Christmas” in December and “The Music of Barry Manilow” in April.
The Goshen Theater Project plans two summer and one fall production a year. This community theater came to life in 2014 when local educators and parents came together to expand theater opportunities for children and adults. Shows are held at various locations throughout southwest Illinois. Be sure to check out the play “Nunsense” at the Nazarene Community Theater in Roxana Oct. 21-24.
“I want people to know that when they come to Alton Little Theater, they are going to be entertained,” Cox said. Not only are community theaters bringing the stage to life. Opera also has a home in southwest Illinois thanks to Opera Edwardsville. Opera Edwardsville burst on to the performance scene nearly three years ago bringing classical European-style opera to Edwardsville and southwest Illinois. Performances this year include an open air concert in
And don’t miss productions by these area community groups:
In June 2001, a group of Highland residents said, “Hey, let’s put on a show.” And Hard Road Theater Productions
ALFRESCO PRODUCTIONS
was born. The now 20-year-old theater group has been producing local community shows ever since. Past productions include “Shrek”, “Mamma Mia”, “Godspell”, “1940’s Radio Hour”, and “Little Shop of Horrors.” Of course, there have been many more! Alfresco Productions, based in Granite City, organizes cultural and artistic events for the community. Past activities have included live theater productions at the Alfresco Art Center, holiday community events and more. Curtain’s Up Theater Company took a break during the COVID pandemic. Typically shows are presented in Edwardsville and Collinsville and are family focused.
mississippimudpottery.com
STORES HOURS
Sun. & Mon. Noon-4pm
Tues. Closed
Wed.-Sat. 10am-5pm
310 E Broadway Alton, IL 62002 • 618.462.7573
RiversandRoutes.com
25
