Entertaining, Educating, and Engaging Through Theatre Arts Since 1925
Walking through downtown GR, it’s almost impossible to miss the beautiful Civic Theater building beckoning visitors to come take in a show. It’s become a staple on locals’ lists of favorite things to do in Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre is an integral part of Grand Rapids’ history. Founded in 1925, the organization has been a constant in the world of entertainment and education in this community for generations.
I have the unique privilege of getting a ‘backstage tour’ of Civic Theatre a couple days a week as their part-time Marketing Coordinator. It’s been amazing to be able to work among the dedicated staff and volunteers who are the life behind the productions you enjoy.
Step backstage with me as I share with you 10 things you might not have known about Grand Rapids’ iconic Civic Theater.
10 Things You May Not Know About the Civic Theatre
1 – Volunteers are the Heart of the Civic Theatre
Over 750 volunteers generously book over 60,000 volunteer hours at the Civic each year.
Civic Theatre is known for their performances so it’s a surprise to many when they find out that the actors are not paid. All of the talent that you see on stage are volunteers from the community.
The next time you are at a show, keep an eye out…you might just recognize someone from your neighborhood!
2 – The Building you now Recognize as the Civic Theatre has its own Rich History
You can’t tell from the outside, but the theatre is comprised of four separate buildings (Wenham Building, Bodsford Building, Hull Building, and the Meijer Majestic Theatre) that were engineered to become one.
Out of the four buildings, the theatre itself is the newest, being established in 1903. The maze of buildings that Civic Theatre calls home goes up six stories.
The theatre was originally built as a touring house for groups who traveled across the country and also used to be a movie house with two screens.
3 – Props, Props, and More Props
With all of the shows that they have done over the years, Civic Theatre’s properties department needs 6 storage areas to house all of their props. They try to use props that are as authentic as possible.
For example, the show 9 to 5, featured office equipment from the 60’s and 70’s including IBM typewriters and adding machines.
Sharon Hayes, former Properties Coordinator, said that the holiday shows are the most challenging but also the most rewarding to work on. She listed Christmas Story, Mary Poppins, and Beauty and the Beast as her favorites to find and create props for.
4 – It’s a Non-Profit Organization
Being a community theatre, the Civic relies on the community to attend their shows and donate so they can continue operating.
The majority of Civic Theatre funding comes from donors; this includes businesses, organizations, and individuals that contribute to the bright future of this Grand Rapids staple.
5 – The Very First Show…
The very first play to hit the Majestic stage was Teahouse of the August Moon in 1979. Since then, hundreds of other productions have graced the Civic Theatre stage from entertaining musicals to hard-hitting dramas.
6 – The Costume Designer Works With Volunteers to Bring You The Dazzling Costumes
The costumes are a huge highlight for the shows — and they’re all made by volunteers under the guidance of the Costume DIrector.
Longtime Costume Designer Robert Fowle was with Civic Theatre for over 40 years! According to Fowle, one of his most complicated costumes to design was Mama in Hairspray.
7 – The Civic Theatre is the 5th Largest Community Theatre in the Country
With nine mainstage productions, over 1,600 students educated per year, and thousands of patrons attending shows over the course of a season, Civic Theatre has become known nationwide for their high-quality performances and their work in the world of theatre education.
8 – The Play Selection Process Isn’t an Easy One
It’s always exciting when a theatre announces their next round of performances. While some might think this is a quick process, much goes into selecting a season.
A myriad of factors is considered including number of roles for men and women, schedule and availability (for each show you have to get rights from the publishing house), current events, audience interest, and ensuring diversity and inclusiveness in the topics.
This process can take months of preparation and even years of planning as they try to create a road map of shows they would like to do in the future.
9 – The Civic Theatre is a School, Too
A huge aspect of Civic Theatre is the School of Theatre Arts. The school has classes and special programs year-round to engage people of all ages in theatre.
From improv workshops to a performance that travels locally, the school plays an influential part in the continued success of Civic Theatre.
If you attend a performance, make sure to pay special attention to your playbill where they notate any actor that has taken classes in the school.
10 – The 2025/2026 Season Celebrates Civic’s 99th year
Earlier this year Civic Theatre announced their 2025/26 season.
They have everything from the classic Ain’t Misbehavin’ to Disney favorite Frozen.
With a stacked season like that, it’s hard to imagine what they’ll conjure up for their 100th season celebration in 2026/27!
To learn more about Civic Theatre, visit www.grct.org.
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