Rochester Community Players - Managing Directors

Managing Directors

In 1926, RCP hired its own full-time professional director and manager, Robert Stevens of New York City. RCP was said to be the first community theater in the United States to hire a full-time director. He was "engaged" for three weeks and stayed for twenty eight years, operating RCP until his retirement in 1953. He was assisted for many years by scenic designer Milton Robinson, who retired in 1951. Stevens was succeeded by George Warren and Harriet Warren. For nearly twenty years, starting with the 1953-54 season, Mr. Warren acted as RCP's business manager and Mrs. Warren as the artistic director. They were assisted by Betsy Hall, who worked as scenic designer from 1953 to 1976. Mr. Tom Vawter also acted as scenic designer/T.D. from 1976 until the mid-1980s. The Warrens came to Rochester in 1953 after 17 years of developing community theater in Jamestown, New York. Their goal was to transform the socially elite image of RCP and hoped RCP would go professional, as had Buffalo's Studio Arena Theater, which had started as a community theater in 1927 and converted into a professional theater in 1965. However, RCP remained a community theater during the Warren years. George Warren died March 11, 1972 and Hattie Warren retired the next year. Various full-time and part-time managers operated the theater over the next twenty five years. The longest period being from 1987 to 1998 when Michael C. Krickmire held the full-time position of Producing/Artistic Director of RCP. RCP has been managed entirely by volunteers since 1998. The current president of RCP is Peter Scribner.