HISTORY

The original Old Colony Players (OCP) began in 1935 when a small group who shared a passion for theater and a desire to bring some culture to the community began presenting plays in the Burke County school auditoriums. By 1939, there were thirty-five actors and the group became a charter member of the newly organized Little Town Theater in Charlotte, NC.

The club disbanded with the advent of World War II and didn't reorganize until 1968, when the town celebrated its 75th anniversary. The new Old Colony Players was revived to produce two plays. The first play, "The Land is Good," was a spectacle that crossing the styles of  Cecil B. DeMille and the Ziegfield Follies that told the Valdese story in a truly celebrative way with narration, acting, dancing, and fireworks! The second play was Fred Cranford's "From This Day Forward."

"From This Day Forward," would become the backbone of the Old Colony Players organization, being staged every summer since 1968 in the Outdoor Amphitheater on Church Street. Originally, many of the roles were played by full-blooded Waldenses, some of whom even played their own ancestors!  Eventually, though, through marriage and the lure of other places to call home, the number of Waldenses in Valdese diminished and most of the roles are now filled by actors and actresses from all backgrounds who love both the story and the opportunity to perform on stage.

Over time, the organization began to branch out into other performances, taking advantage of the extensive renovations to the Old Rock School auditorium in 1986 that provide comfortable seating for over four hundred show-goers.

Old Colony Players has been active in developing creative outlets for its actors and producers, taking shows on the road to retirement homes and branching into dinner theaters.