Regional Theater of The Week: The Olney Theatre Center

BroadwayWorld.com, the largest theatre site on the Internet, is excited to announce a new feature to its comprehensive regional coverage - the Featured Regional Theater of the Week! Each week, BWW will introduce its readers to a regional theater located in one of our (over 130!) coverage cities. By exploring these different venues, their history and showcasing the production seasons, BWW continues its commitment to expand our presence in communities and cities across the United States.

This Week's Featured Regional Theater: The Olney Theatre Centre in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Founded in 1938 by Steve Cochran, The Olney Theatre Centre is located on 14 acres in Montgomery County, north of Washington, D.C. Situated in the Washington-Baltimore-Frederick triangle, the theater is easily accessible to patrons traveling in from all three cities. Built on the site of a former roller rink, the theater underwent a major remodeling in 1940 to better accommodate the staging of productions.

One of only two theaters in the country operating under the Actors' Equity Association Council of Stock Theaters, the award-winning Theatre Center houses three indoor theaters and an amphitheater which hosts a yearly Summer Shakespeare Festival. The mainstage consists of a 429-seat facility and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

In its many decades of operation, stars of the stage, television and films have made appearances at the Olney including Helen Hayes, Lillian Gish, Gloria Swanson, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Carol Channing, Ian McKellen, and Marcia Gay Harden to name but a few.

The Olney is also home to the National Players, America’s longest-running touring company, which has been performing since 1949 entertaining high-school and college audiences with its classical repertoire. The Olney also provides a range of educational and outreach opportunities including in-school workshops, student matinees, post-show discussions, and internships.

Under the current direction of Artistic Director Martin Platt and Managing Director Amy Marshall, The Olney continues to offer a blend of classics, new works and musical productions. Upcoming shows include the quirky musical 'Little Shop of Horrors' (check out a behind-the-scenes video below), 'Over the Tavern', and the family-favorite 'Cinderella' by Rodgers & Hammerstein. For tickets and more information, click here. 

A behind-the-scenes look at Olney's production of  'Little Shop of Horrors' opening today, August 1, and playing thru August 26.  

For more information on The Olney Theatre Center, visit http://olneytheatre.org/

Know of a theater we should feature? Send us your suggestion to romi@broadwayworld.com 

Video courtesy of The Olney Theatre Center's YouTube channel