ABOUT
MISSION
Pinewood Players Inc. is a non-profit 501c3 organization bringing cultural opportunities to all ages. Each season the Pinewood Players entertain the community by presenting live theater and by providing various venues where children and adults learn about the performing arts through participation in workshops, drama camps and plays of all kinds.
HISTORY
Pinewood Players was originally formed in the summer of 1990 by a group of Pinewood Country Club members who were also theater enthusiasts. Elaine “Enie” Smart is credited with leading the formation of the group along with fellow founding members Hilda Buerkle, Joan Gorges, Jim Hedberg and Norma Thomas. Enie’s son Bill Smart, an accomplished theater director, later joined the group and directed all productions from 1993 through 2008. They are all recognized as the founders and pioneers of Pinewood Players.
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The group presented their first productions in 1990 which included “The Hitchhiker” and “Sorry, Wrong Number.” Performances were staged in the Pinewood Country Club “Bingo Room” but the productions became so popular that a larger venue was soon needed. The Club Library Room was used for performances in subsequent seasons until 2002.
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The club group grew in number and popularity and by 1997 they incorporated, applied for and received non-profit 501(c)(3) status in order to accept tax deductible donations from a growing support base. By 2001 the organization had outgrown the Country Club Library and needed a larger venue to accommodate audiences and more sophisticated production requirements. The Pinewood Country Club had an unused building on the property and the club offered to lease the building to the group for a nominal annual rent fee. The community and club came together with donations and volunteer labor and The Pinewood Playhouse was christened in the summer of 2002. Continued public support and donations have allowed Pinewood Players to transform the Pinewood Playhouse into a community landmark with graduated theater seating, large stage, state-of-the-art sound, lighting systems and other amenities that few small communities can boast.
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Pinewood Players has thrived in the community for over 30 years providing inexpensive live theater entertainment and supporting the community with such activities as Youth Drama Camps, social events, acting and directing workshops and scholarships for deserving students having close ties to Munds Park. Membership in Pinewood Players, all productions and social activities are open to the public and the entire community is welcome to participate and enjoy the camaraderie, fun, unique entertainment and educational experiences provided by Pinewood Players.
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For additional historical information on Pinewood Players, click here for a six-part detailed review of Pinewood Players history.