Join us as we head down the road to opening night… and you’re just in time!
We’re documenting the process not only to share juicy backstage stories, but also to give anyone curious a look at the step-by-step work that goes into creating a stage production. Our goal is to reveal all the moving parts—the gears that make up the engine—and, more importantly, the momentum that builds from day to day. The mechanics of theatre.
Now, even though this is 2025, drama and plays have been around for thousands of years. Today we’re on the edge of presenting theatre with technologies that are transforming the industry—many of which have already made their way into neighborhood high school drama departments.
Websites? Old hat—they’ve been around for more than 30 years. The new bells and whistles include 4K streaming media delivered seamlessly over 5G networks. Digital audio, automated lighting, show control, and LED technology aren’t brand new either, but they’ve now reached the scale and affordability that put them within reach of schools and community theatres.
At Atholton Theatre, we incorporate some of this tech, but we still hold on to plenty of old-fashioned charm. We build and paint sets by hand. Costumes are the result of hours of human design, stitching, and fitting. And while you may have a robot vacuum picking up pet hair at home, our housekeeping is handled the old-school way—by the sweat equity of every member of the company, no matter which side of the stage they’re on.
You may be wondering how Clue, our first production of the year, came to be. Plays and musicals are licensed by a small number of organizations responsible for arranging performance rights, enforcing copyrights, and ensuring royalties are paid to the show’s creators. They also manage the logistics that give Atholton Theatre an exclusive window of time to perform. Performance calendars are usually decided months—sometimes years—in advance to secure availability.
For us, the real excitement begins with the big reveal—when the season is announced and dates are locked in. That announcement happened earlier this year to a small circle of insiders, but the general public first heard the news on August 25, the first day of school. The shows? Signed and sealed. The theatre? Reserved. The new website, with a new name and logo? Online! And opening night? We’re glad you asked: November 20, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
By the time you read this, we’ll have held auditions and callbacks for Clue. Casting takes time, since many students are eager to be involved. Meanwhile, the production crew is assembled, drama boosters are organized, and emails start flying. And so begins a beautiful, intricate process that will ultimately involve close to 100 people, all working together to bring the magic and delight of live theatre to our audiences.
You won’t find a better view behind the scenes than what we share right here on our website. So stay tuned, and come back often—the story of a show will unfold before your eyes!