Fifty Years!!! A half century of theatrical entertainment here in northwest Illinois! It couldn’t succeed! A crazy idea! A local banker said it would be a great storage building for hay in the next year! Who would come to see live theatre out here in the country? What a story and what a history! This summer is the 50th anniversary of the formation of the board of directors of Timber Lake Playhouse and the chain of events that followed.
It all began in 196l when Donald Mackay kept visiting Lake Okoboji in Iowa where there was a summer theatre. He dreamed of a summer theatre here in Illinois and pursued his dream with Andrew Bro who was the chaplain and director of theatrical productions at Shimer College. Together they found support among the citizens of the area and soon a group of culturally minded individuals came together and founded Timber Lake Playhouse. The official document from the State of Illinois came on September 25, 1961 stating TLP was an official not-for-profit corporation. The members of the original board were Jody Armstrong of Mt, Carroll, Mark Benny of Mt. Carroll, Rosella Burstrom of Polo, Simon Chapman of Sterling, Herbert Christian of Mt. Carroll, David Hayhow of Savanna, Dale LeBaron of Freeport, Mrs. Virgil Marth of Savanna, Nadine McCall of Savanna, Don Reuter of Mt. Carroll, Mrs. W.W. Wagner of Savanna, Robert Weissmiller of Mt. Carroll, Andrew Bro of Mt .Carroll who was the first president of the board, Dorothea Rahn of Lanark who served the board in many capacities during her 46 years on the board and Sheldon Frank of Chadwick who is the only member of the original board to still be active on the board today.
That fall and winter there were many late night meetings making decisions about the operation of a summer theatre including funding, auditioning for a company of actors, plans for housing and feeding the company, more funding, a budget and convincing a bank to make a loan so we could begin building the playhouse. Was it to be a tent? Was it to be a permanent building? What size? Details! Mr. Mackay donated the land for the playhouse across the road from Timber Lake which he also owned. Robert Traum Construction of Chadwick was hired to build the playhouse at a cost of $15,000 and the wheels starting turning for that grand opening, June 28, 1962. When the first company arrived to start rehearsals they were greeted by Andy Bro with a hammer and a carpenter’s apron and told that they had to help finish building the playhouse. The actors actually wheeled all the cement into the playhouse for the floors in the building. The actors worked at construction all day and then rehearsed at night for the opening of “Teahouse of the August Moon.” The building was built with native lumber and when it dried out there were cracks where the bats freely flew in and out of the playhouse! It was rustic to say the least.
During that first planning year we had to prepare a budget for income and expenses and most of the board were not knowledgeable in theatre finances. Consequently, we were not sure what the costs would be, how many people would attend and what would be the charge for admission. More questions! Our first budget for the 1962 season was $23,050.99 and our budget for this year is $516,065. The 1962 season ticket cost was $14 and now it is $100. The playhouse continues to bring an outstanding variety of productions to this area while keeping the admissions at a level that most people can afford for an excellent evening of live theatrical entertainment.
Our attendance for the previous 48 season is 901,521. When and who will be the 1,000,000th person to enter the playhouse? We look forward to next season, our 50th anniversary of productions and to another 50 years of theatre in this area.
Sheldon S. Frank
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