NLT Building Preservation Fund
Donation protected
Natchez was the economic and cultural center of the Deep South in the 19th Century and the performing arts were an essential part of life. Throughout the 1800’s riverboat shows stopped and performed. In 1828-29 and 1838-39 Junius Brutus Booth, father of Edwin Booth and John Wilkes Booth, appeared here in the roles of Hamlet and King Lear. In the 1850’s, international operatic star, Jenny Lind, appeared in the Natchez Temple Opera House, as did William S. Hart in 1914, prior to his becoming America’s first western movie star. Sara Bernhard appeared here at the Baker Grand in 1917. The 20th Century found many a star of stage and screen in Natchez and the tradition continues today into the 21st Century.
In 1932, a group of local citizens met to organize The Little Theatre of Natchez, making this the oldest charity, non-profit volunteer community theatre in the state of Mississippi. Their first production was an one-act play, The Florist, which had been performed earlier in the 1920’s. The 1932 cast consisted of Eva Joo, Thomas Reed, Michael Kullman, Clarice George and Martin Burke. The play and following productions were performed at the old Cathedral High School auditorium on Main Street. The Natchez Little Theatre was organized and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1948 and shows were held at the Braden School auditorium.
In 1969, NLT under Board President Jack Millstein purchased the Wesley Methodist Church at 319 Linton Avenue (our current home). Mayweather Hall, the former parsonage next door, and a lot on Maple Street (our parking lot) were added to NLT’s property acquisitions.
The first play produced at NLT’s present home was Murder, My Sweet Matilda. Since 1932, NLT has produced over 500 plays for over 800,000 international patrons. NLT is the most active charitable non-profit volunteer community theatre in the nation playing to annual audiences of over 23,000 from around the world.
NLT is very proud of its diversity in membership, performers & productions, which represents the diversity of our historic city. We have consistently been recognized by the Mississippi Arts Commission & National Endowment for the Arts. Our Youth Programs have involved over 900 at risk youth, involving them in Community Service and awarding numerous College Scholarships to assist in higher education.
Natchez for all its rich history is an impoverished area located in southwest Mississippi, without many performing arts centers for local area performing artists. NLT has consistently met that need, affording opportunities to perform and for many to view their first live stage production.
NLT's Board of Directors are a diverse group of community leaders & volunteers, who are proud to have brought our community together racially for the common goal of excellence in the performing arts for the benefit of ALL in our community.
Our building dates back to the 1950s and we are sorely in need of upgrading our electrical and plumbing. The increased number of patrons and low ticket prices have made it difficult for us to make improvements and repairs to these important features of our building, which we own outright, and keep our participants & audiences safe for another 84 years.
Last season, over 23,000 patrons attended this theatre and our student matinees brought in 9,000 students from local & area schools, where no performing arts venues exist.
We urge you to visit our website at natcheztheatre.org to see all we do for this corner of the world and friend us on Facebook to see appreication from our community. By coming to our aid, you are helping us to assure that theatre, music, dance and art remain viable in rural southwest Mississippi.
Our thanks will be limitless and one of many rewards is to know that we are exposing thousands to the joys of live theatre, thus creating audiences & performers for future generations.
In 1932, a group of local citizens met to organize The Little Theatre of Natchez, making this the oldest charity, non-profit volunteer community theatre in the state of Mississippi. Their first production was an one-act play, The Florist, which had been performed earlier in the 1920’s. The 1932 cast consisted of Eva Joo, Thomas Reed, Michael Kullman, Clarice George and Martin Burke. The play and following productions were performed at the old Cathedral High School auditorium on Main Street. The Natchez Little Theatre was organized and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1948 and shows were held at the Braden School auditorium.
In 1969, NLT under Board President Jack Millstein purchased the Wesley Methodist Church at 319 Linton Avenue (our current home). Mayweather Hall, the former parsonage next door, and a lot on Maple Street (our parking lot) were added to NLT’s property acquisitions.
The first play produced at NLT’s present home was Murder, My Sweet Matilda. Since 1932, NLT has produced over 500 plays for over 800,000 international patrons. NLT is the most active charitable non-profit volunteer community theatre in the nation playing to annual audiences of over 23,000 from around the world.
NLT is very proud of its diversity in membership, performers & productions, which represents the diversity of our historic city. We have consistently been recognized by the Mississippi Arts Commission & National Endowment for the Arts. Our Youth Programs have involved over 900 at risk youth, involving them in Community Service and awarding numerous College Scholarships to assist in higher education.
Natchez for all its rich history is an impoverished area located in southwest Mississippi, without many performing arts centers for local area performing artists. NLT has consistently met that need, affording opportunities to perform and for many to view their first live stage production.
NLT's Board of Directors are a diverse group of community leaders & volunteers, who are proud to have brought our community together racially for the common goal of excellence in the performing arts for the benefit of ALL in our community.
Our building dates back to the 1950s and we are sorely in need of upgrading our electrical and plumbing. The increased number of patrons and low ticket prices have made it difficult for us to make improvements and repairs to these important features of our building, which we own outright, and keep our participants & audiences safe for another 84 years.
Last season, over 23,000 patrons attended this theatre and our student matinees brought in 9,000 students from local & area schools, where no performing arts venues exist.
We urge you to visit our website at natcheztheatre.org to see all we do for this corner of the world and friend us on Facebook to see appreication from our community. By coming to our aid, you are helping us to assure that theatre, music, dance and art remain viable in rural southwest Mississippi.
Our thanks will be limitless and one of many rewards is to know that we are exposing thousands to the joys of live theatre, thus creating audiences & performers for future generations.
Organizer
Natchez LittleTheatre
Organizer
Natchez, MS
