Beginnings
Bakersfield Community Theatre was founded in May 1927. Prior to this date, community theatre productions were frequently produced in Bakersfield by various clubs. The Bakersfield Woman's Club presented theatre productions, as well as the Elks, DeMolay, and the Plymouth Guild. Albert Johnson was one of the people who was an influence in getting community theatre to become an important part of the Bakersfield cultural arts.
Gilmor Brown, of the Pasadena Playhouse, was the inspiration for the establishment of a permanent community theatre in Bakersfield. In November 1926, he gave a speech before the Bakersfield Woman's Club outlining possible procedures for organizing a community theatre. "Call a mass meeting," he advised. "Do not depend too much on the names always associated with important community activities. Sincere workers and promising talent will be found in unexpected places if the proposition is presented as a real community project." Mr. Brown's words inspired an awakening consciousness of the possibility of such work in Bakersfield.
In early May 1927, a group of women met one night at the Woman's Club building. They included: Alma Campbell, Ethel Robinson, Mrs. George Shearer, and Mrs. H.A. Peairs. They proceeded to found a community theatre. Using telephones and the newspaper, they announced a public meeting to be held a few days later on May 16, 1927 at the clubhouse. More than 50 people attended and the founding group expanded to include Mrs. Ross C. Miller, Evelyn Derby, Dwight Clark, Thomas McManus and Laurence Taylor. Ten days later the founders had finished writing the constitution and bylaws and had taken on 98 paid season members. The name Bakersfield Community Theatre (BCT) was adopted.
Another public meeting was called on May 31, 1927 at the courthouse for election of board members and officers. paid membership had now grown to 125 members. By the end of the evening the new community theatre was underway and committee chairmen had received their assignments. The total time to found the theatre: a little over two weeks. On October 31, 1927 the first BCT production was presented. The First Year by Frank Craven performed at Bakersfield High School's auditorium before an audience of more than 400 people. Alma Campbell directed the production. Four productions were presented each season for the first nine years. For many years there was only one performance given for each production. Throughout the years the number of performances for each production gradually increased, going from the one a year to four by the mid-1950s, to the current number of nine per adult production.
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