The Heritage Players is a community theater group based in Bethel Park, PA, just south of Pittsburgh. Currently in its eleventh season, the group actually has a rich history that dates back over forty years.
In 1962, a group of Bethel Park residents who were interested in providing themselves and other theater lovers with opportunities to fulfill their thespian longings formed a performance troupe. The original goal was to perform for friends and neighbors, but the group eventually moved west (to Carnegie, PA, just down the road) to continue its contributions to live theater in that community.
For fifteen years, no community theater existed in Bethel Park. However, in the mid-1990s, the Bethel Park Historical Society began to brainstorm ideas for making better use of their home at the Schoolhouse Arts Center building (the old Bethel Park school building). Almost immediately came the thought to resurrect live theater in Bethel Park. A board of directors was formed, headed by then BPHS President, Don Anderson.
The performance group was dubbed "The Heritage Players" to reflect its connection to and endorcement by the Historical Society. After close to a two-decade hiatus, community theater returned to Bethel Park when the Heritage Players bowed with Curtain Call: An Evening of One Acts on October 3, 1997. The plays performed that first 1997-98 season were "Episode in the Life of an Author" and "An Actors Nightmare." The shows came together quickly, reflecting a commitment by the community to jump head-first into the waters of local live theater. Two full-length productions were undertaken the following spring.
In less than a year, Heritage was making its mark in western Pennsylvania theatrical circles, by producing a one-act at the Pittsburgh New Works Festival in 1998. Three more full-length productions, including a successful fundraiser at Independence Middle School, proved that Heritage was here to stay in Bethel Park.
The IMS experience also proved that Heritage was outgrowing its small theater space at the Schoolhouse Arts Center. While ideal for intimate shows, the facilities on the second floor of the older building could not accomodate a larger-scale production.
E
nter the state-of-the-art Bethel
Park Community Center. Billed as an all-purpose facility, the Community
Center was opened in 1999 and the Heritage Players became a mainstay
on the mainstage. That year was also the first with a set schedule (one
show in the autumn, another in late winter, and one musical in late spring).
Audiences were finally realizing that there was theater in Bethel Park.
Despite the quick growth and new facilities (complete with bathrooms and central heat/air!!!), Heritage was still a surprise to many in our community. While our popular theater classes were attracting more and more students, many area residents were still surprised to hear that we had been around for more than five years. Our watershed moment came in 2001-2002, when all three of our mainstage shows brought in large attendance and critical review, and our musical production of Fiddler on the Roofsold out while serving up six standing ovations!
Due to our enormous success over the past two years, Heritage is expanding. Thanks to donations from the Bethel Park Foundation, the Rotary, and others, along with the support of our umbrella department at Bethel Park Recreation and Leisure, we are updating our theater space with a new curtain, new sound and more lighting. We hope to improve our seating and increase the number of performances to accomodate larger audiences.
Heritage remains an all-volunteer organization. Our board is active both onstage and behind the scenes. We hope our presence in Bethel Park will be valued for many years to come.