Raleigh Little Theatre

Raleigh Little Theatre (RLT) is a community theatre in Raleigh, North Carolina that produces 11 full productions annually and maintains a comprehensive youth and adult theatre education programs.

About

Raleigh Little Theatre was established in 1936 to provide community theatre performances and opportunities for residents. RLT produces 11 shows each season, professionally supported by complete on-site costume and scene shops, along with a full and part-time professional staff of 16 and more than 500 community volunteers. With the largest subscription base of any community theatre in the area (3,000+), RLT serves more than 40,000 people with shows each season.

RLT also performs annually at the 600-seat Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater. A total of 11 shows are produced annually, professionally supported by complete on-site costume and scene shops.

History

Raleigh Little Theatre started in 1935-36 when a group of Raleigh performers joined forces with technical workers from the Federal Theatre Project to bring community theatre to Raleigh.

Then, civic leader Cantey Venable Sutton pushed through bureaucratic red tape and galvanized the Works Progress Administration construction of our main theatre, amphitheatre and Rose Garden. POV-statement|date=October 2008 In 2000, the main theatre was named in honor of Mrs. Sutton. RLT's annual performance awards, given each June, have been called "Canteys" in her honor for a number of decades.

RLT was the first community theatre in the South to cast actors of color during segregation.

Venues

The historic Raleigh Little Theatre facility includes three on-site venues: the 298-seat Cantey V. Sutton Theatre built in 1939; the outdoor 1700-seat RLT’s Louise “Scottie” Stephenson Amphitheatre, also built in 1939; and the 150-seat Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre built in 1990.

Current Season

In the July 2006 - June 2007 season, Raleigh Little Theatre will produce the following shows:

*Pinnocchio
*Baba Yaga
*The Honky Tonk Angels
*The Waiting Room
*The Mousetrap
*Petite Rouge
*Cinderella (Produced Annually)
*A Raisin in the Sun
*The House of Blue Leaves
*Merlin and the Cave of Dreams
*Garden of the Wild (Collaboration with The Paperhand Puppet Intervention)
*The Full Monty

pecial Events

Raleigh Little Theatre also stages several special events throughout the year. Some of these are fundraisers for the theatre, others for social gatherings to recognize volunteers. Among these are:

*Divas!
*The Winter Gala (Snowflake Ball)
*The Ice Cream Social
*The Canteys
*Costume Sale

Youth Education Programs

Each year, RLT serves more than 900 children and adults in its year-round on-site and satellite education programs through the Dianne Davidian Education Program. In addition, more than 1,000 Wake County students are served in the classroom, at youth organizations and on-site are reached through its RLT Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Active Arts Outreach Program.

RLT’s Youth Education Program has received national, state and local recognition for excellence, not only are they the talent of tomorrow but also tomorrow’s audiences. RLT’s Education Program has included the active participation of more than 14,000 young people in the past 15- years that have taken classes at RLT, including being named the “Best Youth Education Program” by the North Carolina Theatre Conference in 2002.

In 2003, RLT launched its RLT/Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Arts Active Outreach Program to bring its award-winning, process-oriented, youth education program directly into the classroom. During the first six months of the program, more than 1,000 students had the opportunity to experience the theatrical arts either through workshops, in-classroom residencies or special performances in schools that otherwise would not have been possible.

Notable Performers

*Andy Griffith performed at RLT in the early 1940s.
*Frankie Muniz
*Clay Aiken?

External links

* [http://www.raleighlittletheatre.org Raleigh Little Theatre's Website]