The Arena Theatre, a professional repertory theatrical company, established itself in Rochester, N.Y., in November 1950. Initially known as the Genesee Valley Players, the troupe officially renamed itself the Arena Theatre in June of 1951. The...
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The Arena Theatre, a professional repertory theatrical company, established itself in Rochester, N.Y., in November 1950. Initially known as the Genesee Valley Players, the troupe officially renamed itself the Arena Theatre in June of 1951. The collection consists of programs detailing 84 productions by the Arena Theatre, 1950 to 1956. LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN was the troupe's debut production, which, according to the program, marked Rochester N.Y.'s introduction to "arena staging," i.e. theater in the round. The Arena Theater went on to stage such community theater staples as THE FOURPOSTER, CHARLEY'S AUNT, PYGMALION, and GIGI. The programs offer news about the Arena Theater and its future plans, biographical sketches of the cast and crew, and, in some cases, historical background concerning the current production.
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