Raleigh Little Theatre

Raleigh Little Theatre (RLT) is a special place for performing arts in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is a community theatre where people of all ages come together to put on shows. Every year, RLT puts on about ten to eleven full productions, giving everyone a chance to watch exciting plays and performances.

Besides shows for everyone, RLT also offers classes and programs for both kids and adults. These programs help people learn new skills, such as acting, and give them the opportunity to be part of a theatre production. It is a wonderful way for the community to share their love for theatre and work together to create something fun and inspiring.

About

Raleigh Little Theatre began in 1936 to give people a place to watch and enjoy community theatre. Each season, they put on 11 shows. These shows are helped by special costume and scene teams, and they have a staff of 16 people who work full or part-time, plus over 600 volunteers. Many people love to watch these shows—more than 3,000 people buy tickets each season, and over 40,000 people get to see the performances.

History

Raleigh Little Theatre began in 1935-36 when local performers teamed up with workers from the Federal Theatre Project to create a place for community theatre in Raleigh. In 2010–2011, the theatre celebrated its 75th anniversary, and in October 2010, they performed their 600th show, The Piano Lesson.

A civic leader named Cantey Venable Sutton helped build the main theatre, an outdoor stage, and a beautiful garden. In 2000, the main theatre was named after her, and each year in June, they give out awards called "Canteys" in her honor. Raleigh Little Theatre was also the first in the South to let actors of all backgrounds perform together, even when some places were not allowed to do this.

Venues

The Raleigh Little Theatre has three spaces for shows. The Cantey V. Sutton Theatre holds 298 people and was built in 1939. There is also an outdoor area called the Louise "Scottie" Stephenson Amphitheatre, which can hold 2,000 people and was also built in 1939. The smallest space is the Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre, built in 1990, and it holds 150 people.

Special events

Raleigh Little Theatre holds several special events each year. These include fundraisers to help the theatre and social events to thank their volunteers.

Youth education programs

Each year, Raleigh Little Theatre helps more than 900 children and adults learn about theatre through classes and activities. They also reach over 1,000 students in Wake County schools and youth groups with special programs.

In 2003, they started a program to bring theatre activities right into classrooms. In the first six months, more than 1,000 students got to try theatre through workshops, special classes, or performances at their schools.

Notable performers

Some well-known people started their acting careers at Raleigh Little Theatre. Andy Griffith performed there in the early 1940s. Other famous performers who have appeared at RLT include Frankie Muniz, Clay Aiken, Ava Gardner, and Lachlan Watson.