The Belmont Theatre Explained

The Belmont Theatre
Address:27 S. Belmont Street
City:York, Pennsylvania 17403
Formernames:York Little Theatre
(1933–2016; – yrs ago)
Built: (as Elmwood Theatre)
Expanded:1997
Renovated:2015

The Belmont Theatre, formerly York Little Theatre,[1] is a community theater in York, Pennsylvania, founded on February 5, 1933, as part of the Little Theatre Movement.[2] [3] [4] [5]

Early years

The theatre initially borrowed space from the local Women's Club, the York Collegiate Institute, and the local YWCA. Its first full-length performance was Lady Windermere's Fan at the Phineas Davis School Auditorium on December 14, 1933.

After two unsuccessful attempts at securing its own real estate, the theatre acquired a permanent home at the Elmwood Theatre, a former cinema built and opened in 1949. After a lease-purchase agreement was signed in July 1953, the theatre gained title to the building seven years ahead of schedule in May 1956.[2] [6] [7]

Leadership and growth

Bert Smith was artistic director from 1953 until 1982.[8] Eric Bradley Long was artistic director until 2010.[4] Rene Staub became artistic director in 2012, while Lyn Bergdoll became executive director that year.[9]

A 7000square feet addition to the theatre was completed in 1997, after more than $1 million was raised under the leadership of Henry Leader, brother of former Pennsylvania governor George M. Leader.

After 2012, the theatre recovered from its own major financial crisis suffered in the wake of the financial crisis of 2007–08, paying off debts and making long-overdue improvements to the building and stage equipment.[4] [10]

Changes

According to the executive director, Lyn Bergdoll, the theatre was renamed after its street in mid-2016 due to a migration of the former name's meaning. While "little theater" originally connoted "community theater", it has more recently been applied to "children's theater" or "smaller productions".

The theatre's most enduring fundraiser has been an annual food stand at the York Fair, at which steak sandwiches are sold. The stand was started in 1957 by Betty Gerberick and run by volunteers. A partnership with the local Roosevelt Tavern began in 2017 to operate the stand from 2018 onward.[11]

Alumni

Notable theatre alumni include Rebecca Wisocky[12] and Sam Freed.[13]

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cotter. Sean Philip. York Little Theatre changes name. York Dispatch. 1 May 2017. limited.
  2. Web site: YLT History. York Little Theatre. 24 March 2015.
  3. News: Bergdoll . Lyn . Bringing Broadway to Belmont: York Little Theatre celebrates 82 years . 24 March 2015 . York Daily Record . 20 February 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402110046/http://www.ydr.com/letters/ci_27565386/bringing-broadway-belmont-york-little-theatre-celebrates-82 . 2 April 2015 .
  4. News: Landauer. Bill. York Little Theatre eliminates three positions. 24 March 2015. York Daily Record. 18 December 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402160229/http://www.inyork.com/local/ci_16892461. 2 April 2015.
  5. News: From YLT to the Belmont: 85 years of community theater . Lyn . Bergdoll . York Daily Record . 31 August 2017 . 13 September 2018 . limited .
  6. Web site: Elmwood Theatre. Cinema Treasured. 24 March 2015.
  7. News: YLT renamed The Belmont Theatre . 1 June 2016 . Gordon . Freireich . York Daily Record . limited . 12 September 2018 .
  8. News: McCracken . Erin . Remember: York Little Theatre . 24 March 2015 . York Daily Record . 20 August 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402111658/http://www.ydr.com/ci_21335937/remember-york-little-theatre . 2 April 2015 .
  9. News: Woodall . Cansy . Bergdoll to take helm of York Little Theatre . 24 March 2015 . York Dispatch . 19 August 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402152850/http://www.yorkdispatch.com/ci_21350482/bergdoll-take-helm-york-little-theatre . 2 April 2015 .
  10. News: Hughes. Ellen. 'Grease' opens new era at York Little Theatre. 25 March 2015. The Patriot-News (Harrisburg). 15 September 2014.
  11. News: What's the future for York Little Theatre steak stand at the York Fair? . 12 September 2017 . Anthony J. . Machinski . York Daily Record . Gannett . limited . 12 September 2018 .
  12. Web site: Central PA . York actress Rebecca Wisocky brings experience as a villain to Lifetime's 'Devious Maids' . PennLive.com . 11 August 2013 . 24 March 2015.
  13. Web site: YLT + YSO + 75 years = A1 entertainment . McClure . Jim . York Town Square . 23 January 2008 . 12 September 2018 .

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